Is Your School Keeping You in the Dark?
In Texas, we are told that parents are “partners” with our schools. We are supposed to have a seat at the table, especially when it comes to our children’s safety and discipline. But what happens when the school decides to cut you out of the loop?
According to Texas Education Code Sec. 26.008, a parent is entitled to full information about their child’s school activities. This is not just a suggestion. It is the law.
A “Contract” Without a Parent
Imagine your child being pulled into a room and forced to sign a “behavior contract” without you ever being called. That is exactly what happened to my daughter.
The school required her to sign a document that forced her to perform physical “consequences.” In her case, it was multiple rounds of sprints, just to remain on her volleyball team. This happened after we, as parents, spoke up to the district about a coach’s behavior. The results were devastating:
Physical Injury: The “consequences” led to exacerbation of a known physical injury and when asked for a different consequence to lessen impact on the injury, was ignored.
Missed Games: She missed about 37% of her season because the coach would not meet with her to complete consequences.
Zero Transparency: We were not given notice of any disciplinary action prior, during, or after and had to ask for a copy of the contract the next day.
What the Law Says
Texas law is very clear. TEC Section 26.008(b) states that school employees cannot “encourage or coerce” a child to hide information from their parents. If they do, they can face discipline against their teaching certificate.
When a school forces a minor to sign a disciplinary agreement without a parent present, they are essentially asking that child to enter a legal-style agreement behind their parents’ backs.
Is This Happening in Your District?
We didn’t stop at the coach. We took this through the formal grievance process. Even after showing the Board of Trustees the injury and the secret contract, our appeal was denied verbally, without any written explanation as to why.
Our case is now with the Texas Education Agency (TEA). But we are starting to realize that this might not just be a local problem. We are seeing a pattern where:
Schools use “contracts” to bypass the official Student Code of Conduct.
Athletes are told “not to tell” what their punishments are.
Parents are denied records for months, even though federal law (FERPA) says we have a right to them.
Know Your Rights
| Your Right | What it Means |
| Full Information | You have the right to know about all school activities, including discipline. |
| Record Access | You have a right to see any “contract” or record concerning your child. |
| No Secrets | Teachers cannot tell your child to keep things from you. |
Texas District Watch was created to shine a light on these issues.
We want to know: Has your child been asked to sign a “contract” or “agreement” without you?
Have you been denied information about your child’s discipline?
Join the conversation below. Your story matters.
This blog is part of our series on the Texas Education Code. To read more about Parental Rights and Responsibilities, check out our previous posts.