SUPER FELL THU THE CRACKS: OR JUST FOOLING THE PEOPLE?

(Ed's Note: In the Feb. 16, 2015 meeting of the Brownsville Independent School District board of trustees, a lengthy discussion took place outlining the process that would be used to choose a permanent superintendent to replace interim super Esperanza Zendejas. What the trustees or administrators didn't tell the public was that there would be a parallel hiring track that would not use a consultant, a nationwide search or a 14-member community citizen advisory board. Instead the BISD advertised and the application period was closed March 24. Only internal applicants were being accepted, almost guaranteeing that Zendejas will remain a superintendent for at least the next two years, citizen participation be damned. The following is an abbreviated synopsis of the Feb. 16 minutes of the meeting)

ITEM 4: Discussion, consideration and possible action regarding appointment for Search Committee and/or firm to replace Superintendent of Schools.


Ms. MINERVA PEÑA, Board President: OK. I will start on our left side, Mr. (Carlos) Elizondo, any discussion or suggestions or recommendation?

ELIZONDO: The only thing I recommend, I don;t even know who we use, is there a particular agency that we recommend or anything like that?

PEÑA: Have we ever sued anyone? When was the last time we used someone?

(OTIS) POWERS: Basically what we can do is have the , it's a great idea. first and foremost having community involvement, it's going to be transparent. I suggest that each of us pick two people and if they decide they need a consultant to help them out, let them bring it to us and we pick two members of the community and I think that is going to, they bring us the top three. I know when we went through superintendent search , we did it ourselves as board members, let the community themselves decide how they're going to do it and bring it to us.

(CESAR) LOPEZ: So this would be community members, not BISD employees, correct?

(CATALINA) PRESAS-GARCIA: No

PEÑA: And if I may suggest, I understand and I respect your point of view, but I think we would be, a more responsible thing to do is to having a consultant to bring in names or to help us search so we could do a national search be cause if we do community members, it's going to be more difficult for them to be able do a national search , and then this way we have, I know it's saying something is pricey, we want to do this transparently and make sure that every candidate possible that would be  a good fit for us, come to us, cause we can each appoint two members and that's fine, but I don't want, let's say, if we are how many, seven, that's 14 people running left, right and very which way. I would be more comfortable that we get a consultant that would bring the names in and then we have the community members per se, vet the person and they they recommend to the board their three picks, that's how I would see.

(JOE) RODRIGUEZ: I would recommend George McShan. He was a National School Board President, Texas School Board President; that's what he does. He has brought lot of people. As a matter of fact, he had a, he was the guy that recommended you Dr. (Zendejas)...

PEÑA: He was instrumental in taking you away from us, sir.

RODRIGUEZ: But anyway, that's the name that's out there. He has given us in-services, he knows the community well and I think Otis has a good point that at that point in time he should confer and everybody name one person or maybe we all can select three people of community members to look at  that, that's not uncommon to do and I think it's good. But let this guy that has the experience to spearhead this deal.

LOPEZ: Yeah, I think that McShan has been at this game for, I don't know, like 150 years or something like that.

 PEÑA: He looks 40.

LOPEZ: He is well versed, He is very experienced in this situation. I mean, I know that there is other agencies, but he's local.

PEÑA: He knows the culture...

LOPEZ: Yeah, he knows. I believe he used to teach here back in like 1960 or something like that. I think he would bring something good to the table so I support that.

(JOSE HECTOR) CHIRINOS: On this person, on this person you're talking about, yes, I mean, we just need not to close our doors so fast, we need to look around, different agencies, different things, what's the best for the district and the students. And yes, I am of the agreement that we do a committee from the community, it could be one, it could be two. I think it is something that needs to be set for the next board meeting that we discuss, you know, in detail, how exactly we want to do this and the search is going tom take time if we are going to go that route. So I do agree with the rest of the rest of the broad members that we need to start finalizing the details as to the committee, as to who will represent the district, if we need to, as a consultant.

PEÑA: One thing that I would like to say and itr's excellent, we do need community members because this school district does belong to the community, but before we leave the meeting today, I would like to get of how many members, per, how many committee members per board member; I don't want to leave that up in the air, that way when we come back in March, you already have the names. If it's only one, if it's two, that way we don't have to run around like that.

POWERS: I would like two because sometimes one don't show up and the other will.

PEÑA: I like two, I like two, too.

RODRIGUEZ: Two or three is fine, whatever the board wants but I think I think it needs community input, I mean, you know.

PRESAS-GARCIA: Well, I move to approve. Were you going to hire already the consultant, I mean we have, Mr. McShan?

PEÑA: We are just going to discuss that...we are going to make a motion.

PRESAS-GARCIA: OK. Well, I agree with hiring the consultant and then two people from the community to participate on the selection.

PEÑA: Do I have a motion to hire a consultant to help us with this search for the superintendent?

ELIZONDO: Yes.

LOPEZ: Yes, but we're going to finalize everything on the March 3 meeting.

PEÑA: Yes, right now we just have the motion for us to start getting the names of the people in for consultant, bringing the names before the board for consultant, bringing the names for the board for the committee members. That I want to establish now. Do we want to do one or two? I agree with Mr. Powers, two is better because if one fails, you have the other.

ELIZONDO: I make the motion that, which is to go ahead and start looking for someone, a consultant so they can help us through the process and make it two members per each board that are appointed from the community so they can make this decision with the consultant and then and bring back to the board for a decision.

PEÑA: And nothing will be finalized as far as the committee or the consultant till the March agenda.

ELIZONDO: Correct.

PRESAS-GARCIA: Second it.

PEÑA: OK. I will tell you when you can vote.

RODRIGUEZ: Are we voting on McShan?

PEÑA: No. We are voting on getting a consultant name before us on March 3 and the names of the committee members on March 3 will be finalized, a consultant and the members.

RODRIGUEZ: How many committee members?

PEÑA: Two.

RODRIGUEZ: Two, total?

PEÑA: Two per, two each.

PRESAS-GARCIA: Two per board member.

PEÑA:  That's 14 people.

RODRIGUEZ: That's a lot to sit.

PEÑA: And it's really is a lot of people sir but if you stop to think ab out it, sometimes people don't show to these meetings.

RODRIGUEZ: Yeah, but I mean, they're going to show up to this deal because the consultant isn't going to come back with say, three names or four names and at that point in time is when the committee comes because we don;t expect 14 people to come here and be meeting. I mean the committee goes statewide, you know, wherever they go and whatever they do or whatever the contract says.

PEÑA: Or that person can come to us.

RODRIGUEZ: Or they bring people up, but two per, to me that's a lot but I will go with whatever you all want, I mean 14 people.

LOPEZ: Coach, Coach, do you think, would you I mean, I can read you my motion.

PEÑA: I like two. I like two.

ELIZONDO: If one doesn't come in the other one could show up, you know. I would think this person brings in three or four choices and then at that time you can have whatever number you want...

RODRIGUEZ: I mean but because they are going to be all at the same time.

ELIZONDO: The thing is, we want more community involvement so we can pick the right person.

PEÑA: Yes. Yes.

ELIZONDO: Especially if it will be the people's choice and that way they can at least hold ownership and try to make it for BISD, I mean, this is.

PEÑA: Two is good, that's the motion on the floor.

RODRIGUEZ: That's fine with me.

Final vote: Motion: ELIZONDO
Second: PRESAS-GARCIA
Vote: 7-0 (Unanimous) To be brought back to finalize March 3 meeting.
March 3 meeting: Was never brought back and vacancy posted to hire internally hiring instead.