EPISD reinstates 7 of 8 administrators at high schools after outcry by students, parents at board meeting
After a marathon long meeting Tuesday, the El Paso Independent School District board of trustees reinstated seven of eight administrators that had been removed from their campuses and faced losing their jobs permanently.
More than 300 people packed the EPISD auditorium, some chanting and wearing shirts or waving signs of support for their school’s respective principals. The crowd was so large it overflowed into the lobby.
So many people signed up for the public comment portion of the meeting that it lasted nearly five hours. The topic was so big that #episd trended on Twitter.
After listening to the public and meeting in executive session, the board voted on what would happen to the administrators.
Luis C. Loya, who was principal at the Center for Career and Technology Education and Irvin High School before that, did not have his contract renewed by the school board.
The principals, assistant principals who have been reinstated are:
• Principal Randall Wood, Burges High School.
• Principal John Tanner, Austin High School.
• Principal Kristine Ferret, El Paso High School.
• Assistant principal, Austin High School
• Assistant principal, Burges High School
• Assistant principal, El Paso High School
• Assistant principal, Jefferson High School
The names of the assistant principals had not been revealed.
Board president Isela Castaon-Williams thanked the audience for making their decision easier and not solely based on the Weaver and Tidwell audit report of EPISD that was released publicly on Monday. She said the board saw “humanity of decision.” Apr 03, 2013
Board member Russell Wiggs said the Weaver report did find wrongdoing by administrators while board member David Dodge said that there were voices not heard in the meeting: The students who didn’t graduate and who were cheated out of an education.
