Thursday, August 23, 2018

ZENDEJAS, USDA, DISPUTE FREE-LUNCH ALLEGATIONS

Image result for BISD kids getting free lunches


(After posting a complaint from a participant in a Region One seminar for principals where the question of whether the Brownsville Independent School District had erred kin providing free after-school lunches (in italics below the BISD response), we were set a missive from Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas to the board disputing the consultant's assertions. We print her response below.)


To: Carlos Elizondo; Cesar Lopez; Dr. Atkinson; Joe Rodriguez; Laura Perez-Reyes; Minerva M. Pena; Philip T. Cowen; Philip T. Cowen
Cc: Patricia Perez; balsalazar@sbcglobal.net
Subject: Request From Dr. Atkinson on the Supper Program

Board Members,

I asked Mr. Johnson, former interim director of FNS, to contact the Food and Nutrition, Department of Agriculture with the State of Texas to verify that our supper program was in compliance with all requirements.

It was under his administration at FNS that we pushed for more participation in the supper program. We have been informed that the supper program is in compliance. We were informed that students do not have to participate in after-school/enrichment activities to participate in the supper program.

The district is right in what it is doing to support the supper program for our students. Ms. Sarah Carlson, Assistant Director for School Operations, Food and Nutrition Texas Department of Agriculture provided her response to our questions. Below are her emails regarding this matter.

Thank you,
Dr. Esperanza Zendejas


(Original Post)
Various Sources

A Region One consultant has told principals of the Brownsville Independent School District that the administration had broken the law by feeding everyone meals for supper because the federal program for free nutrition did not authorize it if the non-extended day or tutorial students were not staying for an after-school program.

As such, the BISD should not have been submitting invoices for reimbursement to the federal government. And some sources say that the district is now liable to repay the funds because the meals were not eligible for reimbursement.

Region One consultant Yvonne Salinas made these statements at a meeting today of the district's principals. Additionally, other sources close to the administration said the district – specifically Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas – had been made aware of the potential violations in correspondence prior to the disbursement of the meals.

We will stay on top of this development to see how things unfold.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks like you fucked up, Montoya. smh

Anonymous said...

To 9:52, since you made an accusation, please explain how Montoya fucked up.

brownsville literary review said...

Juan, like myself in other investigations, is merely following the story. If he were concerned about fucking up as you anonymously suggest since you obviously aren't willing to put your balls on the line with no backup except your own wits, he wouldn't have printed the super's letter. He would have quit following the story and left his readers with the wrong impression. If we make mistakes as reporters, that's part of batting .300. You fail the other seven times you appear at the plate. Our job is to make those in power nervous. If we succeed by misreporting, we still succeed because think of all the shenanigans they have pulled that has evaded us. As Juan's compadre /DP-M likes to say, "Treat 'em all like dogs." By the way, Juan: I'm still looking for the head of Juan Cortina.

Anonymous said...

The BISD is looking for a scape goat, to cover up the misuse of funds again.

Anonymous said...

Juan how did you get ahold of the email copy you posted? Did you go through public information? Inquiring Minds need to know.

Anonymous said...

10:21, you mean to tell me that you don't know how Juan gets his BISD
information even before the news leaves the conference room? I give you two guess and the first 2 don't count. There may be 2 squeelers! Anyway, it is good journalism for Juan to publish the other side and so with documentation like such, we can make our own conclusions as to who is right or wrong. If I were Region I director, I would question the source of the lady who told the
Brownsville principals the wrong facts. Dr. Z should address this with her and her supervisor and if Dr. Z is correct, Region I should offer an apology.
Better still, should send Atkinson an explanation since she always has so many questions about what Dr. Z does.

Anonymous said...

We all need a "WHITE HORSE"....Where is he?

Anonymous said...

Find the "WHITE SALLION"

Anonymous said...

I heard they put a usb inside a toco de BBQ, for Juan to pick up at the glass palace.

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