William Brewer Writes Op-Ed for Dallas Morning News About Keller ISD Voting Rights Case

William Brewer writes in an op-ed for The Dallas Morning News about how the recent failed proposal to split Keller ISD highlights the failures of the at-large election system used to elect the school board — and the need for a new election system. 

Brewer, with Kent Bhupathi contributing, writes that "Ultimately, at-large voting systems compound inequities in racially diverse communities. Imagine a board that nominally represents everyone but that in practice panders to the preferences of one dominant group. That is what happened in Keller ISD, with the all-white board effectively insulating wealthier communities (where most trustees live) from the financial responsibilities of supporting lower-income students and diverse cultural backgrounds."

Brewer Storefront, the firm's community service legal affiliate, recently filed a Voting Rights Act lawsuit on behalf of plaintiff Claudio Vallejo challenging the at large system. Brewer writes, "The case seeks to implement a cumulative voting system and move to on-cycle elections, reforms that have the potential to break the hold of entrenched majorities and open the door to a more diverse, representative school board."

Read more here.