‘Do your jobs.’ Parents, residents ask Mansfield ISD board to review candidate’s eligibility

In Reality Check stories, Star-Telegram journalists dig deeper into questions over facts, consequences and accountability. Read more. Story idea? RealityCheck@star-telegram.com.

School board elections are once again a topic of conversation and controversy in Mansfield.

During a Tuesday night school board meeting, three people signed up for public comments.

Fittingly, it was the same date the candidate they came to speak out against became an active voter in Tarrant County.

Dr. Angel Hidalgo, a candidate in the upcoming May 4 school board election and a Spanish instructor at Tarrant County College, has stirred up controversy with residents alleging he should not be on the ballot.

Darrell Sneed, a retired superintendent and former MISD board member, was one of those who spoke at the meeting.

“I would just like to ask the board to seriously address concerns that came to my attention concerning the eligibility of a candidate running for trustee in place two,” Sneed said. “Do they actually live in Mansfield ISD or are they just simply attempting to run for a school board based on some idea?”

Allan Turner, the father of a special needs student at MISD, followed Sneed and also asked the board to review Hidalgo’s eligibility.

“This is part of the state’s election laws, and you are violating them. You even went as far as saying you verified this candidate’s voter registration, when in fact, you did not, according to the Secretary of State,” Turner said. “Instead of rectifying the situation and removing the candidate from the ballot, you’re simply ignoring and hoping the community doesn’t catch on.”

Hidalgo said the complaints against him were “misinformation” in a Facebook post which shows his application to run for MISD school board.

“As a dedicated resident of Mansfield ISD since September 2022, I am deeply committed to serving our community and ensuring the best possible education for all students,” Hidalgo wrote in the post.

“It’s important to note that residency isn’t the sole determinant of one’s commitment or capability to serve,” part of Hidalgo’s post reads. “Despite not being physically present in the area for an extended period, my roots run deep in the broader Fort Worth/Mansfield/Arlington community, where I’ve lived for over 20 years. This region, American education system and country have shaped my values and perspectives, instilling a profound sense of responsibility towards the children of this area.”

Hidalgo declined multiple requests for comment.

Voter registration records reviewed by the Star-Telegram show that Hidalgo was registered to vote in Dallas County until Feb. 25, when he changed his voting address to one in Tarrant.

According to Texas election code, his voter registration became active Tuesday, 30 days after he registered to vote at his current address, which is in the Mansfield school district.

Texas election code also states that a candidate must live in the territory they are running to represent for at least six months before the filing deadline to apply to be on the ballot, and be registered to vote in that territory by the filing deadline.

According to guidelines from the Texas Secretary of State’s Office, applications for school board candidacy are to be filed with and reviewed by the secretary of the school board or another person designated by the board. However, any challenges to a candidate’s residency must be made in a court of law, with the court determining the person’s legal residence, the guidelines state.

Dallas County records show Hidalgo still owns property at his previous voting address just a few hundred yards away from the Mansfield school distinct boundary line in the Cedar Hill Independent School District.

Hidalgo’s new address, in Arlington, is inside the Mansfield ISD boundary.

“He has never volunteered in MISD in any capacity, whether that’d be in a classroom, on a committee. He doesn’t have any children in the district,” Scherron Richard, a Mansfield parent, said. “That really is the thing that is so alarming.”

Parents concerned about Hidalgo’s candidacy sent a letter to MISD — shared with the Star-Telegram — demanding that Hidalgo be taken off the ballot.

The demand letter references the date of his application to run for school board (Jan. 30), and the date that Hidalgo registered to vote at the address in the district (Feb 25). The filing deadline was Feb. 16.

MISD declined to answer the Star-Telegram’s questions but said in a statement: “The board is currently reviewing those complaints and consulting election officials to determine any necessary course of action.”

During the last few seconds of his public comments Tuesday, Turner pleaded with the board to review Hidalgo’s eligibility to run.

“Do right by our parents. Do right by me as a parent. Do right by my children who are students in this district. Do right by the other candidates running for school board and do right by the future members of our community who may want to be a part of this body,” Turner said.

“Do your jobs. Cause the future of our kids and this board’s credibility depends on it.”