San Antonio Independent School District, Connie Rocha, Mary Alice Cisneros, Margaret Mireles, Sylvia Ward, Thomas D…

Summary

The Texas Supreme Court held that an independent school district is not an arm of the State of Texas and therefore is not protected by Eleventh Amendment immunity; the federal court had jurisdiction over the omitted state‑law claims, so res judicata bars the plaintiff's state‑court suit. Justice Gonzalez dissented, arguing the district is an arm of the state and should retain Eleventh Amendment immunity, while Justice Spector concurred in the judgment but disagreed with the majority’s reasoning, emphasizing the binding Fifth Circuit precedent.