WEB EXCLUSIVE: Director’s emails reveal alleged untruthfulness in insurance debacle, grievance filed

By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
editor@sbnewspaper.com

investigationEmails obtained by the San Benito News on Thursday reveal that former San Benito CISD Risk Management Director Janie Gonzalez may have been untruthful with district officials during an investigation into a letter she claimed to have drafted for Board President Yliana G. Rodriguez.

“Attached is the list of our products. It was really nice having lunch with you today. Looking forward to our changes,” read an email that Gonzalez sent to Robert Champion, Jr., a representative for the Salazar Insurance Group. The email was sent at 1:22 p.m. on Tuesday, May 15, and contained an attachment that included product codes and a listing of the district’s cafeteria and health plans.

However, and according to San Benito CISD Superintendent of Schools Antonio G. Limón, Gonzalez’s email to Champion contradicts her initial claims.

“We have an email from [Janie Gonzalez] where she says she has no communication, no emails between her and the vendors,” Limón said, adding that Gonzalez was terminated Thursday, August 23, after the emails that she allegedly claimed didn’t exist were discovered. “I terminated her due to her failure to disclose the existence of the emails.”

In another email correspondence – this one sent to Champion at 1:25 p.m. on Wednesday, May 16 – Gonzalez attached what may be the first draft of the now-infamous letter that Rodriguez signed announcing Champion and the Salazar Insurance Group as the district’s “sole agents handling all medical, dental and stoploss contracts.”

But it was Limón’s name that appeared at the bottom of the first draft rather than the board president.

The superintendent said Gonzalez prepared the document unbeknownst to him. “Not at all,” Limón said when asked if Gonzalez sought his approval to include his name on the letter. “I had no knowledge she had done that or that the letter even existed until after it came out.”

Thirty-three minutes after emailing Champion the first draft, Gonzalez sent another email, this time attaching a letter prepared on school district letterhead and undersigned with Rodriguez’s name instead of the superintendent. “What do you all think?” Gonzalez asked in the email sent to Champion and to a second email address that has yet to be identified.

Grievance

School district officials have also confirmed that Gonzalez filed a grievance Thursday challenging her termination. Although the News has yet to receive a copy, officials verified that Gonzalez allegedly named Rodriguez as the person who instructed her to draft the letter.

As previously reported by the News, Ronald Rowell of the Texas Education Agency informed the superintendent – via email – that Rodriguez did not have the authority to change the district’s insurance agents without the approval of the board of trustees. It was further recommended by Rowell that district attorneys educate Rodriguez and board members as to their “roles and responsibilities.”

Attempts to reach Rodriguez were unsuccessful as of 7:20 p.m. Thursday. Gonzalez deferred the News to her attorney Cindy Garcia, who said she could not comment until after the grievance process ended.

Want the whole story? Pick up a copy of the September 2 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2012/08/30/web-exclusive-directors-emails-reveal-alleged-untruthfulness-in-insurance-debacle-grievance-filed/

11 comments

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    • DelaSera on September 1, 2012 at 7:28 pm
    • Reply

    Someone start a petition to oust ROdriguez. Maybe she will resign. I will sign it,

    • DelaSera on August 31, 2012 at 12:57 pm
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    How about LFCISD check her District Emails and see if she is conducting SBCISD business on her work computer. Remember she is the one who was heard telling two small people “I didnt know the circus was in town”, She has no class. How about a public information request from LF?

    • Rodeo on August 31, 2012 at 11:12 am
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    If Mrs. Janie was fired for her involvement then Yliana must be removed as president. She should resign.

  1. Yliana needs to be further investigate. She and Robert Champion are part of this insurance scheme. Her personal email and phone logs provided by the school district need to be further investiagted. She is sending emails regarding the recusal letter to a 3rd party person whom is not on the board. These emails are confidential to the school board and should not be shared. She is a snake. What is she teaching our children?

      • Armadillo on August 31, 2012 at 2:00 pm
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      Excellent investigative reporting Michael. This type of reporting is what the citizens of San Benito deserve in their school and city governments. The free press is what makes this country strong. Continue to keep us informed Michael. We appreciate it.

    • John on August 31, 2012 at 8:22 am
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    YLIANA is an idiot! She needs to go. I have proof where she sent emails to 3rd party regarding a recusal letter. This 3rd pary person should not have been involved in these emails because this is confidential information pertinent only to the school board. She and Robert Champion are involved in the scheme. Her phone logs and emails. need to be further investigated. Sending inappropriate texts and calls from her work #. What a snake she is!!

    • Its plain and simple on August 30, 2012 at 10:48 pm
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    SPEAK , SPEAK, SPEAK…HABLA…YLIANA….QUE MIEDO TIENES….TE CREAS LA MUY GOODY, HIGH AND MIGHTY,, BECAUSE U ARE a PRINCIPAL!!!..I.wish it was election time!!!!….Thanks to the people responsible of making those emails public!…

    • Yes on August 30, 2012 at 10:04 pm
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    Good job San Benito News on reporting this information and keeping us informed.

    • Alvin on August 30, 2012 at 10:01 pm
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    I sure hope someone from the Texas Education Agency is getting copies of all these newspaper articles. The behavior from the BOARD PRESIDENT, who is a PRINCIPAL in LOS FRESNOS CISD, is disgusting. She knew better because this is not her first rodeo as a board president. Evidently, she thought she was above following the rules and policies. SHAMEFUL But don’t blame me, I did not vote for her or her two friends.

    • Chonito on August 30, 2012 at 9:58 pm
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    MESSAGE TO YLIANA RODRIGUEZ: The taxpayers and citizens of San Benito demand that you resign and stepdown from the school board immediately. You are an embarrassment to the community and it is clear that you were the main perpetrator of all this insurance mess. I urge the other school board members to do the right thing and remove her as president immediately. I encourage all of the taxpayers of San Benito to call the board members and demand her oust! YLIANA MUST GO!!!!

    • Joseph Bagwell on August 30, 2012 at 8:23 pm
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    *whistles silently* This is terrible.

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