By Juan Montoya
An unanimous board of trustees of the Brownsville Independent School District took a little less than three hours to place superintendent Dr. Esperanza Zendejas on administrative leave with pay pending the results of an investigation to determine whether any of her actions justifies termination.
The motion to place her on administrative leave was made by trustee Phil Cowen and was seconded by new trustee Drue Brown.
Sources in the district say that Dr. Timothy E. Cuff Assistant Superintendent Curriculum and Instruction will be the most likely administrator to be named as interim pending the naming of a permanent superintendent. They say Dr. Dora Sauceda, Asst. Area Superintendent for Middle Schools is one of the leading candidates for that post. And, according to one of our seven readers, after all that heavy lifting, po' boy trustee Erasmo Castro and Laura Perez-Reyes treated themselves to a nice steak and wine at ritzy Toscafinos to battle the stress. Ah, the perks of office!
The latest snafu attributed to Zendejas was her approval of a payment Zendejas of $461,208 to VCRNOW, the vendor of "coach" Joe Rodriguez's super-duper $1.4 million scoreboard at Sams Stadium after she was told by the board to bring back the specific warranty lengths before she made any payments to the vendor.
The administration had placed an item on the agenda in the Sept. 4 meeting and recommended that the board approve the project as "substantially complete," thereby releasing the money to the vendor. After the board did not approve her recommendation, records show the check was cut the next day.
Several members were leery because the vendor initially said the turnkey board had warranties for 10 years.
During that meeting, Zendejas acknowledged that there had been some technical difficulties with video without sound and several panels that had to be replaced. Some trustees wanted a clarification of the duration of the warranties on the scoreboard parts (initially said by the vendor to be for 10 years) since the backup to the agenda item listed warranties on some part for two years and others for five.
And since the board was not up and ready for graduation this year, the BISD had to pay a "rental fee" to VCRNOW to bring a portable screen and pay for technician. The cost for the rental and the technician for graduation ceremonies was $7,950 plus a $550 hotel fee for his lodging. ($550? Did he stay on the Island?)
Unable to give the board a definite answer then (September 4) to their questions, Zendejas asked the board to pull the item and told the members that she would come back to them with the answers to their questions.
Recently, during the the meeting of the Facilities Committee Dec. 5, some members questioned Zendejas on the progress on the project and she told them that the project was substantially complete and that he had already made the second payment to the vendor.
But hey, wait, members asked: Weren't you supposed to get back with the board before proceeding with the payment and acceptance of the project?
The board will now have attorneys draw up a list of justifications (pleasings) for their placing her on administrative leave and present them to her in a hearing where she can choose whether to hold is in public or in a closed session.
That was just the last of many grievances the board has had with the administrator, but in the past the board majority ignored their objections. The board majority changed during the last election in November, and now the issues are coming to the fore.
The termination process is a long and complex one and the district must steer carefully yo avoid the numerous pitfalls that could cost its taxpayers millions if not done correctly. Board counsel Baltazar Salazar is one of the least attorneys experienced attorneys in education law and he will probably farm the case out as he has done since he was first hired.
38 comments:
It’s a sad day for BISD.
Thank you BISD Board for doing the right thing and taking action in this way. Now do the investigation and if there was any actions on her behalf that were done wrong then you will have evidence to terminate E Zendejas, thanks for doing the right thing and follow up.
Once there was a wicked witch in the lovely land of OZ
And a wickeder, wickeder, wickeder witch that never, ever was
She filled the folks in Munchkin Land with terror and with dread
Till one fine day from Kansas
A house fell on her head
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Which old witch?
Well, uh, the wicked witch ( Oh)
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Rub your eyes
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Let's…
About time!!!!
If any other BISD employee would have paid a vendor 480.000 dollars without board approval they would have already been fired. I don't see how they continue to pay her. Well at least she can't hurt the district any longer. Right now all the cockroaches that were allowed to bully and intimidate bisd employees are looking for cover. Rightfully so because when you have power thats when you should help people not destroy them. There is a lesson to be learned here.
A unanimous vote on an issue of this magnitude is a good sign for BISD and the community.
Good news.
Espy has been nothing less than JRs prime enabler since she has been back at the bisd.
Just shaking my head. It's why Brownsville will never change and always will be the pits of the valley.
