**OFFICE** OF **THE** Al7ORNEY GENERAL **OF 7EXAS**  AUSTIN

**Ronorablo** L. **R.** Phomp8on &Wf Auditor

Doat Sir;

38 us in **reorlpt** lQC0, inwhioh potl ra$urr ryus common Oon*oltdatwl County. I to tha rtatum of t 80. 11 InTaylor

act8 in forrr

letter ot

getit loll6the oup thr twooaaOoIrfaon

oon8olidatr6 W l6 **the Xylf.**  **COW** irtrlot HOG.

llr At 088wro 

## mlbmlttr4

to

, %r$a Coimon Yohool Diltriot olastlo

## population of 6s an6 n Sohool Dlatriot 80. 11 had a polation 0r 847. There 4lrtrlotr as pray84 for in tha petition8 riot thw orratrdha8 opsnted rlnor a8 a oomon ooasolidatrdmhool **dirtriot.**
**=It is**  **thought by**  **&me that**  **rhor** therm blatrlotr wora ipoupad u8 **t&y** wrs **by** the county mar& t&at **tbry** form4 a rural highHonorable L. B. Tho=96on, Pa. 3

rohool dlrtrlot but after thrlr grouping the Iborl6 Comon Sob001 DI8triot Ho. 33 loat ita Identity and 110 sohoolram -intalnod In that **dbtriot.** In faot, building6 aid 6quIpms6twere all momd to th6 2yllo ~ohool site. =~oOordlngto Art1016 e93t-A, PoblIo School Law of Terre, It 606166 to m6 that
a raral high rchool dIetrIot of tha tyger nentlomd oorrLd



### nothare **boa&**legally oreatod.
"Tim 

### qraotlonal60 arose a6 to whether n6 had’l,egally**created** a sohool dlatrlot; tharefon, wo **aoked**that th6 LogIrlatur6 raildate 

### ouoh**di8trfot a8**  **orrntsd in**  1933. 

### So at thr**Ssoond** Call S6s6ion ot the Portyfifth Loglslntuz’6 Eiou~r Ml1 Ho. 69, a valldatlag 

### notran pcresod talld6tlnq the dirtriot no oreated.


### R51noeitWUB the**de8lre** 

### of thapatrons of 

### thasrtm sohooldI6trIct6 to hare or66t6d a common oonrolidat6ddlrtrlot and 

### not a rural high.oo~oldI8trlot and rl6oe ltwas the Iat~tlOn **Or tb**  **County Boat0**  to oreate such a 

### &latrlot,uo reel thit the atatua or 

### the dI6trIct ohould **be** tbat.of s ooinumnoonrolldated amriot.

'*It60oa6 tkit 

### tbscoarlty 

## Board in its aotlon8 was 

### riot

oontrolled by any law glrtng thss 

### theauthority to aot ,a8thay did. They **aeamad** to hare **taken** it SOT granted that they had 8ueh authority tihen they declared the **d&q** triot8 **so** grouped.*
At our request, yua hero al80 furnlebrrd a oopy of the **minutor** of the County Who01 Board dated hprll, 1933, at whloh tha aborr nuntioned aotlonuua **taken.** Said **alnutsr** read an r0u0w6:



### "Partieslntare8tod in the annexation of IbrrI6 to '6~110SON prearnt a8king that tho annexation ba 

### not **mado.** After dlsouarlon of

# 149

IbBOZdbl8 L. 8. Thoqwa, **Pago** 3



### the **matter i&r.**  **8.** T. FOrgtieon madO 6 notion **that** the matter k dorrrrrd to 6m0 futum -J-g”* The mtlonwaa loot having no

yurthrr dIBCUO6iOa follorwd, SOfor ani 503O awlnet **th8** pr0poaItlon.

