IS BISD LOWERING THE BAR WITH PRINCIPAL FOR A DAY PICKS?

By Juan Montoya
We could understand an HEB manager, a state senator, a city commissioners, a business guy of a successful company, even a lawyer and a cop or two and we could even stomach the likes of former Port of Brownsville Chief George Gavito being picked as Brownsville Independent School District Principal For A Day.

Dr. Ruben Gallegos, Texas Southmost College trustee and Ruben Herrera, his colleague on the board, were also picked as was TSC President Dr. Jesus Roberto Rodriguez. Gavito was picked by Lincoln School administrators as a result of the social work and assistance he continues to provide that school. The last we heard he had donated a popcorn machine for the students, many of them unwed mothers trying to stay in school.

But look closely at the photo.

Yes, that's John Shergold and the Head Cheez himself Erasmo Castro in the post-principal-of-the-day banquet. One of the honorees pointed out that Castro had been convicted of a felony years ago, but apparently has cleaned up his act sufficiently to be let back into the decent-people fold. He fit right in with Jammin' Jay Z.

Castro has not only run for mayor, city commissioner and the BISD board, but we wouldn't be surprised to see him throw in his hat for some other position in the near future.

Some have hinted that he would go after City of Brownsville Commissioner Jessica Tetreau.
The pick of Shergold, a mercurial attorney who has found his niche in representing BISD staffers in grievance hearings and even taking the BISD to court is somewhat perplexing.

After all, Shergold just rubbed the BISD administration's snout in the mud with his successful defense of BISD Records Manager Martin Arambula, another candidate with political aspirations. Arambula threw his hat into the ring for Cameron County Judge this last go-round, albeit unsuccessfully.

And we're told that BISD trustee Laura Perez-Reyes bugged the administration to no end to be one of the principal-for-a-day picks until the super finally relented and gave in and picked her. What Laurita wants...

Is the BISD saying that bygones are bygones and welcomed back Shergold into the fold as well, litigation notwithstanding? But perhaps even more perplexing is the pick of Adolfo Cordoba, an attorney who lives in Willacy County and is a candidate for the 197th District Court. What would his opponents in that race have to say about that? Go figure.

"Some of us were sitting at the banquet and were surprised to see Castro and Shergold in the bunch," said one of the honorees. "We were feeling good about being picked principals for a day and then we saw who else was there. So we have district where one of the principals for the day is a felon, and at the same time a BISD trustee is under indictment for theft, and we have a school lawyer who tried to get three felony convictions expunged and failed, well, you get the picture. What on earth are we doing? Stop to think about it, maybe Castro isn't so bad after all. He'll fit right in."