They are doing the smart thing "give me a reason to fire her A**. That's going to save BISD a big pile of cash. After the BISD election these are excellent results.
This is why we need NOT re-elect anybody. New blood bring in good results.
En pocas palabras, Vacacciones pagadas!
Put your name to this shit, Montoya! Coward. Mexican coward at that!!!
An all out war and investigation should be made against Atkinson and Minerva Pena who is being manipulated by Atkinson. The superintendent has put the district in the right direction with her innovative thinking and initiatives and now they want to blame her for the past board members actions. Let's see what happens, but it will backfire come re-election time.
Great job! Glad to see us shake it up a bit. We need new blood people.
Same thing at the cob elections DO NOT RE-ELECT ANY BODY PORT LATER...
Watch Erasmo try to place his friends and family at the glass palace. We’re watiching you Marrano!
Wait????? Get rid of a Supt who has been run out of every district she worked in and who doesn’t follow the rules and replace with an interim who got in trouble in another district for not following the rules?
- IDEA is gonna open another school !!!!
Doing this only proves back deals are ok- ONLY if you are my friend.
The board members who select an interim with a questionable past are no better then the previous board majority. And it is insulting to the district employees who follow rules- and have devoted their lives to the district.
Don't feel sorry for her she made her own bed now she must lay in it.Imagine if you made a check for almost $500,000 without approval from your bosses she can thank Joe Rod for that she only was loyal to him not the tax payers,for that you got to GO!
If Zendejas’s supporters pay attention to the remarks here and everywhere this subject is brought up it can seen the community knows that the right thing was done by the district. It is obvious the cronies who are backing Zendejas are just as bad as she is. To the BISD school board, way to step up and stop the severe abuse the district is going through. Now let’s all wait and see what the future hold for B.I.S.D. Here’s to great things for all B.I.S.D. students and teachers.
To post January 12, 2019, are you kidding!
Zendejas was hired by the previous 3 board members, who lost the election, so she could do their bidding and cover up for them. How did they repay her? They raised her salary! Why do you think the Brownsville community is now happy? Don’t, know? Well the answer is easy, because the person who allowed for the abuse of BISD funds is finally being held accountable .
If Zendejas’s supporters pay attention to the remarks here and everywhere this subject is brought up it can seen the community knows that the right thing was done by the district. It is obvious the cronies who are backing Zendejas are just as bad as she is. To the BISD school board, way to step up and stop the severe abuse the district is going through. Now let’s all wait and see what the future hold for B.I.S.D. Here’s to great things for all B.I.S.D. students and teachers.
Get rid of the women revolution of education leaders in positions of principals in schools in the BISD. Too many problems with women running the schools. Look at the number of gernences and money been spent on legal services. Millions and it's be going on for the past 25 plus years and Dr
Z started this mess.
Y que va a suceder con los principal's que Zendejas trasfirio para diferentes escuela ejemplo lambarri que no tiene conocimiento de preparatoria y que a ella solo le importa equip de futbol. En vez de enfocarse en lo academico
What more could have been expected from this Self serving board. They are all there for a self interest and Not for the Children of BISD. It's a real shame how far BISD has gone down all because those who are suppose to be there to steer our district in the right direction to improve the quality of education for the Children are only looking how to make a quick buck and how to stab people in the back. Bullying people seems to be a tactic that works well for these Board. Most of these Board members don't have children in BISD therefore it doesn't affect them how they screw up the district to their benefit.
Joe Rod needs to go to prison. Zendejas needs to go to prison. These two are in their 80''s and 70s and could care less about following policy and procedures. They knew they had four years to fill their pockets and they did just that. I hope BISD does not pay her. They need to be arrested. Did they think that Joe Rod would serve for two terms and keep the majority? The idiots actually thought that. The gig is up. The board is solid because everyone on there wants to work together to move the district forward. IF Zendejas was in the right there would have been a split vote. A 7-0 vote should tell Zendejas to leave as fast as she can. They won't pay her shit because she screwed up. The Athletic Director Gilbert Leal was told to sign off on that scoreboard for Zendejas. The idiot would say out loud that he was her "BOY". Well BOY, its time to pay the fiddler. You want to be in cahoots with Joe Rod and Zendejas then your sorry ass had to go back to Harlingen. And take Tom Chavez and Carlos Uresti with you. Both those fools went 0-10 and 0-9 in district this year. These are Joe Rod's boys who don't have the respect of their players. Mary Solis do the right thing and rid yourself of this loser. 0-9 is not an improvement. This is his 6th year at Porter running that offense and he couldn't win one game in district. He just doesn't know how to win. He is a kid and you know it. He was hired as head coach only to squash the rings and jackets debacle that sent Tom Campos leaving BISD with his tail between his ass. Stop being scared to do your job. Zendejas can't come after anyone anymore so don't be afraid to do the right thing. Your biggest mistake was that you tried to gain Zendeja's trust but you were never gonna get it. Joe Rod and Carlos Elizondo were gonna make sure of that because of your brother Jorge Lerma. That's politics! Wake the f*** up
FUCK everybody at BISD except for the janitors and bus drivers. Teachers and administrators could not care less about the education of children.
