By HEATHER CATHLEEN COX
Special to the NEWS
Superintendent Antonio G. Limon
Although San Benito CISD School Board President Yliana G. Rodriguez has called two special meetings to evaluate the duties of Superintendent of Schools Antonio G. Limón, who remains under contract throughout June of 2014, no reason why has yet been offered.
Rodriguez called an executive session meeting on Tuesday, December 11, to discuss the evaluation of Limón’s contract with the district.
The superintendent’s annual evaluation, scheduled for February according to other board members, is still two months away, and reasons for extra meetings to evaluate his duties have not been made public. School Board Vice President Anna Cruz with Trustee Oscar Medrano have publicly stated that they do not wish to prematurely oust the superintendent from his position nor do they believe he is deserving of reprimand.
“In my opinion,” said Medrano, “there is absolutely no reason to be discussing his (Limón’s) description at this time. Yliana brought this to the board.”
Cruz said, “I concur with Mr. Medrano. Mr. Limón needs to fulfill his contract. We can’t afford to buy him out. He is willing to work with us. We need to bring our district out of AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress), and bring our two campuses that are unacceptable up to par.”
“We don’t usually discuss a contract unless there is a reason,” said Medrano who added that he is vehemently against the removal or dismissal of the superintendent. Medrano stated, “At this moment, he has a contract calling for him to remain our superintendent until 2014. I was surprised to see this item on the agenda.”
Medrano further stated, “There is no reason for the superintendents’ termination or for us (trustees) to be looking at a buyout. Mr. Limón has made every effort to work with this new board. I see it day-in, day-out. I believe these new board members need to make an effort to work with Mr. Limón as well.”
To that, Cruz added, “He (Limón) is working with us. There is no problem with him not wanting to do his job or him not doing his job.”
The superintendent wasn’t slated for review until February but has now had his duties reviewed twice in a two-month span of time, with the first time being one day after he reinstated Risk Manager Janie Gonzalez into her position with the district. Limón fired Gonzalez after he said she had lied about having e-mail correspondence between herself and Robert Champion Jr. of Salazar Insurance Group, SIG.
Regarding unsettled matters within the district, like the fact that she reportedly ordered Gonzalez to draft a now infamous letter retracting Bob Treviño as the district’s long-time insurance agent, in order to instate Champion and SIG, School Board President Yliana G. Rodriguez said, “I have no comment on anything regarding insurance. I am moving forward.”
According to Limón, Gonzalez, who filed grievances and was denied re-hire, was fired for allegedly lying regarding the contact she’d had with Champion and SIG. Gonzalez’s attorney had also threatened to slap the superintendent and the district with lawsuits.
When asked how Gonzalez feels that Rodriguez was never investigated for instructing her to draft the letter, Gonzalez said, “I don’t have any personal feelings on the matter.”
Trustee Medrano has long advocated an investigation into this “letter” debacle but has been denied by Limón on the grounds that the collective board must make such a request, and not one member alone. Thereafter, Medrano also expressed his desire for citizens who share the trustee’s concerns to approach the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
Some members of the community have been outraged by the whole ordeal, and as the matter seems to be bearing down on the board’s decision to keep or fire the superintendent, who was recently stripped of some of his firing duties, some community members have begun demanding answers.
Regarding Rodriguez’s motive to have Gonzalez draft the May letter, Rodriguez said no comment.
Pertaining to the same issue, Gonzalez was also mum. Regarding whether or not she questioned the board president’s motives in the letter, Gonzalez stated, “I’m just glad to be back. That’s all I know.”
So with no investigations launched on anyone except Superintendent Limón, who ultimately fired Gonzalez and rehired her, the News took to the streets of San Benito to ask residents how they feel about their board president calling two reviews of the superintendent.
Disabled member of the community, Tim Harlow, age 50, said, “If he’s doing his job, it doesn’t make sense to fire him. They (the board) should ask the teachers…or release the stuff (allegedly) against him if there’s a reason to fire him.” Harlow further stated, “The public, the voters, pays property taxes. You’re (elected officials) are accountable to the people. Don’t fire someone for no reason.”
“They can fire him,” Medrano said of his fellow board members, “but they have to have plenty of evidence against him. In my opinion, they don’t have this. I don’t understand why this item was put on the agenda at all.”
Medrano and Cruz, the only two members of the board available for comment on this issue, say Limón has performed well.
“He understands the needs of our staff, faculty and students, and I hope we are able to keep him until 2014. I’m willing to continue working with Mr. Limon as a team of eight,” said Medrano.
Cruz seconded Medrano’s commentary, saying, “Mr. Limon hasn’t done anything to warrant reprimand. I can’t speak for anyone else, but my focus has always been and will remain academics.”
“I would think he (Limón) would have the right to hear what they have against him,” said sales and marketing professional Dennis Robinson, 62. “If the district feels he is not working according to his contract, they can fire him.”
