McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Can a school district ban a trustee from the boardroom?

After months of litigation, the 13th Court of Appeals may answer that question, which is a hot topic at school districts across the Rio Grande Valley.

PSJA ISD censured Trustee Cynthia A. Gutierrez in June, when a majority of the school board reprimanded her for “prioritizing political gamesmanship and self-promotion over the District’s educational mission.”

As part of her punishment, Gutierrez was banned from the boardroom and forced to attend meetings by videoconference.

“It’s a gross abuse of governmental authority,” said her attorney, Samuel Reyes of Edinburg.

Gutierrez responded with a lawsuit, which challenged both the censure and her punishment.

“In my community, people know that I speak u

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