The letter, posted on Scribner’s Facebook page, was written on December 16 but was released to the public on January 13.
In it, Scribner says he is announcing his retirement at this point to “provide the Board ample opportunity to consult with the FWISD community, plan and conduct a search for my successor, while we continue important initiatives currently underway.”
Scribner has come under increased scrutiny by parents and members of the community for low student achievement test scores and accusations of an emphasis on critical race theory and other “woke” ideologies.
Carlos Turcios, a former student who has been active in calling for the superintendent’s resignation since May 2021, has organized seven protests to raise awareness about issues in the district.
“I think the superintendent retiring shows that parents have done a lot of work and their voices are being heard,” Turcios told The Texan.
Mary Lowe, chair of Moms for Liberty Tarrant County, is grateful for Scribner’s retirement but has concerns about his remaining in office, saying that she’s seen dangerous developments when superintendents are allowed to remain when they know they are no longer accountable.
“We believe an immediate departure would bring much better hope for correcting the failing Fort Worth School District,” Lowe told The Texan.
“His retirement makes a lot of sense, and he has realized it is time for him to go,” Turcios added.
FWISD has a student population of over 80,000 students, according to the district’s website. The district has a “C” rating from the Texas Education Agency, according to the data most recently available. Dallas ISD has a “B” rating by comparison.
Only 12 percent of students have mastered their grade level in reading, only 15 percent in math, and only 8 percent in writing.
Turcios believes student achievement and skills have suffered because the district has given too much attention to “woke” ideology, like critical race theory, social-emotional learning, and gender theory.
“The district has been masking issues with its virtue signaling,” Turcios asserted. He said that Scribner’s retirement does not mean he and his group will stop working for change.
“We will work for students to have the education and life skills they need,” he added.
“We appreciate Dr. Scribner’s communication and transparency in sharing his plans,” CBS DFW reported Fort Worth ISD Board of Education President Tobi Jackson said. “Among his many accomplishments, we especially applaud his leadership in transforming our secondary schools with collaborative spaces and modern, career-focused classrooms that will benefit students for decades to come. That is an outstanding legacy.”
Scribner has been the superintendent of FWISD since 2015. He came to Fort Worth after serving as a superintendent in the Phoenix public school system.
His current contract was renegotiated in September 2020 for a term of four years, ending in August 2024, at a base salary of $330,000.
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Kim Roberts
Kim Roberts is a regional reporter for the Texan in the DFW metroplex area where she has lived for over twenty years. She has a Juris Doctor from Baylor University Law School and a Bachelor's in government from Angelo State University. In her free time, Kim home schools her daughter and coaches high school extemporaneous speaking and apologetics. She has been happily married to her husband for 23 years, has three wonderful children, and two dogs.