**“ After**  duo 0QBBfdO~tfOB, rinaJmg that thr prtltlon from t&O Ibrrlr Cozmo6 School Distrfot )38 bore thr signatures of a majority 0r th6 ~~ualirf~a **rotsrr** In raid dl6trlot and ll6o had thr Sfg66tUreB of **a** majority Or **tbr trUBtO~6**  Of Said dirtriot **t&id**that Said petition rar in all r6oprotr l6@ aa hating thr ar0errary not100 of a0ooptaaor lawriting iron thr by110 CoaaolIQtOd Conuwn School Diatriot ill, 6fgB~d by a majority of thr members of the Board of TrUJtea6 of the w$116 Di6trlot, the Board of CoUnty Sok~olTruJteca ot Taylor Couaty, Taxne **pacssd** the following order:
'The potitloa of J. 3. Lovatt **and** others **asking** that the Iberia Camon School Dirtriot 336 b6 aanorod to t& V;yllO Coa6olldatOdDl6- trIOt fill**bo** gr&Od, **andtbat** ~bOrf6 Comrpo6 Sohool DiBtriOt &38 I6 hereby aMOx to th6 'UylloConaolidatOd **DiBtriOt** ill **and** that all **t#rtitOr~ A01**  **lying** Within t& bOUB&rfS# Of both the Yiy116Coxmolidated District $11 and the Iberia Comaon :i0hool Dlatrlot $36 be InOludod ln thr ivy110ConmlldatOd Dirtrict $11 **and** thO ruao Ohall by rOdot1m.lto ocaformrlth this Ordrr an4 shall bO imown a6 Wyllr Consolldated DI6trIot ill sad Ohallbo rurther ddfB66 **by** Wt.6 and bound6 88 foUnd in Reoord of School **Ddp.c+tfmor** Taylor county pago **Book**

. **By** lottor opfnIo6 dated **Saauary 84,**  **1938,** thI6 de**partment** adliard the CouBty Sohool SupOrlntc%dOatof Taylor Courrtytkmt baa64 upon t.h~tranrorlpt **beice*** this **d*partnnat** at that tlum, the l6hool df6trlotwas not a oonsolldat6d oamzaon6ChOOldirtriot and the writer expressedth6 opialon that Itwa6 a rural high 6ohooldi8trlot. That lrttar apparently **arooe** out **or** the faot that tha Zylir School **Diatriot** had prrasntsd bonds **to** tblr **dopeirtmont**ror apprmal and they w0r6 **ro)sotad** boeauso th6 propOr authorltiba **tad** not o6llOd **the** 

### l lOotIoa, ou0h 

### l

l60tfon hatlniJ**baoa**called undrr~tha law6

# 150

Honorabla L. **R.** Thompson, P666 

### 4

applicable to ~n6OlidatOd dI6triotr.

Correepondonco in the off108of tho Dopartmont of Educationreveals 

### that l **ubaoquont to**  the above 

### l OtIO6 **by** the **Attorney** drnoral tho Fir& AMIrtant State SuporIntendantrdrlaod the County Superlatendont0s Taylor Couoty t&t I6 hi6 OpIBlon thedlrtrlatW66 

### not **a** 

### oon6olIdated 6ohooldi6ttlat, **rlmo** the **&iLtUtoB**grorlding the procedureror consolidationhad not **been**rollowl. After further oorro6pondenco**and** oon8ultatlonwith th6 **rttoraay** O6aoral*a orfi00 tbr tlrat A6616tant stat6 sugeerintsndont

reaffixmod hi6 o'9IaIoaby lottor**dated April**  11, 1958, **t&t** a oonrolldatod diatrfot ~a# aot oroatoa **and** cxjmcerd 

### the oplnlon that **tha** 

### CountyBoard had tolpatha **procedure** u-4 In orsating ruralhigh 6ohool dir-

. Ee **adrfsod** that if a aa- aon6olldat.dschool dlstrlotwa8 

### desired,suchrural high schooldl6ttrlctas had been **formd, If**  **my,** should **be** blsolrodand an election orillodto oreate a ooaealldated **diatriot** under the proti**6iOn6 Of**  **..iI ’** **tiClS 2806,**  SeVi804 Glrll **StatQt.6,** 1925, **md** 