Reprimand her for overstepping her authority. Don’t renew her contract. But, firing her will only result in tons of costs for taxpayers including attorneys and a psossible lawsuit. Let her contract run its course and if it happens again, you already have the back for the justification.
Don’t waste our tax dollars!
The superintendent has put to much money in their pockets from vendors.
Esperanza Zendejas does the job for many : there are students representing BISD, she shows up to support her students. NOT THE SCHOOL BOARD members.
There is an issue: Zendejas does the work. NOT THE SCHOOL BOARD members.
She does a play to raise money: NOT THE SCHOOL BOARD members.
There was a picture of the School Board Members on the Brownsville Herald : how wonderful they are !!! (Not Esperanza Zendejas).
Maybe if parents are not tired, if students have the energy, they will say THANK YOU SUPER ZENDEJAS. Thank you for returning to BISD when we needed you. Now that we do not want you, GO AWAY.
We want to place another Super that we can control, that let us do what we want.
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS caused the death of a another SUPER and they are still around trying to fool the innocent people of Brownsville.
So what that idiot at the city gave out a company check and got promoted and a raise up to 100k, and he still works there!!!
WHEN IS THIS GOING TO STOP??? WE NEED TO GET RID OF ALL THE LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, ELECTION IS AROUND THE CORNER VOTE EVERYBODY "OUT"...
You atJanuary 11, 2019 at 10:41 PM must be an elementary teacher with a low IQ, typical...
Folks this is the reason the charter schools are popping up all over the state, like Idea Academy, they are eating the lunch off the public schools and there is no one to blame but the school boards who destroy the district itself like BISD. The charter school pandoras box has been open or should i say the genie has been let out of the bottle, hard to put him back in it.
Hey anon 6:14pm or should I just say Joe Rod. It’s because Sendekas was controlled by four self serving individuals is why she is out. 7-0 vote tells me all board members know she had to be stripped of her power. It’s a no brained. Get over it .
How many times have you been allowed to come into any Idea Campus. they think they are better but their teachers are not even certified and the kids complain that some teachers do not know what they are teaching. Some come running back to BISD because there is not comparison with the activities offered them at BISD. Some teachers also come back begging for a position in BISD. Has anyone done a study as to the caliber of students that are found at the charter schools. Are they not mostly illegal aliens who's parents demand rights and things that belong to the American citizen. All the do is demand and complain and because BISD did not bow to their demands they cry foul and move their brats to charter schools. Good riddance. They claim they all graduate and 100% go to college - yes, the register and go for a while and drop out cause they are not prepared. Ask Sylvia and Prisci to do that study over at the college. Instead of spending their time micromanaging over at BISD, both should be do their job that they are getting paid for at the college.
If you have any option at all, do not send your kids to BISD. I feel sorry for the people who invested in homes zoned for los Fresnos who are now being poached by BISD. I would say that 80% of employees are disgruntled and hate their jobs..
When can we put all the retarded and lazy Mexican kids on leave? Then BISD will shine!
Does the idea school teachers have three months vacation with pay?
BISD should have a football team named Los Cucarachos the varsity brown and the b team white
To January 15, 8:38 AM. Teachers are paid for 187 days of work but their pay is spread over 365 days or 12 monthly checks! What is your point? That teachers at IDEA work more days than BISD teachers? Maybe, how many days do they teach? Are they all certified? Do they have to put up with students that don't do their homework or come from dis-functional families that don't bother taking their children to school everyday? Do they have to put up with publicly elected school boards like BISD???
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