FOX 26 Houston

According to court filings in a pending federal lawsuit, an independent statewide advocacy organization alleges that Klein ISD has unlawfully blocked its advocates from inspecting special education classrooms for more than a year. The lawsuit was filed by Disability Rights Texas, a federally mandated, independent agency created to protect and advocate for people with disabilities across the state. Under federal law, the organization is authorized to monitor facilities—including public schools, psychiatric hospitals, and jails—to ensure individuals with disabilities are free from abuse, neglect, and discrimination. According to court documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Disability Rights Texas requested access to inspect several Klein ISD campuses following complaints from parents regarding special education programs. Court filings allege that when organization advocates attempted to inspect special education classrooms at Benfer Elementary in September 2023, Klein ISD police officers issued them criminal trespass warnings, threatening arrest. Shiloh Carter, a senior litigation attorney with Disability Rights Texas, said unescorted access is critical when monitoring vulnerable or nonverbal students…