Two of the North East Independent School District's (NEISD) most tenured trustees have decided to step away from the board following years of political strife. Sandra Hughey, a board member since 2000, and President Shannon Grona will not seek reelection, leaving three of the district's seats up for grabs in an upcoming election, according to the San Antonio Report.
Hughey's absence at the filing deadline was taken as her quietly bowing out; Grona, on the other hand, explicitly stated her intention to not run again. "I made a promise to my husband and I’m going to honor that by not seeking re-election," Grona said in an email statement she previously shared with the San Antonio Report. The NEISD board, which has seen its share of divisions, especially after the death of Trustee Terri Williams, will now see a special election in May to fill the vacant seats.
Trustees have struggled to appoint a successor to Williams, resulting in an impasse that’s prompted the scheduling of the special election. State Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins criticized the board's inability to reach a decision, labeling it an "embarrassment" and indicative of a "total level of disrespect" for both Williams and the district. This sentiment came to light during a public comment period where Gervin-Hawkins addressed the board, as reported by the Express News.
In the run-up to the election, trustees found themselves splintered, grappling with what amounted to a cultural tug-of-war. Jacqueline Klein, a candidate aligned with conservative factions, stirred controversy after a series of public vetting mishaps, including unpaid property taxes and a confrontation with an Uber driver, as detailed by the Express News. Despite these hiccups, Klein has yet to decide if she will enter the forthcoming race.
The remaining trustees, David Beyer and Steve Hilliard, are also running for re-election against a single opponent each. The shake-up on the NEISD board signifies a potential shift in the district’s governance, one that will be ultimately decided, in the faces of both new and familiar candidates, come May's election.
