Virginia Elizondo, a former candidate for the Spring Branch ISD Board of Trustees, has filed a lawsuit in federal court against SBISD and its Trustees seeking a change to the voting process by which trustees are elected in the district. Save SBISD was the first to report on this lawsuit.
Ms. Elizondo is represented in this suit by Barry Abrams, a partner at Blank Rome LLP. Mr. Abrams serves as Chairman of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee.
Mr. Abrams has deep ties to the Spring Branch Education Foundation (“SBEF”), a non-profit financial partner to Spring Branch ISD. According to IRS Form 990’s reviewed by Save SBISD, Mr. Abrams has held the following leadership roles at the Spring Branch Education Foundation:
2020: Co-Chairman, Endowment Committee
2016-2019: Chairman, Endowment Committee
2015: Chairman, Fund for Future Endowment
2010-2014: Co-Chairman, Endowment Committee
2009: Chairman, Endowment Committee
2007-2008: Executive Committee Member
2004-2006: Chairman of the Board
2002-2003: Vice-Chairman of the Board
2001: Director
Form 990’s prior to 2001 were not available to Save SBISD.
In 2014, Mr. Abrams was the first recipient of the SBEF Lifetime Achievement Award, according to reporting by the Houston Chronicle.
The SBEF distributed $1,316,655 of gifts benefiting Spring Branch ISD in fiscal year 2020. These gifts would represent one-quarter of one-percent (0.267%) of Spring Branch ISD’s 2020 budgeted revenues.
Ms. Elizondo is also represented in this suit by The Law Office of Martin Golando, PLLC in San Antonio.
According to reporting by the San Antonio Express-News, Martin Golando has filed similar lawsuits seeking single-member districts on other parts of Texas.
Mr. Golando is a former candidate for the Texas House of Representatives, District 116.
Spring Branch ISD and the Trustees must respond by August 23, 2021 to avoid a default judgement against them, according to court filings.
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