By J. NOEL ESPINOZA
Special to the NEWS
Jack Garcia
It seems improbable that San Benito Consolidated Independent School District administrators will conduct a public hearing for Jack Garcia, the former After School Program director, recently fired after purchasing $17,000 for airfare to Houston where he was taking more than 50 students to a chess competition.
In an email sent to the News on Friday April 12, SBCISD Interim Public Relations Director Isabel Gonzalez did not outright reject the idea contemplated by Garcia’s lawyer, who filed a Level III appeal with the Board of Trustees and requested a public hearing.
“The District will adhere to board policies pertaining to grievances and applicable statutes as with all grievants,” Gonzalez said in the April 12 email.
In a letter to the school board April 9, Edward “Tony” Conners, the lawyer representing Garcia, said the grievance also seeks to obtain copies of any documents SBCISD Superintendent of Schools Dr. Nate Carman relied on issuing his Level II decision to dismiss Garcia. Conners also mentioned the Texas Public Information Act (TPIA) to make the documents available.
Gonzalez confirmed that Garcia’s legal counsel sent the documentation to all trustees and the documentation was sent to their (board member) school district email addresses.
“The District will coordinate the scheduling of Mr. Garcia’s hearing with his legal counsel,” Gonzalez responded in the email when asked about a possible date for a hearing with the Board of Trustees.
On Wednesday, Conners said he has not heard anything from school administrators or the school board members.
“They haven’t said anything,” Conners said.
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