By Juan Montoya
The offal has hit the fan.
Remember the plan suggested by Brownsville Independent School District Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas that attorneys be hired to replace board members to hear Level 3 Grievances from district employees?
Once a grievance gets to Level 3, it means that the employee has exhausted all avenues for relief and the board decides the outcome of the complaint. But what if the grievance involves allegations against meddling by board members in the purchasing and staffing at a school?
And is it correct for board members to urge coaches at a school to buy athletic equipment from certain vendors?
31. Discussion, consideration and possible action regarding Level III Grievance No. 008/16-17 on Maria E. Solis
Our sources at the BISD say that Solis, the former principal at Veterans Memorial High School, was a rising star in the district until she started getting personal requests from certain board members for hiring and purchases at the school. Then, out of nowhere, she was transferred to Lucio Middle School. Why?
In her grievance, Solis is said to have been approached by board members Joe Rodriguez, Carlos Elizondo and Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas on a number of issues. Among these were:
1, the illegal hiring of coaches at the school
2. the hiring of Elizondo's wife (a counselor)
3. Forcing VMHS coaches to purchase athletic equipment from vendors associated with Rodriguez, himself a vendor for BFN, an athletic equipment vendor
4. Forcing VMHS principal Solis to contract with Joe Rodriguez's preferred vendors for graduation products (rings). Sources say that Rodriguez was pushing for the school to purchase graduation products (rings) from Herff Jones, the same vendor on the agenda who wants to donate 28 rings to Porter High School. The same sources say that Rodriguez told Solis that "You need to give business to these people. They take care of us."
So is that why the administration was all hot and bothered to change the Level 3 Grievance process?
There is another wrinkle here. Solis' brother, Jorge Lerma, is a lieutenant at the Brownsville Fire Dept. Lately, we have heard that Elizondo is exerting pressure on Lerma and making his life difficult. Remember we told you about the city personnel policy that says that city employees cannot hold elected positions in local school boards because of a possible conflict of interest?
Section 702: Political Activity
"B. Specifically, City Employees may not engage in the following activities:
4. Hold an elective City office or hold an elective or appointive office in any other jurisdiction where service would constitute a direct conflict of interest with City employment, with or without remuneration. Upon assuming such office, an Employee shall resign or shall be dismissed for cause upon failure to do so."
How long will the city and BISD continue to ignore the policies that they themselves have formed?
The offal has hit the fan.
Remember the plan suggested by Brownsville Independent School District Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas that attorneys be hired to replace board members to hear Level 3 Grievances from district employees?
Once a grievance gets to Level 3, it means that the employee has exhausted all avenues for relief and the board decides the outcome of the complaint. But what if the grievance involves allegations against meddling by board members in the purchasing and staffing at a school?
And is it correct for board members to urge coaches at a school to buy athletic equipment from certain vendors?
31. Discussion, consideration and possible action regarding Level III Grievance No. 008/16-17 on Maria E. Solis
Our sources at the BISD say that Solis, the former principal at Veterans Memorial High School, was a rising star in the district until she started getting personal requests from certain board members for hiring and purchases at the school. Then, out of nowhere, she was transferred to Lucio Middle School. Why?
In her grievance, Solis is said to have been approached by board members Joe Rodriguez, Carlos Elizondo and Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas on a number of issues. Among these were:
1, the illegal hiring of coaches at the school
2. the hiring of Elizondo's wife (a counselor)
3. Forcing VMHS coaches to purchase athletic equipment from vendors associated with Rodriguez, himself a vendor for BFN, an athletic equipment vendor
4. Forcing VMHS principal Solis to contract with Joe Rodriguez's preferred vendors for graduation products (rings). Sources say that Rodriguez was pushing for the school to purchase graduation products (rings) from Herff Jones, the same vendor on the agenda who wants to donate 28 rings to Porter High School. The same sources say that Rodriguez told Solis that "You need to give business to these people. They take care of us."
So is that why the administration was all hot and bothered to change the Level 3 Grievance process?
There is another wrinkle here. Solis' brother, Jorge Lerma, is a lieutenant at the Brownsville Fire Dept. Lately, we have heard that Elizondo is exerting pressure on Lerma and making his life difficult. Remember we told you about the city personnel policy that says that city employees cannot hold elected positions in local school boards because of a possible conflict of interest?
Section 702: Political Activity
"B. Specifically, City Employees may not engage in the following activities:
4. Hold an elective City office or hold an elective or appointive office in any other jurisdiction where service would constitute a direct conflict of interest with City employment, with or without remuneration. Upon assuming such office, an Employee shall resign or shall be dismissed for cause upon failure to do so."
How long will the city and BISD continue to ignore the policies that they themselves have formed?