(This story was updated to replace a photo.)<\/p>\n
The Corpus Christi ISD school board offered sincere regrets after a citizen complained he was unfairly interrupted while speaking about religion in schools during a September school board meeting.<\/p>\n
The incident underscores questions on the rights of the public to speak during government meetings.<\/p>\n
When the Corpus Christi Independent School District Board of Trustees meets to govern the school district, members of the public are given the opportunity to address the board.<\/p>\n
Samuel Fryer, a Corpus Christi resident who unsuccessfully ran for school board in 2024, took that opportunity on Sept. 8. He spoke\u00a0about several new state laws, including one requiring the posting of the Ten Commandments in classrooms.<\/p>\n
After being interrupted during his remarks, Fryer filed a complaint with the school district. On Oct. 30, the school board held a hearing on the matter.<\/p>\n
Fryer\u2019s interrupted remarks occurred only days after a Sept. 2 Corpus Christi City Council meeting when several members of the public were arrested during public comment.<\/a> <\/p>\n Corpus Christi ISD is a separate government entity from the city of Corpus Christi. In comparison to the city\u2019s lengthy and at times confrontational audience participation, public comments during school board meetings are typically less eventful.<\/p>\n However, there have been several times in recent years when meetings have become more contentious.<\/p>\n During a Jan. 13 meeting, a speaker was asked to leave without finishing his comments because the board did not consider his concerns about how the district awards contracts to be related closely enough to the agenda item he had signed up to speak on, which was an approval of a bid to purchase copy paper.<\/p>\n At the Sept. 8 meeting, Fryer hadn\u2019t signed up to address any specific agenda item. Instead, he was speaking during the portion of the meeting designated for non-agenda items.<\/p>\n Key moments from Fryer\u2019s comments<\/p>\n Fryer began his time by explaining he intended to speak about Senate Bill 12 regarding parental rights in education, Senate Bill 11 regarding prayer and Senate Bill 10 regarding the posting of the Ten Commandments in schools.<\/p>\n Senate Bill 10 went into effect on Sept. 1, requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in every Texas public school classroom. However, the law has been challenged in court, with implementation blocked in some school districts where parents have filed lawsuits.<\/p>\n At school board meetings, audience speakers are given three minutes to talk. About a minute into his remarks, Fryer had introduced himself and his chosen topics and recited the famous second line of the Declaration of Independence that states that all are \u201cendowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.\u201d<\/p>\n Here, as Fryer reached \u201cderiving their just powers from the consent of the governed,\u201d board President Eric Villarreal cut in.<\/p>\n \u201cMr. Fryer, please keep it to CCISD business,\u201d Villarreal said.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is CCISD business,\u201d Fryer replied.<\/p>\n Villarreal said that this was Fryer\u2019s first warning.<\/p>\n Fryer continued on to expressed his belief in the importance of the Ten Commandments and parental control of education.<\/p>\n \u201cOur nation was founded on Judeo-Christian principles \u2014\u201d Fryer said when Villarreal again interrupted.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease keep it to CCISD business,\u201d Villarreal said.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a result, the Ten Commandments being posted in schools actually brings home that foundational principle,\u201d Fryer continued.<\/p>\n Fryer finished expressing his support for the inclusion of the Ten Commandments in school and reiterated his stance that this topic was\u00a0school business just before\u00a0his three minutes elapsed.<\/p>\n He wasn\u2019t the only audience member to speak that day. <\/p>\n One commenter offered his thoughts on student behavior.<\/p>\n Nancy Vera, the president of the Corpus Christi American Federation of Teachers, honored the legacy of the late educator Ricardo Godoy.<\/p>\n Another two\u00a0public commenters also spoke on the topic of the Ten Commandments. Again, Villarreal asked one of these commenters to keep his remarks to CCISD business.<\/p>\n Only the commenters discussing the Ten Commandments were interrupted.<\/p>\n What happened during the grievance hearing?<\/p>\n The school board met on Oct. 30 to discuss Fryer\u2019s grievance regarding his treatment during the September meeting.<\/p>\n Fryer was given 15 minutes to speak on the issue with the board in closed session, which was not open to the public to view. Fryer told the Caller-Times that he was requesting a public apology from the board.<\/p>\n More than a dozen people who attended to support Fryer waited in\u00a0the Corpus Christi ISD administrative building lobby while the board deliberated in private.<\/p>\n The five members in attendance voted unanimously to deny Fryer\u2019s requested remedy. Villarreal was not present.<\/p>\n Board member Don Clark offered a statement on behalf of the board.<\/p>\n \u201cThe board sincerely regrets that your (Fryer\u2019s) comments on Sept. 8 were interrupted and invites Mr. Fryer to issue his comments uninterrupted at a future board meeting,\u201d Clark said.<\/p>\n Fryer said he did not agree with the board’s decision.<\/p>\n UIL Realignment: See what enrollments Corpus Christi schools turned in for Snapshot Day<\/a><\/p>\n This Corpus Christi elementary school is top 3 in Texas, per U.S. News & World Report<\/a><\/p>\n Del Mar College, A&M-Corpus Christi report growth. See which is larger<\/a><\/p>\n Here’s when Corpus Christi ISD high schools graduate in spring 2026<\/a><\/p>\n