Wednesday, September 8, 2021

BISD BOARD REFERS MINERVA PENA NEPOTISM CASE TO D.A. SAENZ; PENA VOLUNTARILY AGREES NOT TO ENTER BISD CAMPUSES, FACILITIES, DUE TO POSITIVE COVID-19 TEST

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

The members of the board of the Brownsville Independent School District did not go into detail or specify what happened during executive session of their regular meeting Tuesday, but by a 6-0-1 vote –  with member Minerva Peña abstaining – voted to approve the referral of the nepotism case against Peña to the Cameron County District Attorney's Luis V. Saenz for his determination on whether to prosecute.

Nepotism is a misdemeanor prosecutable under the Texas Government Code and could result in a fine not below $100 and not More than $1,000. But a prosecution for a misdemeanor could also result in a removal action by the DA's Office pending its resolution.

The latest wrinkle in the ongoing saga is that district sources assert that the administration will turn over the evidence to the DA that allegedly shows that Peña personally told administration personnel to place her daughter-in-law's application in front of the line of the other applicants.

After about a month working at Veterans Memorial Early College and High School administration presented both Peña and her 27-year-old daughter-in-law with the evidence of nepotism and gave each the option to resign or remain. Peña refused to resign and the woman resigned.

Four days later – and perhaps as a direct result of losing her job compounded by other personal problems – it was reported that the woman took her husband's service weapon (U.S. Customs) and killed herself. It was later that authorities determined it was his personal weapon and not his service-issued handgun. Some commenters have said that not only did the woman lose her life, but that students in the district lost out on a passionate, enthusiastic teacher who loved her profession. 

The agenda contained two items related to the Peña case. They were: 

XII.E.2.a. Discussion and consultation with Counsel concerning possible Resolution to Censure Trustee M. Pena and to issue referral to Cameron County District Attorney. (Board Agenda Request Eddie Garcia-Board Support Dr. Prisci Roca Tipton, Denise Garza, Daniella Lopez Valdez)

XII.E.2.b. Discussion and consultation with Counsel concerning possible Resolution to Censure Trustee M. Pena and to issue trespass notice. (Board Agenda Request Eddie Garcia - Board Support Dr. Prisci Roca Tipton, Denise Garza, Daniella Lopez Valdez)
Agenda of the closed session of the board of the Brownsville Independent School District's regular meeting today, Sept. 7, 2021

The woman was an instructor at Veteran's Memorial Early College and High School and had a Master's in Educational Technology with a Technology Leadership certificate from University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. 

During Tuesday's meeting, before the vote was cast on the first item, Peña voluntarily said in open meeting that she would "out of respect for the district" avoid entering any district campuses or facilities except for the performance of her duties as trustee. That comment referred to allegations she had tested positive fo rCOVID-19 and had shown she followed the district protocol so no violation existed.

She, in effect, accepted the trespass order voluntarily on the second item and showed she had committed no violation and the vote was unncecessary.

The board then voted to vote to take no action on the item to approve the trespass order that would prevent her visiting school campuses or facilities. 

Cameron County Saenz declined to comment on the board proceedings or his possible plans on prosecution or removal. 

That second item – made a non-action proposal because of Peña's voluntary promise to keep away from the district, its facilities and staff – passed by a 7-0 vote. 

(This story was updated Wednesday, Sept. 8, 10:30 a.m.) 

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yesterday's decision by Mexico to decriminalize abortion could open another option for Texas women seeking legal abortions. For years, women in south Texas crossed the border to go to Mexican pharmacies to buy misoprostol, a pill that makes up half of the two-drug combination prescribed for medical abortions.

- What sayeth you now, Abbott?

Anonymous said...

Lawsuits Over ‘Misleading’ Food Labels Surge as Groups Cite Lax U.S. Oversight

A flurry of litigation by advocacy groups seeks to combat what they say is a rise in deceptive marketing by food giants.

(fish especially.)

Anonymous said...



Survey reveals most-used word(s) in Brownsville:

- Food stamps




Anonymous said...

Anyone for bets that DA will drop the case? He wears no pants!
If only Cati Presas-Garcia could run for DA next time. She was the only
one who told everyone at the public speaking section of the meeting how the cow ate the cabbage. She hit the nail right on the head and urged our trustees to do what they had been elected to do. Way to go, Cati!

