Independent School Dist. of El Paso v. Central Education Agency

247 S.W.2d 597, 1952 Tex. App. LEXIS 2043
CourtCourt of Appeals of Texas
DecidedMarch 5, 1952
Docket10039
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 247 S.W.2d 597 (Independent School Dist. of El Paso v. Central Education Agency) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

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Independent School Dist. of El Paso v. Central Education Agency, 247 S.W.2d 597, 1952 Tex. App. LEXIS 2043 (Tex. Ct. App. 1952).

Opinion

HUGHES, Justice.

This suit was brought by the Independent School District of the City of El Paso, Appellant, against 'the Central Education Agency of Texas, 1 J. W. Edgar, State Commissioner of Education and Robert S. Calvert, Comptroller of Public Accounts, in their official capacities only, Appellees, and is in the nature of a statutory appeal under Article 2922-19, Vernon’s Ann.Civ. St.

Appellant sought a judgment establishing as part of the area included within its territorial limits those federally owned lands comprising the Fort Bliss Military Reservation in El Paso County by reason of two orders of the.State Board of Education, one dated December 4, 1939, the other July IS, 1949, hereinafter more fully described, and requiring the State Commissioner of Education to consider such lands as a part of the El Paso1 District in calculating and determining the proper amount of local funds to be charged it under the provisions of Section 5, Article 2922-16, V.A. C.S., toward the support of the Foundation School Program,

In a nonjury trial final judgment was rendered denying appellant any 'relief, the reasons therefor assigned therein being:

“The Court is of the opinion that Senate Bill 274, Acts 44th Leg., R.S. 1935, ch. 112, p. 299, under which the State Board of Education acted in issuing its orders of December 4, 1939, and July IS, 1949, purporting to attach, annex, and include the territory of the Fort Bliss Military Reservation in and to Plaintiff, The Independent School District of the City of El Paso', Texas, does not contain authority for the State Board of Education to annex, attach, or include the territory of a federal-owned military reservation to or in a school district for the purpose of the local fund provisions of Section 5 of Article VI of Senate Bill 116, Acts Slst Leg., R.S.1949, ch. 334, p. 625, or for any other purpose.
“The Court is of the opinion that the orders of the State Board of Education issued on December 4, 1939, and July IS, 1949, insofar as they purport to include, annex, or attach federal-owned land in the Fort Bliss Military Reservation as a part of, or in The Independent School District of the City of El Paso, Texas, are invalid.
“The Court is of the opinion that should said Senate Bill 274, Chapter 112, Acts 44th Legislature, 193S, be construed as allowing the annexation of the territory of a federal-owned military reservation to a school district, said Senate Bill 274, Chapter 112, Acts 44th Legislature, 1935, would, insofar as it is construed to give this authority, be void and unconstitutional, in violation of Section 35 of Article 111 of the Constitution of Texas, because it is the opinion of this court that the purpose of S. Bill 274 was to allow the scholas-tics on the reservation to share in the per capita apportionment of the State available school fund.”

*600 Senate Bill 274, referred to in the judgment, now Article 2756b, V.A.C.S., provides :

“Section 1. That the State Board of Education is hereby authorized and empowered to establish independent school districts upon any military reservations located within the State of Texas, upon such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon by the State Board of Education and the military authorities; and such districts may be entitled to enumerate its scholastics, to share in the State per capita apportionment, and such other privileges as are now granted to independent and common school districts.
“Provided, that the children who are entitled to attend the schools thus established, shall be those of the officers, warrant officers, soldiers and civilian employees residing or employed upon such reservations.
“And provided, that wherever in the opinion of the State Board of Education, the number of children resident upon any military reservation is not sufficient to warrant the establishment of a separate school district, that such military reservation shall for the purpose of this Act be included in any other school district under such regulations as the Board of Education may determine. Provided further, that the Board of Trustees of such district shall have the authority to transfer to any other independent or common school district maintaining adequate facilities and standards for elementary, junior or senior high schools, as set up by the State Department of Education and Southern Association, any school children who can not be provided for by the district of their residence.
“Sec. 2. Upon establishment of a school district on any military reservation as heretofore provided, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction shall appoint a board of three trustees for each district so created, to be selected from a list of civilians who are qualified under the general school laws of Texas, and who live or are employed upon the military reservation in which the school district is created, such list to be furnished by the commanding officer of said military reservation to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Said trustee shall hold office for two years, and until their successors are appointed and qualified.
“Provided, that in so far as practicable the teachers of said schools shall be selected from the residents of ■said school district who are qualified to teach in the public schools of the State of Texas; and
“Provided further, that each year the trustees of said districts shall take, and certify the census of eligible children within the scholastic ages; the scholastics so enumerated shall be entitled to participate in the annual apportionment of the State Available School Fund, and the amount of the available school fund to which the said district is entitled according to its scholastic population each year, shall' be apportioned and paid directly to the said district. The laws pertaining to independent school districts shall govern said district so far as the same-may be applicable, but the State Board of Education may make such special regulations and orders for the government of such districts as they may deem expedient.”

The unanimous order of the State Board of Education of December 4, 1939, reads:.

“Whereas, under Article 2756b of the 44th Legislature, 1935, the State Board of Education is authorized and empowered to establish independent school districts upon any military reservations located within the State of Texas, upon suoh terms as agreed upon by the State Board of Education and the military authorities, and
“Whereas, that wherever in the opinion of the State Board of Education the number of -'children resident upon any military reservation is not sufficient to warrant the establishment of a separate school district that such. *601 military reservation shall for the purpose of this Act be included in any other school district under such regulations as the State Board of Education may determine, and

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247 S.W.2d 597, 1952 Tex. App. LEXIS 2043, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/independent-school-dist-of-el-paso-v-central-education-agency-texapp-1952.