Round Rock ISD board censures Romere for 'behavior unbecoming of a trustee'

Hanna said Romere's advocacy efforts were one of the trustee's ethical violations that deserved censure.

The board voted Feb. 2 to ask the Williamson County District Attorney's Office to investigate Romere for forwarding the email.

During the discussion, the trustees continually referred to an occurrence when they were discussing an extension of superintendent Jesus Chavez's contract in closed session, but were at first hesitant to provide details in a public forum.

Later, however, trustee Diane Cox said Romere had inappropriately grabbed her arm and blocked the doorway when Cox tried to leave.

The board voted to extend Chavez's contract and raise his pay with Romere as the lone dissenter.

"I would opine that the fact that I was the lone dissenting vote may be a factor in the timing of this proposed censure," Romere said in a statement released prior to the board discussion.

The trustees said they had also received complaints from community members who were personally confronted by Romere after they had expressed disagreement with her on an issue.

"I think the biggest bullet that we have in our gun for disciplining ourselves is censure. When you trot that out, you have to look at a much higher standard of a burden of proof, before you decide that you want to censure somebody," trustee Glen Colby said.

He asked for a concrete example of Romere's unethical actions.

"If you're looking for concrete, it is not OK to touch me after a decision is made the way she did. It is not OK," Cox said.