Minerva has no shame! She thinks she is still that fumbling Porter Belle who used to lead a group of little girls who wanted to show of their uniforms. She treated people like dirt when she was doing the driver's test and made them feel ignorant. It is time for her to start repaying just like her buddy is doing now in a little jail cell.

Anonymous said...



So Minerva Pena did not know how to do this action properly: placing her daughter - in - law in a BISD job? Shame on her.

So the daughter-in-law was abandoned by her mother-in-law and not offered other possibilities or another plan of action. Shame on Minerva and her son.

KUDOS for those people that know the truth and maybe will speak up. Somebody has to defend the young teacher.

Anonymous said...

September 8, 2021 at 3:45 AM

In hillbilly cesspool regions its gimme gimme gimme most used words and cocos most used words are I am white. MAMONES

Anonymous said...

The blog readers are very informed:

BISD HR is the problem. Carmela Rodriguez has done so many favors to Board Members and people close to her. Unqualified hirings, no teaching certificates or given an extended chance to take exams. Drunk on the job but Carmela needed to keep Sauceda AA happy.

HR kept a drunk employee under protection for years, affairs under cover, employee criminal records, so much garbage. Dr. Prisci Tipton used Sylvia Atkinson money to get in.

Denise Garza has the aunt who is in the Parental Department. Dr. Prisci has a bunch of family members and all of the TSC MOUs. Daniela López Valdez too and Dad involved with many BISD vendors. Minerva Pena has Rose Longoria and many others.
This was a target by a board member using HR to cause this tragedy. HR always looks the other way with bad hirings. The Dora Sauceda AA got rehired by Carmelita and big Zarate when she was booted from Dallas. Now Dora is begging to be Deputy. HR Admin Carmelita hired the son of Maricela Franco with no certificate

Question. What is the main topic in this passage?

Short answer: HR always looks the other way with bad hirings.
Homework: Who was the person that complained to HR about this hiring? (a friend, a coworker, an administrator, an enemy)

Anonymous said...

Willing to bet on it that it was the husbands' issue service gun that was used for this suicide, but know damn well that if so it would open a can of worms. It would mean that a federal issue weapon was used and it would be investigated federally. Also, know for a fact, that doctors and pathologist have been known to cover-up and lie, when performing autopsy. Life is a bitch. This is my opinion

Anonymous said...

Saw Pena trying to direct traffic once, when she had just started at the DPS. But that was the last time I ever saw her doing that. For about the next 20 years, she only stayed in the office on Paredes line road. I wonder why?
Eldelasprietas.

Anonymous said...

M&M Mujere MALA

Anonymous said...

Juan the BISD board should just get rid of her (Minnie Mouse) now what are they waiting for?

Anonymous said...



Case #2 from the 3 or 4 readers of this blog:

Why did they not go to Sylvia Atkinson many of her brothers and sisters were hired or relocated within the district?

How did Charlie Atkinson got his position and without papers.
Sylvia Atkinson hiring unqualified Charlie ahead of many other candidates, etc.

Most of the Atkinson's were already on board when Sylvia came in, so they were in no violation until promotions came to be.

Minerva is a prime example of it: she got money for her campaign from BISD's legal counsel, then defended his contract and now this (and this is what we are aware of).

If the district wants to end nepotism, start by looking at the Atkinson clan. Trace their hires and movements through the district.

Every board member in the past has family working for BISD. Look at Sylvia's Atkinson family and extended family..

Anonymous said...

First it was a bunch of guys sent to fla now its looking like a bunch of females will send. Who's next da dogs...

Anonymous said...

Luis V. Saenz will bring to an end the abuse of power at BISD. He was a teacher at BISD from 1975-1981. He was a Trustee from 1987-1990 and was School Board President in 1988 and 1990. Saenz was raised by a single parent. As a child his mother told him to be “responsible”. He became a lawyer: 1981-1984. He was an Assistant District Attorney from 1984-1990. In 2013 Saenz became Cameron County’s District Attorney. With his first check, he married his college sweetheart.
Saenz is the MAN that will honor the young teacher, her friends, her relatives and the people that loved her (students etc)

Anonymous said...

So, why isn’t anyone asking questions on the allegations that Katy Presas brought to the Board. Is that going to be censured also? Or, is BISD allowed to pretend it morally follows employment laws that protect its employees from inequality and discrimination? What she brought up, warrants investigation into the departments leadership!

Anonymous said...

