Report accuses former Ann Richards principal, executive director of violating school policy

AUSTIN, Texas - More details surrounding the sudden resignation of the principal of the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders have emerged.

FOX 7 Austin has received an investigative report from Austin ISD's Office of Professional Standards on what potentially led to Principal Nicole Griffith's resignation through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

In the report, investigators recommended to AISD that Griffith and Dr. Stacie Holiday, an executive director at Austin ISD, be terminated for violating district policy and state and federal law.

The documents detail actions taken by multiple staff members that the district determined excluded a student who was attempting to re-enroll in the school after being withdrawn.

A third staff member was recommended to receive a written warning for her own violations.

Principal Nicole Griffith's resignation

The backstory:

Nicole Griffith had been the principal at the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders from 2022 until late March when the district notified families in an email that she had resigned from Austin ISD.

The school did not explain why this decision was made with fewer than two months left in the school year. 

Griffith's employment with the district extends nearly two decades, including her most recent role as principal at McCallum High School before she started working at the Ann Richards School.

Griffith's father later said at an open meeting that she had rescinded her resignation.

Currently, Dr. Catheryn Mitchell is the interim principal and, according to the district, the search for a permanent replacement will begin later this spring. 

The investigation

What we know:

FOX 7 Austin has received a report of an investigation into a situation involving a student at the Ann Richards School through a FOIA request. The report was redacted to protect the identity of the student in accordance with the Texas Government Code and FERPA.

The investigation "sought to determine whether any Austin ISD employees engaged in conduct that violated district policy" in relation to the enrollment status of the student, says the report.

The report details interviews with multiple school and district staff, including Griffith, an assistant superintendent, directors and coordinators with student enrollment and special education, and staff with Austin ISD PD.

The report says that the investigation revealed "a series of missed opportunities" that allowed "a vulnerable student to fall through the cracks."

The findings

The investigation report found multiple failures regarding the student's withdrawal and delayed re-enrollment, specifically citing inadequate communication with the student's parent, lack of formal or informal written notification of the withdrawal, lack of disability consideration, failure to follow truancy and district procedures, and communication and transparency concerns.

Specific violations outlined in the report fell under district policy, but also the Texas Education Code, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Free Appropriate Public Education or FAPE, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

The report also says administrators "explicitly characterized the student and parent as potential safety threats," even discussing a potential criminal trespass warning on the student.

Holiday is accused of explicitly blocking the student's re-enrollment, telling Griffith, "You will not enroll the student," as well as pushing a "violent narrative" about the student to Austin ISD police and allowing others to treat the student's return as trespassing despite the student being issued a schedule and being told to return to campus.

Griffith is accused of approving the student's withdrawal without ensuring the required procedures were followed, including no formal notice to the parent and no special education referral. She is also accused of not challenging directives from Holiday even when they "contradicted district policy or equitable access expectations" or informing the parent when AISD police was involved.

The third employee named in the report was recommended for a written warning on the basis that she did not make a "good faith effort" to notify the parent of the withdrawal or other issues, did not take steps to clarify the student's enrollment status and did not challenge narratives framing the student as a "safety concern".

Investigators say she is being given a formal warning because she did not direct any "exclusionary actions or mislead others" but her inaction contributed to the student's withdrawal and delayed re-enrollment.

What we don't know:

The status of Griffith's employment with the school is currently unknown as she rescinded her resignation, and she is still listed as principal on the school's website.

The status of Holiday's employment is also currently unknown.

Parents and students react to Griffith's resignation

What they're saying:

Many families and students continue to seek answers about Griffith's sudden resignation.

"The principal had spoken previously about how this was always her dream job," said middle school parent Ted Hennessy. "It really seems strange to have such a sudden and unexpected resignation without any explanation."

"The big concern is whether we'll ever find out the reason is having a level of transparency and accountability," said Faye Kolly, a middle school parent. "It doesn't make any sense when a well-decorated, experienced educator at a school like Ann Richards just leaves for no reason." 

"She supported the Asian Student Alliance, a club that I'm a part of, so much, and she allowed us to bring back so many traditions of our school," said Sivarithikaa Pandiyan, a high school senior. "She allowed us to celebrate Holi and Lunar New Year, and she was so supportive of all students." 

Griffith's reach stretched beyond the all-girls public Ann Richards School for Young Women.

"When I heard about her resignation, something just didn't feel right because when she was my principal, she was always doing the right thing, always super nice to every student, and just honestly, I just don't know what would have caused this," said Lillian Gray, a senior at McCallum High School.

"We've had five different schools with our three kids," said Natalie Gray, a parent. "One of our kids was a student at McCallum, and when Nicole left there, the only thing that made it okay was that she was coming to Ann Richards, where we had another kid." 

"We'd love for her to have the option to return to her seat as principal of this school unless there is something so egregious that that's impossible, which is honestly very hard to imagine," said Gray. 

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