Former Fort Bend ISD superintendent Dr. Christie Whitbeck is suing the district and three of its board members—Sonya Jones, David Hamilton, and former board member Judy Dae. The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday, claims that her retirement agreement was violated and that negative comments were made about her, damaging her reputation, according to CW39.
"Aside from the heartbreaking loss of my husband and son, this has been the most painful experience of my life," Dr. Whitbeck told. "Never did I imagine enduring such malicious attacks on my character and career. I have dedicated my life to serving public education, and I refuse to let false, manufactured narratives define my legacy." Whitbeck's retirement reasons are unclear, but she suggests a tax rate election that raised $35 million to avoid a budget crisis may be involved. The school board claims she mismanaged the budget, with $77 million in overspending on bond projects, which Whitbeck blames on inflation. Hamilton, Jones, and Dae have not responded to the allegations, as stated by CW39 and Houston Chronicle.
Whitbeck's lawsuit is connected to ongoing board conflicts and political issues. There were reports of a "walking quorum" to undermine her leadership, and former trustee Kristen Malone claimed discussions about removing Whitbeck were improper, though board members deny this. Kristin Tassin, who replaced Malone as board president, is not part of the lawsuit. Fort Bend ISD has not commented on the case. Whitbeck’s lawsuit aims to defend her reputation and challenge the negative claims against her. As she told the Houston Chronicle, "I worked too hard to let my entire career be treated like this."