### thatthebond6 be **ro~tot.4.**

?roatho rooorda **before** us, apparentlyno further aotlon ha6 bean **taken.**

Conoolfdatcd dI6trIota **are foraed**  upon tho approval of 6 3naJorlty

of the wallflod rotor6 in eaoh **di6triOt** 

### l ffOOtad, at an alootloa called for that purpo60. Tho 

### l leotlon rotuna sre oazwasrcd **by** tha **oommfe6ioaer6~ OOUH**  and Bach **oourt** declares the bletrlota consolidated. Se8 Artlolo 2806, Rovloed Cl~ll **St.3tut06, 1935.**  clearly theCounty Board Of school Trusttea could SOt dlsrogard the p~OVI6lOlvOf the **Statute6** end r0rp a ca66olldatod **df#triCt** Ia 'a**cuaaaor** 

### unauthorlzed **by** law: We think tb OpIxiiOu of 

### thePirat **ABBiBtaBt State**  3upcrlatoadaBt and the 

### fOn!N OPlnl011 **by** this 

### deiartsont in this rcspeot are comot.

Rural high **#ah001**di8trIoto are foraod by ogrouplng* and %moxatlon* uadiw +tlolo 2922a.RotIaod Civil atatutor, 1925. Xaoh of tbsso ooaaon 6OhooL.dl8trIots **ha** a aohola6tio p0opulatfoa **of** 1066 

### thanroar **h9rrdr.a (+oO),and**  if any authority orIstod at all, oould haro bean "group6b"toform a rural **kiiep sahool**  **di6trict by**  the County Board**wftbout t&**  **~.666- sity**  **ot a**  **rote of**  **th0 pooplo,**  ooaarat of t& local **truotoea** or any othr action 0u the 

### pwt oi the 9o0oplo re6Iafag In said dirtriot. **gou** stat0 that no 001 intendedto **oroato a** Iioaorablo L. R. Thompson, Paga 8

rural high aohooldlatrlot and dib aot want ouoh a dirtrict. Proin tha rooord before M we think you ue oorreot in thlr rtakaont and 8ft8r a **oarrrul** 8oamh of the Statuttrr in fOrOa 6t thr tip8 the County 3oard acted, ~8 h-8 oome to th8 **WllOh8iOn** that th8 **i?QUd attWlpt8d**  t0 **fO~OU a**  **SttitUta** which **authorized** 

### thr**d8taOharat of**  **territory frm**  on8 dietrfot 8itaeaaeratloa to another; ln other *orddo,8 ch8a~e
or boundary betwoontwo ooatfsuour ai8triOt8.

AQt8 **1929,** U8t trgi8l4tUre, Firat **C811d 2k8810Br**  p. 106, oh. 47, 88 amended, AOt8 **1931,** 4Ead tegi818tUre,p. **235, eh.**  140, **MO.** 1 (app8arlng**a8 Artial8**  **2742-F,** Vernon18

**‘ hXa8**  CiVil S-tot88 2riOr t0 it8 OIWlldp8Ut by AOt8 1935, 44th Lagl8latare, p. **790,** ah. **339,** 8eo. **2)** provided **in Soo**  tlon 1 that the County Board ci **TrU8tCe8** rhould

### have**author** ity when petitioned,to dstaoh territory iron on8 8ohool dl8triot and aaau it to snother, providedthe 2oard of Tnwt8e8 oi th8 dirtriot towhich the annexationWE8 to be **ilrade** approrrd the transfer. xi th8 territory attachad.nhoQldefoe8d ten par oeat (10%) of the entire dlatriot the~p8tition **W(r8 r8qufrOd**  **to be**  **8i(@XSd by**  

### a CllijOritrOf th8 'ZZU8kO8 snt of the qualified toter8 or the dietrlat rmn which the turltory ua8 taken. **Dpoa reoeipt**  **af** tmoh **petltion 8IId** **won notioa**  of'th8 approval in ~rltlng by’the Board Oi **TrUst808 t0**  whioh **ths** territory**wall** to be adaed, the County TrPotee8odrd authorizedto 9ass i.ta ordsr traart8rrlng aafd turitory aad redeflalag **the** boUndaria Oi the di8triOt8 8rr8Ot8d. It -8 

### rnrther providedthat no **8ekmo~** aistriat 8hoald br r8ducea to **8il** U8a Or lS88 tbaa **llioe (9)**  **8pw0 ari188.** 

