By Carlos Quintanilla
President Acción America
1) The Guerra Report is not sanctioned by TEA. The BISD paid for the Guerra Report. They made it very clear to Ronnie Martinez, who can confirm this conversation because I put her on the speaker with all of them. TEA said that if BISD terminates Gonzales and he decides to appeal, it will be then that TEA will initiate a TEA investigation conducted by the TEA Commissioner Robert Scott and done by a TEA staff person and not a BISD paid consultant (Guerra). A decision will be made by the Commissioner if probable cause exists. Acción América believes that IF they fire him, he will appeal and continue his fight with new legal counsel;
2) TEA was very disturbed by the report that we provided them and asked that we put in writing for a formal request for an investigation at which time they will call for an audit of any and all funds received from Medicare and for Special Services;
3) Parents and Acción América requested that they investigate the use of public funds by Board Member Joe Colunga, which included but was not limited to travel and other expenses on behalf of his 25 year old son, and preferential treatment for his son and his wife. The list of concerns raised by parents regarding this disproportionate allocation of public funds is disturbing and to say the least excessive. They questioned why their children were not afforded the same benefits;
4) Requested that Acción América formally request an investigation into the excessive legal billing by Miguel Saldaña and Walsh Anderson pertaining to the due proocess hearings that cost Brownsville taxpayers more than $600,000. We are calling on all citizens of Brownsville to reject the actions of the four board members and call for their resignations.
We are calling on all citizens to demand not only a TEA investigation, but a Justice Department intervention to determine if any laws were violated. The evidence obtained by Acción América that includes BISD reports, internal confidential reports as well as billing documents and summaries. These will prove irrefutable, compelling and most importantly, conclusive.
We thank all the people who work for the BISD and who are disgusted with what is going on for providing us volumes of documents, reports and other pertinent information that has been suppressed by these four board members and are now public record.
President Acción America
Wednesday afternoon we met with the legal counsel for TEA, the Associate Director, its Director of Audit and Investigations and TEA's Director of Special Services.
This is what they said:
1) The Guerra Report is not sanctioned by TEA. The BISD paid for the Guerra Report. They made it very clear to Ronnie Martinez, who can confirm this conversation because I put her on the speaker with all of them. TEA said that if BISD terminates Gonzales and he decides to appeal, it will be then that TEA will initiate a TEA investigation conducted by the TEA Commissioner Robert Scott and done by a TEA staff person and not a BISD paid consultant (Guerra). A decision will be made by the Commissioner if probable cause exists. Acción América believes that IF they fire him, he will appeal and continue his fight with new legal counsel;
2) TEA was very disturbed by the report that we provided them and asked that we put in writing for a formal request for an investigation at which time they will call for an audit of any and all funds received from Medicare and for Special Services;
3) Parents and Acción América requested that they investigate the use of public funds by Board Member Joe Colunga, which included but was not limited to travel and other expenses on behalf of his 25 year old son, and preferential treatment for his son and his wife. The list of concerns raised by parents regarding this disproportionate allocation of public funds is disturbing and to say the least excessive. They questioned why their children were not afforded the same benefits;
4) Requested that Acción América formally request an investigation into the excessive legal billing by Miguel Saldaña and Walsh Anderson pertaining to the due proocess hearings that cost Brownsville taxpayers more than $600,000. We are calling on all citizens of Brownsville to reject the actions of the four board members and call for their resignations.
We are calling on all citizens to demand not only a TEA investigation, but a Justice Department intervention to determine if any laws were violated. The evidence obtained by Acción América that includes BISD reports, internal confidential reports as well as billing documents and summaries. These will prove irrefutable, compelling and most importantly, conclusive.
We thank all the people who work for the BISD and who are disgusted with what is going on for providing us volumes of documents, reports and other pertinent information that has been suppressed by these four board members and are now public record.
2 comments:
BJCF (Exhibit-B) This is the policy that explains the procedure for the hearing examiner. It is located on the BISD web site under policies. It states" The District shall bear the cost of the services of the hearing examiner; each party bears the cost of discover and it's attorney's fees." The district had no choice; it is the law and the district pays for it.
Policy DFD (Legal) states "The commissioner shall consider the appeal solely on the basis of local record and may not consider any additional evidence or issue." Texas Education Code 21.301 (c). This is also in the BISD policy.
I do not know who this person talked to, but apparently they may not have known the laws that govern the dismissal of an employee or what is involved when a hearing examiner is requested. I do know that both parties have to agree to the hearing examiner, and if they do not the commissioner of education will appoint one. This, I believe, is covered under policy BJCE. These are listed in the BISD policy, which is updated after each legislative session.
accionamerica wrote:
Alert Alert Alert
This morning Mr. Quintanilla spoke to US Attorney to look into the Medicare Fraud, use of federal funds for personal gain and possible criminal conversion of the Healthsmart contract that impacts over 10,000 teachers and their families.
Mr. Quintanilla is aware of the commentary that is being disseminated in blogs that refer to a case that occurred over thirty years ago. Accion America is proud of its efforts on behalf of millions of Hispanic, Mexican Immigrants and Children who lives have been impacted by our work. Our work is public record on local and national news.
We are working on assembling a legal team to defend those parents who wish to file legal action against BISD for gross negligence and violation of civil rights.
Please be informed that we are receiving an overwhelming response from parents, the community and intersted lawyers willing to heed our call for help.
Accion America has hired a local organizer who will be reaching out to members of the community who want signs, who have legal issues with BISD and who want to join our effort.
We want to reassure those negative bloggers that it will take more than putting out old news, to stop this avalanche of anger within the Brownsville community.
We have done our job of bringing light to this issue, as evidenced by the comments in this blog, by the extensive media coverage, from board members speaking out publicly and setting the record staight.
To the courageous reporters who have broken this story, we will continue to provide media alerts and updates on what we are doing from outside the circle of incentious corruption that points to the 4 board members.
www.myspace.com/accionamerica
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