By HEATHER CATHLEEN COX
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
San Benito CISD Superintendent of Schools Antonio G. Limón elected to reinstate Janie Gonzalez to her former position of risk manager with the school district on Tuesday morning.
Gonzalez was fired in September for allegedly being untruthful regarding electronic communication she had had with Robert Champion Jr. of Salazar Insurance Group. In May, Gonzalez drafted a (now infamous) letter at School Board President Yliana G. Rodriguez’s behest which called for the immediate instatement of SIG and Champion as the district’s insurance agent – even though the district’s current agent, Bob Treviño Insurance, was under contract with the district for at least one more year and such an action violates board policy which explains such decisions must be made by the board as a collective unit.
Gonzalez, with the help of attorney Cindy Garcia, filed a Level 3 grievance with SBCISD in an attempt to regain her job. The grievance was dismissed by Planner/Evaluator Ruben Franco at Level 3, when Franco did not reinstate Gonzalez.
In October, Gonzalez took her grievance before the school board, to the penultimate Level 4. The board, in a vote of 4-3, suggested that Limón reinstate Gonzalez; however, on October 19, after taking over a week to review Franco’s multi-page findings, Limon said, “I still find I had cause to terminate Gonzalez, and my choice is not to reinstate her. That’s the bottom line.”
The board, inarguably split down the middle concerning Gonzalez’s case, has prompted some trustees such as Oscar Medrano to question motives and intent. At the time of Limón’s decision not to reinstate Gonzalez at the Level 4 grievance, Medrano agreed with the superintendent.
Regarding his decision to reinstate Gonzalez, the superintendent said, “Janie Gonzalez asked to meet with me, and I met with her this morning (Tuesday) and (Gonzalez’s supervisor) Emma McCall. Janie asked for a second opportunity to prove herself.”
This debacle between Gonzalez, members of the school board and the superintendent and many variations of differing opinions has left voting members of the community with concerns.
“People deserve second chances, I think,” said Maria Espinoza, 32, who works in the restaurant industry. “But when someone gets caught as a liar, why should we give them a job serving people and with the [SBCISD]? I don’t think it’s right.”
“Throughout my 35-year career,” Limón said, “I have given many employees second opportunities. To me, regardless of what level it’s gone through, if an employee is genuinely repentant, I have always given that opportunity.”
Medrano said, “Mr. Limón runs the daily operations of the district. It’s in his right to reinstate her when he chooses. I am not happy with the decision, but I will respect it.”
Diana Salazar is a 54-year-old homemaker in San Benito. She said, “I don’t know what’s all going on, but I don’t agree with it. It doesn’t sound like [Limón] should’ve reinstated her. It raises some eyebrows.”
The decision was sudden to Franco, who said on Tuesday, “I was totally unaware that [Gonzalez] was going to be coming back.” He would not address his feelings on Limón’s decision to reinstate her, saying, “whether it was correct or incorrect is not for me to say.”
To that note, Medrano said, “At the end of the day, Limón makes the decisions because he is the superintendent. He is the one who will have to respond to the community.”
Entrepreneur David Sandoval, 28, stated, “[The reinstatement] sounds shady, and it doesn’t make sense. If the superintendent wanted to give her a chance, why did it take him so long to decide to give the second chance?”
Limón stood by his decision on October 19, and his comments to the News on November 5 he also shared with conviction. He said, “All I know is Janie is back at work, and I am looking forward to her doing a good job.”
The decision to reinstate Gonzalez came a day before the superintendent is scheduled to receive an evaluation from the school board. Limón, however, denied his evaluation having any influence on reinstating Gonzalez. “As far as I know, that special meeting deals with setting goals,” the superintendent said. “That is a normal type of a meeting. That meeting had nothing to do with the decision to reinstate Janie.”
The special meeting will be held immediately following a board workshop at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
Read this story in the Nov. 7 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.
11 comments
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Or could it be, supers evaluation is coming up……
A chance to set an example to all that are young in San Benito and show that actions can have consequences, and the supt. changes his stand. Could it have dealt with self-preservation? One opportunity to take a stand and he flip flops. WOW!!!
Okay, so let me get this straight. Janie Gonzalez lies and makes deals with vendors, Limon fires her, Janie’s board member friends vote to reinstate her, Limon goes against the board friends and does not bring her back, Janie’s butch attorney threatens to sue the school district and Limon himself and now he hires her back??? Are you kidding me?? This just proves that Limon has no back bone and it was obvious that he did not want this case to go to court. Doesn’t anyone wonder why these people did not want this case to go to court?? I can tell you why, because if it did all the skeletons and illegal wrongdoings by Yliana Rodriguez, Janie Gonzalez, Adrian Garcia, Glenn Hyliar and Robert Champion Jr. would have been exposed! That is why!! The thought that Mr. Limon has now fallen for this game is reprehesible! I thought Mr. Limon was a lot smartter than this. But obviously he is looking out for himself and forgets that he gets paid to do what is right. I have not trust in Mr. Limon anymore!!!!! What message is he sending to all the employees of San Benito CISD? That you can lie, cry on tv, and get away with it simply because you know board members?? Unbelievable!! I hope you all can sleep at night. The crybaby is back to work!
I totally agree with Howard Johnson.
” him that is without sin, then be the first to cast your stone”
That’s what I thought.
But yourselves in their shoes humble yourselves and you will live with it ! Positiveness is the expression on people who live through hard times and challange the wrong to make it wright ! Mistakes are made but honor is what bring us back . No one has to tell anybody how it feels when our backs are against the walls but only in America can we make create new horizons, new oppurtunities, bestow honor, and give back the intergity that was once lost. God Bless America !
Limon is NOT a man of his word. Second chance? This is all fishy and sounds like a deal was made.
The buzz is:
J Gonzalez was reinstated because of threatening to snitch on others and take others down with her, possibly in court. Everybody is hush hush, let her back, for the sake of nobody else getting burned.
Putting two and two together:
If Y. Rodriguez could have been disciplined for her involvement with this mess just by it merely being proposed in a meeting by a school board member and then passed, why wasn’t it? Perhaps the group of 3 have a reason not to pursue it. Perhaps the group of 4 have a reason not to pursue it as well. Hmmmm….
There is a lot more buzz but I’ll stick to the article at hand. Unless one of you strays off topic, which is sure to happen. In that case, its on like donkey kong.
Here’s to that ole elementary cliche “cheater come out”…the righteous shall prevail….
Please Please,
Quit stating Mr. Trevino had a year contract Anna Cruz stated this and now the Heather Cox is stating it. It does not exist at ALL. If you find I will never post again, you have my word………
What, that lady is back? Mr. Limon, What in the world did you not understand from her grievance? SHE LIED!!! You will now have to answer to all employees and community members. My friends and I know exactly what 4 board members wanted that lady back. We will not forget at ELECTION TIME. Do they think we are stupid and not informed. THINK AGAIN!!
Seriously??? He reinstated her? I think we would all like to see the “new evidence” that proves that Janie DID NOT lie! If there isn’t any I guess that just goes to show you what spineless people our administrators are! How can you reinstate someone after you have made your decision on more than one occasion based on the evidence at hand? Remember she got fired for lying about NOT having communicted with the insurance reps, not for writing a letter! Did the evidence proving those emails vanish? Is the superintendent now saying she didn’t lie? What’s changed? Do you think maybe a board member “called in a favor”? We may never know, all we will know for sure is that even if you are caught doing something wrong within the SBCISD, you will still have your job when the dust settles! Man where can I apply?