SAN ANTONIO — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott this past weekend on Twitter said that Northside ISD will be investigated in connection to a leaked email pressuring staff to vote in the May 7 bond election.

That bond, which will raise $992 million for building renovation and the purchase of new buses, ultimately passed.

“I have spoken with Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath about this. He confirms that IF these posts are verified, then it is likely a crime. The Education Commissioner with work with the Attorney General’s Office to investigate and, if appropriate, prosecute this matter,” Abbott wrote.

The leaked email, purportedly from an NISD principal, appears to suggest that NISD Superintendent Dr. Brian T. Woods expected staff to vote in the bond election, and in favor of it.

“Thank you for supporting the NISD Bond 2022. As per Dr. Woods, all employees will be expected to vote for this year’s Bond,” the email reads. “Did you know that [redacted] was built using funds from School Bond 2001? In fact, all NISD schools were built using bond funds.”

The email additionally chastises staff for low turnout during the last bond election.

“Only 7% of NISD employees voted during our last NISD Bond and according to our Superintendent, Dr. Woods this is unacceptable,” the email continues. “Especially because 70% of NISD employees live in NISD. We should all be doing our part to vote and to be advocating for our NISD students. Central Office will be monitoring campus percentages for employee voting stats in the next weeks to come and will be expecting ALL employees to vote.”

According to the Texas Election Code, public employees may not use public resources for a political message that “is sufficiently substantial and important as to be reasonably likely to influence a voter to vote for or against the measure.” It further states that “an offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.”