Fort Worth ISD’s new Board of Managers has inherited a 14-year whistleblower lawsuit after the district lost its latest attempt to end the case.
Attorneys for former administrator Joseph Palazzolo are questioning whether district officials briefed the state-appointed board on the litigation or whether the board gave new instructions on how to proceed.
The Second Court of Appeals affirmed a Wise County judge’s denial of FWISD’s plea to the jurisdiction on August 13, 2026, in former administrator Joseph Palazzolo’s Texas Whistleblower Act case. The appellate court did not decide whether FWISD retaliated against Palazzolo. It held that unresolved factual disputes remain for a jury, although FWISD can still seek further appellate review.
The litigation is now under a governing body that did not exist when most of the case unfolded. As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the Texas Education Agency appointed nine managers on March 24, 2026, temporarily replacing the elected trustees’ governing authority.
In a May 25, 2026, filing, Palazzolo’s attorneys argued that the new managers “had not been briefed regarding the present case, nor had an opportunity to consider settlement.” The filing was a reply supporting a motion asking the appellate court to require outside attorney Thomas Brandt to brief the managers and obtain affirmative instructions from the new governing body.
Palazzolo’s reply says FWISD argued that Brandt had authority to pursue...
RCMP Staff Sgt. Jerry Nutbrown brings you behind the scenes with a series of columns taking you behind police work and how it’s done in our community. If you have a question you think needs to be ...