BISD is such a mess. Doesn't matter who they hire, who is elected. It's just such a mess all the time.

And it's embarrassing.

Dragging this stuff out in public, just makes everyone think they all have something to hide.

Those on the board are "appalled" yet they watched and worked with DR A on all her shenanigans...

Pot-Kettle...etc.etc.

Anonymous said...

South San ISD board reprimands superintendent, censures trustee

Follow the example BISD do the same censure and fire and/or reprimands do it now

Anonymous said...



Minervita no hizo nada. Fue un error de Carmelita Rodriguez, la maestra estaba divorciada del hijo de Minervita. Eso dice el papel Herald hoy.

Anonymous said...

2.19 pm give me some of that weed you are smoking so i can join you, do you really think Luis V Saenz will do something, NOPE aint going to do didly squat or anything, why get involved. Not his fight or am i wrong LUIS?

Anonymous said...

Policy DBE LEGAL was revised/issued on 2008; this nepotism policy has been in existence for over 13 years. Does Carmelita not have set procedures/internal processes in her department to prevent nepotism before it reaches the board?  Apparently, it seems she dropped the ball.  The practice is that it is HR's responsibility to have a checklist of items to look for when someone is recommendeded for any position.  One of them avoiding nepotism.  Carmelita, in submitting a name to the Board, certifies that the person being recommended meets all the prerequisites; and the recommendation follows all policy requirements.  Seems that Carmelita backpaddled in trying to get one of them out. It is on Carmelita since she is the Asst. Superintendent for Human Resources. It is the superintendent's responsibility to make sure his employees follow procedures/protocols/policy. Carmelita did not follow procedures/protocols/policy.  The Board entrusts the Superintendent (his staff) that all prerequisites/policies are met and verified when a recommendation is made.  The Superintendent in fulfilling his job; should issue Carmelita a written reprimand and a reassignment.
This error on her part should not be taken lightly.

Anonymous said...

The Superintendent is the # 1 person to blame, next are Carmelita and Minerva . Make them all pay for what they’ve done. Baltazar is no longer there to cover up all of the board’s misdeeds . Superintendent has to go.

Anonymous said...

Hey 3:30 are you on the clock? Idiot!!

Anonymous said...

9/09 3:30 well said. Someone alleged that Ms Franco son was hired but was not certified. If true how did this get past HR. She knows the family very well as they are BFFs. How easy was it for Adkinson to get hired at an elementary and then high school as a coach (A position he was after)? Was the position listed as a vacancy on the BISD website? Were there no other applicants available and he got lucky? She is also BFF with family.

Seems like some positions are not listed but created or reserved for BFFs.


Quid pro Quo?


Anonymous said...

This is clearly the superintendent's responsibility. You all are blaming the wrong person in HR. He is smelling like a rose, everyone else, stinks!

Anonymous said...

And the beat goes on.

Anonymous said...

at 9/09 9:51

Superintendents assign people to run a department such as HR, transportation, cafeteria etc for the obvious reasons.

In layman's term people in charge of these department oversee that policy rules, regulations and laws are in place and followed. That is their job and its why they get paid handsomely.

In any other job if you mess up you get fired.

It's the HR responsibility to make sure the person they are hiring are qualified for the job they are applying to.

If according to you, HR is not responsible why are there so many people working in that department?

Problems are created when you hire the wrong person to run a department they know absolutely nothing about.

Principals or administrators for whatever reasons get promoted $$$ (cuz they screwed up at their school or have are BFF with Area Admin) to run a department at the main office into a position they are not qualified for.

In my opinion for example, if there's a vacancy for transportation doesn't it make better sense to hire someone who has experience in transportation instead of a school administrator?

People are placed in a department to do a job since the superintendent can't do it all (he is not God). They are responsible and should be held accountable and not reassigned to another department to do more harm.
They should not be allowed take their BFF's with them so that BFF's does all job while the one in charge of the dept is busy planning parties.












Anonymous said...


But if the Super, HR and the Board placed the young teacher, they should not have listend to a person complaining about the new hire. Who was the person?
What did she/he said? This person brought the whole process (looking the other way for a bad hiring) down. Who is this person?

Former RGV LEO said...

I did not know that you had to report or refer NEPOTISM to the CCDA to get investigated? I mean there is NEPOTISM in all departments of CC? So, how is it different with bisd?

Let' see if anything gets done at all?

rita