Dripping Springs Independent School District (DSISD) Trustee Rob McClelland informed the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) that a consultant with close ties to the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) advised school board members to use teacher pay as a strategy to motivate educators during the legislative session and influence their voting behavior. McClelland stated he "was not going to subject myself to that stupidity."

According to a press release issued by the TPPF, McClelland said that the consultant’s remarks disgusted him to the point where he left in the middle of the discussion.

The consultant in question was identified as Moak Casey Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Buck Gilcrease, according to the release.

Gilcrease was alleged to have made these comments during a panel discussion on education finance at TASB’s Summer Leadership Institute last month.

McClelland said he had never met Gilcrease before in his life, according to the release.

The trustee told the TPPF that Gilcrease went on a rant about the failure of school board trustees and teachers to vote in a certain way to convince lawmakers to take specific actions. It was then, according to McClelland, that Gilcrease encouraged school board members to weaponize teacher pay.

McClelland's comments were made from his personal perspective and not on behalf of the DSISD board, according to the release.

TPPF mentioned that Gilcrease did not respond to its email requesting comment on this matter.