The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of Webb Middle School has formally requested that the Texas Education Agency (TEA) conduct an investigation into allegations of external pressure on parents to sign a petition aimed at closing the school. The PTA’s concerns also extend to the potential unauthorized sharing of families’ private information, as detailed in a letter the group shared on social media.
This complaint raises questions about the validity of the petitions at a time when the Austin Independent School District (AISD) is facing a December 1 deadline to authenticate signatures on closure requests for both Burnet and Webb middle schools. Parents initiated these petitions as an alternative to a districtwide takeover, yet experts caution that the state may still impose additional consequences. The PTA claims that outside individuals influenced the petition process, suggesting that some parents were misled or coerced and that personal information may have been improperly shared.
In a statement posted on the Webb PTA’s Facebook page, president Vanessa Gámez and communications representative Valeria Gonzales emphasized that the quantity of signatures does not fully represent the situation. They expressed concerns regarding the integrity of the petition process.
On Monday, the TEA confirmed receipt of the PTA’s complaint and indicated that it is currently under review to determine appropriate next steps. The agency refrained from commenting further while the investigation is ongoing and did not specify potential repercussions if the allegations are substantiated.
Last week, district officials acknowledged receiving petitions from parents at both Webb and Burnet middle schools requesting the closure of their campuses. Both schools triggered the state’s intervention law after attaining a fifth consecutive failing academic accountability rating for the 2025-26 school year, although these ratings are preliminary and under appeal. If finalized, they would grant Education Commissioner Mike Morath the authority to close the schools, appoint new leadership, or implement a combination of interventions. The Parent Petition for Action allows parents to advocate for school closures or district takeovers, and local leaders view this petition process as the last opportunity for families to influence their schools’ futures.
To proceed, signatures from more than half of the parents of enrolled students—502 from Webb and 829 from Burnet, based on district data from April—were required by October 15 for validation by Superintendent Matias Segura. Petition organizers assert that a majority of parents from both institutions have requested the closure of their schools. AISD confirmed in a statement that it received the petitions in accordance with the TEA’s parent petition process. Segura has until December 1 to verify the signatures against enrollment records and forward the petitions to Morath.
State law stipulates that if the petition procedures are correctly followed, Morath is obliged to act on the parents’ requests. However, experts caution that his authority could extend to imposing additional interventions, meaning he could approve the closures while still implementing other measures such as appointing a conservator.
Some parents have expressed confusion about what they signed, reporting feelings of pressure and concerns about receiving petition forms that were prefilled with their contact information. The Webb PTA’s request for investigation highlights claims of “unauthorized interference” in the signature collection process and raises questions about possible violations of privacy.
“The letters requesting the closure of Webb Middle School do not represent the true voice of our community,” the Webb PTA stated. “We believe there are serious irregularities, possible deception, and actions by outside individuals that may have compromised the legitimacy of this petition. We demand that our concerns be taken seriously and that a thorough, impartial, and transparent investigation be conducted.”
Austin ISD has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the PTA’s request for an investigation into the petition process. The district has also not commented on whether notifications sent to parents about prefilled petitions from a group identifying itself as Parents’ Choice AISD were authorized or how that group accessed parents’ information. Previously, the district stated it would not participate in the signature gathering.
“Today, we find ourselves in an even more painful situation: We are being held responsible for decisions and actions that we did not initiate, authorize, or support,” the Webb PTA’s statement continued. “How can a community be held responsible for a petition when the very parents being blamed are questioning how it originated, how the signatures were obtained, and whether those signatures genuinely reflect the wishes of our families?”
In recent weeks, volunteers have hurried to gather signatures for the petitions. Parents at both schools conveyed to Austin Current that they did not fully comprehend what they were signing and felt pressured after being approached multiple times, with some believing the petition was meant to prevent school closures.
Earlier this month, the Austin Council of PTAs announced its involvement at the request of several community members. However, the Webb PTA contended that the petition was not initiated by parents of Webb and urged the TEA to investigate the origins of the petition’s distribution and the legitimacy of those representing Webb families. Additionally, the letter raised concerns about potential unauthorized sharing of families’ private information, requesting a review of how that information was collected and protected.
“We ask you not to confuse the actions of outside individuals with the wishes of the parents who genuinely belong to this school community,” the Webb letter concluded.
