Former students testify about effects of EPISD cheating scheme

Three former Bowie High School students testified Monday at the TEA hearing for three former EPISD administrators who could lose their teaching certification.

The students explained how they fell prey to a cheating scheme that landed the former EPISD superintendent, Dr. Lorenzo Garcia, behind bars.

Ferla Valenzuela, who attended Bowie in 2008, said she was dropped back into the ninth grade when she should have been in 11th. Although Valenzuela had transferred from a school in Mexico, she testified her credits should have transferred her in as a junior.

Valenzuela said she asked why she was not in the correct grade and was only told by a teacher there was an error in the system. The former student said she felt angry and frustrated to the point where she eventually dropped out and returned to Mexico. Years later, Valenzuela learned of Garcia’s scheme to withhold or promote at-risk students past the 10th grade so they could avoid state-mandated tests.

Last week, Patricia Scott, a former counselor at Bowie, testified all students who transferred from Mexico would be placed in ninth grade regardless of the credits they had. Scott said the principle made this rule effective back in 2008 when he sent out an email to counselors.

Another student, David Dominguez, testified the district did not follow its procedures when it expelled him in 2008. The school district has to follow several steps before kicking out a student. Procedures include a conference with the administrators and student, a second conference with administrators and the student’s parent or guardian, as well as a home visit to discuss the issue.

In court Monday, Dominguez said the signature at the bottom of a form to ensure the withdrawal process was not his signature.

“I was a victim; they can lie to you all they want, but not to me because I was the victim,” Dominguez said.

On Monday, the TEA also called several EPISD employees to the stand. One of them was former Bowie Director of People Services Mark Mendoza. During his time with Bowie, Mendoza acted as the attendance officer and said in 2008, Bowie was ” trying to get rid of bad kids.”

Mendoza testified that all the students being dropped fit a certain mold: spoke English poorly or not at all, were 17 to 19 years old, at risk of not graduating and not passing the standardized examination. Mendoza said these are not legitimate reasons to withdraw a student from school.

Former Bowie High School Assistant Principal Juan Manuel Duran, former Bowie Principal Jesus Chavez, and former Bowie Assistant Principal Anna Louisa Kell are facing the loss of their professional educator licenses and certifications. They are not currently facing criminal charges.

The TEA hearing continues Tuesday.