The leadership of the Humble Independent School District is facing turmoil as trustees placed Superintendent Elizabeth Fagen on paid administrative leave following a controversial Title IX investigation involving her husband. According to the Houston Chronicle, Fagen's departure from her active role was decided in a 4-2 vote, with trustee Marques Holmes abstaining. The board chose Deputy Superintendent Roger Brown as the interim superintendent immediately after in an uncontested vote.
While the circumstances leading to Fagen being placed on the sideline remain officially undisclosed, the decision comes on the heels of her husband and former athletic director, Troy Kite, being implicated in misconduct. According to the same Houston Chronicle article, Kite retired amid findings from a Title IX report that he contributed to a "locker room" atmosphere within the district's athletic department. Fagen, who earns $338,756 a year, has been leading the 48,000-student district since 2016. Her leadership is now under examination, it is Roger Brown taking the reins in a district roiled by legal controversy and public dismay.
Legal expenses have been a flashpoint for the controversy in Humble ISD. The Houston Chronicle reports that the cost for one of the multiple law firms employed by the district was alarmingly high, nearing $1 million. In response to trustee queries about the steep legal fees, the Chief Financial Officer, Billy Beattie, noted during a meeting that they made fund balance transfers to cover these costs. Holmes expressed his concern about the money being spent, stating, "It does bother me that we’ve spent darn near $1 million on legal fees," Meanwhile, the community's frustration was palpable, with one member, Justin Laurie, labeling the situation a "leadership disaster" and calling for accountability from both Fagen and the board members.
Complicating the narrative is Fagen's recent candidacy for a superintendent position in Reno, Nevada, which she did not secure, as reported by Community Impact. The Washoe County School District announced a different finalist only hours before the Humble ISD board meeting that sidelined Fagen. Trustee discontent was evident as well, with Robert Sitton lamenting the lack of communication and transparency with the board president over agenda items, saying, “I sent an email to [Scarfo] on Friday with no response [and] another email Saturday night with no response. If we're not getting answers and we're getting the agenda late, that's kind of a false statement.”
