A Texas educator is challenging a school district’s hiring practices, alleging they violated his constitutional rights. Darius Jamar Smith filed a complaint on September 2025 in the Southern District of Texas against Channelview Independent School District (CVISD) and Ruben Rodriguez, the Executive Director of Human Resources at CVISD, for allegedly breaching his rights under 42 U.S.C. §1983 and state law.
The case revolves around Smith’s application for a teaching position at Alice Johnson Junior High School within the Channelview ISD. Despite being verbally offered the job in July 2025 following a recommendation from the school’s principal, Smith’s hiring process was abruptly halted by CVISD’s Human Resources Department. The department requested explanations regarding charges that had been expunged under a final court order issued on May 19, 2025. Smith contends that he provided a verbal summary explaining that all charges were dismissed or no-billed by a grand jury and formally expunged in accordance with Texas Code of Criminal Procedure § 55.03, which prohibits requiring disclosure of such information.
Smith claims he faced undue pressure to disclose details of these expunged matters in writing, which he believes violated his legal protections and subjected him to emotional and reputational harm. On August 9, 2025, CVISD informed him that the position would no longer be offered due to “concerns” based on the expunged charges. This decision reportedly resulted in lost wages, emotional distress, reputational harm, and hindered Smith’s ability to seek employment in education.
In his lawsuit, Smith accuses CVISD and Rodriguez of violating his Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights by denying him employment based on records he was not required to disclose. He argues that this action deprived him of a liberty interest in his professional reputation without due process. Furthermore, Smith alleges that CVISD violated Texas Expungement Law — CCP § 55.03 by conditioning employment on disclosure of expunged records.
Smith seeks $70,000 in lost wages based on Channelview ISD’s salary schedule for an eighth-year teacher earning $72,700 annually; $130,000 for emotional distress and reputational harm; and $50,000 in punitive damages for what he describes as knowing disregard of his rights. Additionally, he requests compensatory damages totaling $200,000 along with punitive damages amounting to $50,000. He also seeks injunctive relief prohibiting CVISD from considering expunged records in hiring decisions and demands reasonable court costs alongside any further relief deemed just by the Court.
Representing himself pro se is Darius Jamar Smith while there are no attorneys listed for the defendants yet as it is an initial filing stage. The case has been filed under Civil Action No., yet to be assigned before any judge presiding over it.
Source: 425cv5938_Darius_Jamar_v_Channelview_Independent_Complaint_Southern_District_of_Texas.pdf
