Request for a Fair, Timely, and Accessible School Board Election at the Islamic School of Irving

Respected voting school board members, the families of the Islamic School of Irving present you with a sincere, peaceful request regarding the upcoming school board election. We are united in our commitment to the ISI’s mission and values, and in our desire for a school environment that benefits all of our children. The intention of our request is to uphold the values of transparency, fairness, and shared responsibility that strengthen our institution.

We genuinely appreciate the continued efforts the board members have made to support the school. Specifically, (1) recently inviting two very qualified consultants to help guide ISI’s improvement and (2) keeping parents informed about it were especially meaningful and positive steps toward increased transparency and school unity. We are eager to see this improvement continue, so we respectfully note that the annual election schedule outlined in the bylaws has not been followed in the past two cycles.

As parents, we want to work with the board to ensure that our governance processes remain aligned with the agreed-upon standards of our community and aligned with the best interests of our children. ISI bylaws outline the following:

• Section 5.2.2, part a): “Four (4) of the board members shall be elected by the general members of the school. Process defined in 5.210 must be followed for this election.”
• Article 5.2.10.2 states: “Election shall be scheduled every year on the last Saturday of March. If the minimum voting member requirement is not met in the school board, the out‑of‑cycle emergency election shall be conducted by the ISI President.”

While the election nomination process has begun as of Tuesday, May 5th, the mention of an in‑person‑only election significantly limits parent participation. Many families travel, work irregular schedules, or face logistical barriers during the end of the current academic year, the summer months, and the beginning of the next academic year. A healthy election process depends on broad community involvement, and accessibility is essential to achieving that.

We respectfully request the following from the school board:

• Timely announcement of the election schedule, in accordance with the bylaws. The current schedule announced today will greatly limit the nomination and clearing process for the potential incoming board members.
• All four (4) vacant seats to be filled in this election cycle, to positively demonstrate full parent representation to accrediting bodies (with staggered 3-3-2-1 year terms like it was done in initial 2023 elections as suggested by the bylaws when 4 parents seats were vacant).
• Transparent formation of a structured election committee with fair and diverse parent representation.
• Accessible voting options, specifically online voting or a hybrid model, to ensure that all eligible parents have the option to participate.
• Clear email communication with parents throughout the election process, including nominee acceptances, background checks, and the announcement of results.
• The full support of voting board members for the newly elected members to contribute meaningfully and bring balanced, constructive value to the leadership team.
• No interference from the ICI Shura body in the school board election to proceed independently as outlined in the bylaws and the conditional accreditation recommendations of CISNA/Cognia.

According to the bylaws, the election for the parent seats is set as a 1-1-2 model. This year, in 2026, there are 2 seats open for re-election and 1 seat election that was postponed by shura last year, in 2025. Please see the bylaws section below:

• 5.2.10.16: For the first election in 2023 only, out of four newly elected members, the first two highest voted members shall serve 3 year term, the third highest voted member shall serve 2 year term and the fourth highest voted member shall serve 1 year term.

We understand that the bylaws do not restrict more than one vacancy filled per cycle.

• 5.2.10.1: General Member Election process shall be used to elect one or more members from 5.2.2.a.

Since we missed this last election cycle as well, we sincerely request all 4 parent vacancies be filled this election cycle. Please note that this is the primary aim of this petition from the parents.

Such a transparent and inclusive election process models the very integrity we want our children to embody and reflect the Islamic principles of shura, fairness, and accountability. Diverse school community input is essential to serving the best interests of our incredible students, who will one day be the future leaders and voices of our beloved community.

We are committed to supporting the school board in establishing and executing a process that reflects the values of our community and ensures that every parent has a voice.

With respect and a shared commitment to our school community,

ISI Parents