Date: January 30, 2024
Contact:
John Nixon
treasurer@keepkaty.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KATY, TX—On January 23, 2024, a combination of Katy stakeholders—parents, residents, education professionals, and business owners—came together to establish Katy Educational Excellence Partners (KEEP), a group dedicated to organizing community support to elect school board trustees who are committed to providing excellent public education for all, and to maintaining Katy ISD’s reputation as an educational leader.
KEEP formed as a response to widespread concern in Katy about an influx of candidates running for positions on Katy ISD’s Board of Trustees that were supported by politicized groups from outside the district, groups that do not promote quality public education for all. KEEP believes that every member of its school board should represent the diverse people and viewpoints of the Katy community. KEEP aims to support candidates who value consensus and cooperation in the education of Katy students over political posturing and culture wars.
“Katy schools have thrived when the board itself worked together toward agreement in policy,” said KEEP member Ryan Abt. “Unfortunately, the flood of outside money has altered this dynamic as the school board members under this influence seek domination over cooperation.”
KEEP has established a set of Values that will guide its decision-making, and has developed rigorous protocols in line with these values for determining which candidates, if any, it will support in school board elections. KEEP looks forward to candidates filing for school board positions, determining which candidates are aligned with KEEP’s Values, and to organizing community support for the candidates it endorses.
KEEP members anticipate that the Katy community will respond to outside interference by rallying together to maintain Katy ISD’s reputation as a district of excellence. “I hope that this community will set aside all of their political and personal differences to support good school board members who will strongly advocate for public education and our school district,” says Jesús Gamboa, a member of KEEP.
KEEP’s Values appear on its website: keepkaty.org.