Robinson expanded, saying, “All cities have financial problems…Maybe if he wants a job and the city is short on budget, he can re-negotiate his contract at a lower rate of pay.”
According to Limón, the school board has a plan underway to balance their budget over the next three years, in addition to having a surplus of $16.9 million in savings and enough to award $1,000 bonuses to qualifying school district employees, to the total amount of $1.5 million.
Medrano explained, “If we write him a check for $189,000, he’ll be gone tomorrow, but we can’t afford this right now.” He said his vote is “let’s move forward and meet our goals for the school year and upcoming year. Let’s talk about academics and improving our scores, making our schools safe. Security should be a main concern.”
Luci McDowell is a 64-year-old truck driver who resides in town. She said, “I am on the road a lot, so I really don’t know everything going on, but they (the board of trustees) should definitely give a reason why he’s being evaluated.”
The superintendent said, “I continue to do my job to the best of my ability and look forward to working for the district. I look forward to continuing my contract, to 2014 or even beyond.”
Medrano said the board should “continue supporting our principals, teachers and staff. That’s what we should be talking about…If they’re (certain board members) not happy with his performance, they need to make known what their concerns are. I will not support a buyout.”
Cruz, Medrano and at least some members of the community hope the superintendent remains with the district throughout the duration of his contract. At his last evaluation, the board took no action regarding Limon’s position, which was discussed in executive session.
“I feel blessed to work with the district,” said the superintendent of his position.
Read this story in the Dec. 26 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.
12 comments
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What everyone should do is actually voice your opinions in person don’t be cowards run your mouths in their faces not here online. If u a problem with anyone one of the address it its plain and simple and if u feel u can do better then u run for the positions. And if san benito us so ghetto and embarrassing then get out and be done with it. Bottom line have the courage to speak ur mind where the people u are referring to can hear or see you
fire the guy…let him become someone else’s problem.
This debate is typical of San Benito politics.. This current batch of idiots will be replaced by another and the pettiness will continue, on and on. The students in the community deserve so much better, but the lucha libre continues unabated. Is there something in the whatever or what??
Sunchaz5: very well written!
My goodness!! How do we expect to progress if we keep voting people like this?!? Wake up SAN BENITO!!
Let’s not forget and vote wiser next time elections come around!!!!
This is so frustrating and gets me angry. All that matters is that come election time THAT BOARD PRESIDENT, GHETTO DUO, YOUNGEST BOARD MEMBER get out of the school board all together and people with experience and no backstabbing agenda do get elected and make SBCISD A SUCCESSFUL DISTRICT. I am a parent who is watching out for my children’s education and I (for kinder term) DISLIKE what these BOARD MEMBERS are wdoing or not doing. It’s sad the way they are disgracing San Benito to the public audience , fellow citzens and people who visit our town. How do we expect to grow and prosper as a community when we have those running the school district.
Finish the Contract, and be rid of him. Let this be a lesson to us all. Bring in someone from the outside. Handle this as a Business. If he does not meet expectations, hire another, and another until the district fulfills its duties educating our kids. Get the Compadrismo out of Educations and you will get results.
The law says that the board HAS to evaluate the superintendent once a year, the board is not limited to only one evaluation per year. The board can evaluate the superintendent every month if the majority of the board votes in favor of doing so.
sunchaz5, you cannot handle this as a business. It is not a business. Superintendent contracts are different than in the business world. Say the CEO of a company is doing a bad job, with a company if the board decides at the end of the contract they want a new CEO they just do not give him another contract.
With superintendents they are basically entitled to a new contract unless the board has enough against them to have just fired them in the middle of the contract. Also, unlike in the business world, superintendents get a second chance to improve performance after being formally reprimanded. Always remember that much goes on in executive session because educators have a right to have their performance discussed in executive session, and the board members cannot discuss these things outside of the executive session.
Write him a check for $189,000? Where does that board president think she is going to get that money? Please tell us board president….
We voted for you to represent our views and not yours, Board President! Let Mr. Limon do his job. You had a board training and YOU STILL Do Not Get IT! How many more trainings do you and your other 3 friends need? Thanks for Ms. Cruz and Mr. Medrano for speaking to the newspaper. Where are those other board members? Come on…. We cannot wait for the school board elections. Each of you answers to the community.
You bet it is a personal problem. That board president needs to learn that SHE IS NOT THE Superintendent!
Get a clue lady!! How can Los Frenos CISD have her as a principal. Very sad for San Benito and Los Fresnos
Sounds to me like its a personal problem YRodriguez has with him. What does this woman want?? His job????
!!!!!!!!!!!!FOCUS ON SECURING AND SUPPORTING OUT KIDS AND STAFF YRODRIGUEZ FOCUS!!!!!!!!!!