Ceotioa 14, a8 aiucaded, provided ior ths d8tachdent of t8lTitOm irOm 8CTOrd CcWAt%yOUa bi8triOt8 by th8 CoUaty **Board Or**  **TrU8tes8 sod**  **aUthOriZ8d** th83 t0 Orsate th#I'efrom a new inoorporatad

### or wmaoa 8ohool d18tttlOt.

Our eonolaalon 

### thatthe Trurtee8ware attempting to oonsolidate th8di8triOt8 k **qUO8tiOXl**under thr **aborl** Stutute ir baaed apon th8 raOt that the miaate8 rhow that a prtltion 8f@8d **by a**  8taJority **or** the quellfled Voter8 Or tha fbetfs ilohoolDistrict **W&8** presented, thst 8da petition 8lw **bore** th8 8iglratWeC Or d SUjOrity Of th8 Tm8tW8 Of said dirtriot ad further tht it OoUtailled tha %8Od488rJ* wtiO8 

### 0r 8ae89taac8 in writins ma the 7~118 s&o01 Dirtrlot 8ign8d by a maJority **or** the member8 of the Board 0r TrU8t888. iiidently th8 Board of Trunteas 8OIIllid8r8d thesa matter8 **nsoasrary** to th8ir aotloa and y8t no 8uoh rewirrment i8 pl'e88nt in **“ lJl%NQil@**  **00-D** 8OhcOl **dirtrIOt** with **a**Eoaorable t. B. Tho~8jmon, P8ue 6

**8OhOla8tiO** population 1OSS than fOUr hundred (400) IUiAOr ArtIolr 292% whloh **authorlzr8** the orerrtloa of rural hia 8OhOO1d iBtriOt8. 1x0 oannot b8 eertaln it-oath0 raotr b8iOM UI that this 18 true but it doa8 t8ad t0 8oppOrt the ooaolu8ion that there ~08 not an attempt to oreate a rural high 8OhOol dI8trlOt. Thr taot that tromtho data Or the action **by** th8 CoUUtJ ROUd Utttilth8 pr888t tim 

### thod18trlot ha8 ~b8an oporat8d a8 a 0Oa8011dateAdistrlot would 

### aho 8upport thr ooaolo8ioa 

### thatthere w118an 8ttsqt to asat 8 rUr81 high 8OhOO1 di8triOt.

The Validrti~ 80t to whloh JOU ref8r in four letter appe8r8 a8 EUU~O Bill HO. 59, Ch8ptOr 23, AoU 4Sth **Legislature, Eeooad**  Call06 Sm8lon, Page 1898,and read8 a8 r0u00rs:
Y3eotioa 1. T&t the Wy110 ConrolIAateA Coprppoa

SOboA Di8triOt lo. ll or Taylor County a8 

### l lsrged bt ordrr ot the Couaty 

### Bard of ikhool TruetOe or Taylor County paurd and adopt86

### on the 8th day of April, 193S annexing Ibor18 CozmOn SOhoOl D18trIOt No. 38 to said Wrlla COnaoliAated Comaon Sah001 D18trlctno. 11 In re8ponoi to a p4tItloa signed **by** a majoritt **Of** the **M8lb8r8 Or**  th8 **ward Of**  **‘ PrU8t808** **Ot** said IborI8 Common Bchool Dilrtrlot Ho. 98 aad by a majority Ot the NU.fIeA TOtet8 in 8aiA dirtriot ana **by** 

### 6loajorlt~ of the **ple!&er8**0r thr Baard oi TrU8tW8 or ivylIe Coxmolldatod Common Bohool DLtriOt MO. 11, be **and** the 8apI 18 in all r88JWOt8 ralIdat8d **and** 0Wfil-m.d.

wSeotIoa 2. T&it the mat.8 and bound8 0r wy11r con00udatoa cormponsoho Di8triotno. 11, Taylor 

### CoUntya**Texar** 

### are and ehall

### hereaatter **bo** ilxed aaa drror1b86a8 fOilOW81" (Hero fO11OW8 tb 08t88 ad bouadr Or aald di8trIOt)
Seotion 3 purport8 to vaIldaN therrrnlt of aa **018OtfOU**ror the a88UniptiOU 0r the bonded inaebteane88 

### w’prlor
to the 

### fonatfon of the pt88Mt 

### Xyli.Coasolldatwl**COSmOa** Sob01 Dilltriot No. urn aad to **authOrir.8** the i88aanaeat Oertala bond8and tim Isrr or tarerr.

