After reviewing the resignation paperwork, Berry found that, if she signed, she would not be able to take any legal action against the district, would not be able to file any internal complaints or grievances against any district employee, and would not be able to seek another job in HISD.

Berry said she had two possibly performance-related run-ins with the district this school year. One was a memo notifying her she missed two deadlines pertaining to the file review of a teacher and getting her direct supervisor to sign stating he knew where STAAR testing materials were stored. The other was for “expressing (her) concerns” about printing more than 50,000 pages of special education students’ Individualized Education Programs.

The special education department of the West Division of HISD sent her a screenshot of the district’s operating procedures that said it was district policy to print the documents. But, she said, that rule was not accessible anywhere she could view, even though it was required to be posted on the Texas Legal Framework, a platform pertaining to students needing special education. She was written up in April, she said.