The Cedar Hill Independent School District Board of Trustees voted 6–1 to deny the level‑3 grievance filed by athletic director Melanie Benjamin following a closed‑session hearing, the board announced at 12:11 a.m. after the meeting. Trustee Carmen Morgan moved to deny the grievance; Trustee Dr. Chiquita Hayek seconded the motion. The board recorded six votes in favor and one opposed; Dr. Singleton was the sole recorded dissent.

The grievance hearing was conducted in closed session after the public‑comment portion of the meeting. Dozens of community members and current and former district employees used the allotted public comment slots to support Benjamin and to object to the district’s processing of her grievance. Several speakers asked the board to hear the grievance in open session; attorney Gianna Ortiz, who said she represented Benjamin, said, “Melanie Benjamin has nothing to hide. The allegations against her are false,” and that Benjamin had requested an open‑session hearing and been denied.

Why it matters: Benjamin has served in the Cedar Hill community for more than two decades and has been a visible figure in athletics and student support, several speakers said. The board’s formal denial of relief closes the level‑3 appeal but does not include further public explanation beyond the vote taken in open session.

Public comments and themes: Supporters framed the matter as a personnel dispute that has broader community implications. The district’s public comment record includes testimony from:
- Amanda Blakney, Habelba coach and department lead for special education, who identified herself as speaking on a grievance filed and praised Benjamin’s leadership on campus.
- Elizabeth Diekman, a district alumna and longtime district employee, who described Benjamin as “the most passionate, hardworking, and dedicated” athletic director she has known.
- Gianna Ortiz, attorney, who said Benjamin requested an open hearing and denied the allegations as false.
- Tara Canning (formerly Townes), Jolene Maddox, Ashley Tennell Williamson, Quincy Adeboyo, Brian Brown, Ebony Jones, Doug Heyerdahl (former CHISD board trustee), Taveka Henderson and others who described personal experiences of Benjamin’s support for students and urged trustees to reinstate or clear her name.

Several speakers described Benjamin’s role beyond athletics — as a mentor, a trusted presence for students during crises, and a figure who has maintained long ties to the community. Legal counsel for Benjamin objected publicly to the district holding the grievance in closed session and said Benjamin had not had sufficient opportunity at prior steps to address the allegations.

Board action: In open session the board considered a motion “to deny the level 3 grievance filed by Miss Benjamin, thereby denying her requested relief.” The motion carried 6–1. The board did not provide additional findings in the public record beyond the vote count at the meeting’s conclusion.

What the board and administration said: The board convened the appeal in closed session under attorney‑client and personnel exemptions of the Texas Open Meetings Act, citing Texas Government Code Chapter 551 provisions. The board did not provide further detail to the public during the meeting about the factual basis for the decision; trustees said the hearing and deliberations had occurred in closed session as permitted by law.

What’s next: The board’s denial closes the level‑3 procedure. Community members who spoke asked the district to publicly explain the process and to consider reinstatement; the district has not announced additional steps publicly.

Ending: The board adjourned immediately after the vote. The denial is recorded in the meeting minutes; members of the public who spoke remain publicly documented in the meeting record.