Thi8 Xot 8UpQOrt8 OOT -lkOlU8fOn that t hOt8 Wa8 00 lnteatloa or attempt to form a rural hl&h rahooldirtriot.

sin08 th8 L8gf8lnture 5al not by 8paalal law onetoHonorable L. B. Tboap~on, Pago I

or validate attsapt8d oreation8 of 8OhOO1dirtriots the ~roregoIngdot 18 olearly anoon8tItutlonaland did act ari8Ot the legal 8tatU8 Of th8 dlatrlot. T8X88 COn8titutiOn, hJtIole 7, i;eotlon S, stlole 3, Lootion 53;Trltter f. ;!88t(nit IVfUSrd) 6s s. L. (2d) 414; ~rownflelaT. Toagate, **(T.C.A.)** 109 S. 'h.(2d) 352.

**Aat8** 1938, 44th **Llgi8btU8,** 3rd Called **Se88iOll,** Page 1992 (Art. 292%-l, **Voraoa*8** **TaXa** CIVIl Statatem) **18** a general ralldatbq aot ralidatIn& thr notionOr County 3oflda *in orratlad or attwtlag to areate oon8olIdat8d rural high 8ohooldiatrIot8*. From the rooord **brioro** ~8, howover,we oannot with any Argrw of oertalntyAetermIao that the **County Board**  **in** thi8 **itutanoe ~88**  **attemgtfng** to oreate a ~aoarolidat8dr9ral high 8OhOOl di8trf8t."

It **18** our OpInIoa that the Lb8ri8 Conron Sahool **Di8trfOt wa8**  not ralldly annoxed to tho Wylie Johool DIE trlot or tb two dl8trIotr QOn8Olfbat8A uo er to i0m a de JurriuylleCoznon Coruolldatod Sob001 InoUAIlrgtho t8rrltory Or the Iberi8 GOiSWn 30hOO1 Di8triOt.

Ba8ed **O$iOO** th. **MOOtd bdOM**  **U8** W. Ue Or th8 0pInIon that the Wylie Cozmoa Cooaolldated SaboolDLtrIot, Iaoludingthe terrltary of the IbeT; Coisaion Sob001DI8trIot, isnot a rural high **soh001** dl8trIot.

The **.8t8tUi Of**  **thi8** district **ba8 kin**  **in qU8StiOn**  **sSno*** 193;3,

and ha8 bean a **8o~rae** of Alft8r8aoe 0r oplaloa In the oommualt$o8 **ror** noveral f8ar8, harIng bera oalled'to thr attontlQ.qn

0tpk8 **AttOt-lt8t** Gea8ral's Departwit 8nb 

### tlmDemrtmeat of EAuoatlQn 8eT8Ml tflt88,th830 depart-at8 having raled that the aotloa oi the Couaty Boardwas rofd inroiar **a8** It attempt04 to oroat a OOn8OlIdated dlstrlotwhioh’you 8tciteth8 &WO910. **de8lre. 1so** **doubt** th18 dirtriotwill In thr ruture attempt to lrsuo bond8 or take othor aotloa whloh dll depoad upon th8 relidlty of the aotlon oi th8 County Board la 1933. **88 thfBk**  the advia **Or** tb6 **First A88i8tMt**  **sate SUpsr**  Int8nAantM8 approprlatr'and timely Air8a,wherrla it wa8 **re** oomemdea that proper aotlon **be** taker under **the** grneral law 

### to obviate th8 **dlffioulty** OOlkO~XliB&tbe 8tatU8Of tb8e di8- trlat8.
Your8 very trUly APPRC'ETAPR.8, 1940

ATTORNEYGENERAL03? TmS w
ccc:Rs