Education Advocate Questions Character Of Hanks Interim Principal

EL PASO, TX – An education advocate is criticizing the appointment of the former superintendent ofthe Las Cruces Public Schools as interim principal at Hanks High School.

Louis Martinez will fill in as interim principal until the district finds a replacement for Dr. Eileen Wade, who is now working at YISD headquarters.

Education Advocate Earl Nissen tells ABC-7 he cannot believe the Ysleta Independent School District hired Martinez after the problemsassociated with himin Las Cruces.

According to Nissen, Martinez was a very difficult man. “I had personal encounters with the man and found him to be very disingenuous…he lacked anger management and would not recommend him to be principal of a high school,” he said.

YISD Superintendent Hector Montenegro tells ABC-7 Martinez has not exhibited any of the characteristics Nissen points out. Montenegro said he did not know of any problems Martinez encountered in Las Cruces and dismisses Nissen’s call for the district to get more information from LCPD.

“I think that if we were hiring him as a superintendent then we certainly would have done a thorough background check. But we did a reference check and I think at this level, at Hanks, it’s appropriate,” said Montenegro.

Martinez refused to comment on Nissen’s allegations and only stated, “I am more than excited to be at Hanks High School. It’s an incredible community and my commitment is to focus on the school.”

Montenegrotells ABC-7the search for Wade’s permanent replacement could take up to ten months.