EPISD Board votes against challenging state-appointed monitor

Tuesday EPISD board trustees discussed possible litigation against the appointment of a monitor which would overlook the board.

Several board members were against the idea of a filing a lawsuit against the state agency and the board.

Monitor Fred Liner was appointed in May by Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams.

The trustees recently took over for the board of managers that had been place since 2013 following EPISD’s cheating scandal in 2012.

Now that trustees have been reinstated one trustee believes state oversight is no longer needed.

District 5 trustee Chuck Taylor was the board member who requested the discussion to challenge the state’s appointment of a monitor who would counsel the board members.

The new group of trustees went into executive session to discuss the lawsuit and possible implications the district could face.

Once out of the session board members voted to not pursue litigation against the state.

Board President Dori Fenenbock told ABC-7 she doesn’t feel it’s ideal to have a monitor but it does have advantages.

“He (Liner) brings some great insight, he’s available to us as a mentor, he’s been very responsive to us so I think we have a benefit to having him involved particularly because we are all new,” said Fenenbock.

Taylor did not want to comment on the matter.

By law Liner is appointed for 90 days. The commissioner will have a opportunity to extend the position, relieve him from the position or permanently make him a conservator if they feel the new board of trustees is not managed appropriately.