Federal Judge Sid Fitzwater has just awarded over $650,000 in attorney fees and costs against a former school Superintendent and the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB).

The case, one of the first of its kind in the country, originated when Mrs. Barrow was denied a promotion within the District unless she removed her children from a private Christian School.

A federal jury in the civil rights trial, Karen Jo Barrow v. Greenville ISD, found a constitution violation and ordered the former superintendent D. Herman Smith to pay back wages and punitive damages in March of this year.

The jury of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas found the defendant, former Superintendent Smith, guilty of violating Mrs. Barrow’s parental rights and awarded her more than $15,000 in lost wages. In addition, the jury also awarded $20,000 in punitive damages.

Mrs. Barrow stated that she will use the awarded money to fund college scholarships for Greenville ISD and Greenville Christian School graduates who pursue education degrees.

The case originated when Mrs. Barrow was denied the opportunity to interview for a vice principal position within the Greenville ISD because she refused to remove her children from a private, Christian school.

Dr. Smith, the former Superintendent of Greenville ISD, now works for the state of Texas. More than 700 school districts in Texas are insured under a self-insurance plan run by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB).

Kelly ShackelfordCharles Bundren was the lead attorney for Mrs. Barrow in the lawsuit while Tom Brandt and Dennis Eichelbaum represented TASB and the former Greenville Superintendent. The Liberty Legal Institute, which represented Mrs. Barrow, is headed up by Kelly Shackelford. Shackelford and TASB’s lawyers are squared off against one another in another contentious lawsuit involving religious liberty issues in a case styled Morgan v. Plano ISD.

"This should send a strong message to every school district in the State and nationwide" said Kelly Shackelford, chief counsel for Liberty Legal Institute, who represented Mrs. Barrow. "American children are not children of the state. This type of discrimination against teachers and administrators will not be tolerated and it will cost them dearly."

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