Fort Bend ISD Voters Elect Trustees Opposed to Book and Gender Policies

These victories come after a year of controversy over board-approved policies such as:

• A gender fluidity notification rule requiring school staff to inform parents when students request pronouns different from their birth-assigned gender.

• A book policy allowing the superintendent to unilaterally remove challenged library materials without committee review.

Breakdown of Election Results

• Trustee Position 3:

  • Afshi Charania: 10,431 votes (45.1%)

  • Rick Garcia: 7,655 votes (32.7%)

  • Angela Collins: 5,125 votes (22.2%)

• Trustee Position 7:

  • Angie Wierzbicki: 8,704 votes (41.8%)

  • Cheryl Anne Buford (endorsed by Hamilton): 7,770 votes (37.3%)

  • Allison Drew: 4,369 votes (21%)

Book and Gender Policies Drive Voter Turnout

Both winning candidates campaigned against the controversial policies adopted by the current board. Charania labeled the book policy a “ban”, arguing that it restricts student learning. She also opposed the gender policy for endangering vulnerable students and limiting educator discretion.

Wierzbicki echoed those concerns during a school board meeting, stating the gender policy was “inaccurately named” and did not reflect the rights of all parents.

After her victory, Wierzbicki posted on Facebook:

“Together, we share a vision of an inclusive, high-performing public school district where every student feels valued, supported, and prepared for success.”

Garcia Defends His Record

Rick Garcia, despite his loss, defended his support of both policies. He rejected the term “book ban,” claiming that all Texas districts limit materials in some form.

“You can’t just have anything you want in the school library,” Garcia said. “Technically, every school district bans books.”

He also praised Superintendent Marc Smith, whom the board hired during his term, and encouraged incoming trustees to work collaboratively with Smith to maintain progress.

What This Means for Fort Bend ISD

The results signal a political shift on the Fort Bend ISD Board of Trustees. With Charania and Wierzbicki joining, future decisions may veer toward more inclusive and transparent policies on sensitive social and educational issues.

While both candidates ran grassroots campaigns focused on community concerns, their election victories also highlight growing public dissatisfaction with top-down policy decisions impacting students and educators.