EPISD Trustee Susie Byrd resigns, takes job with Congresswoman-elect Escobar

Former El Paso City Representative Susie Byrd is resigning her seat on the El Paso Independent School District Board of Trustees to take a job with Congresswoman-elect Veronica Escobar.

Both Escobar and Byrd confirm to ABC-7 Byrd will act as Escobar’s district director in El Paso.

“I have been offered and accepted a job that prevents me from also serving as an elected official,” Byrd said in a letter address to her colleagues in the school board. “This was a very difficult decision for me given the time and effort that we have collectively dedicated to EPISD and the significant amount of work still left to do to improve student outcomes for all EPISD students. This decision was made less difficult however by the increasing challenge that I have had getting questions answered and concerns addressed. This lack of access to information has made it harder for me to effectively advocate for and communicate to my constituents.”

Byrd told the board she will be unable to serve in a holdover position past January 2, 2019 and asked it to quickly appoint a District 3 Trustee to serve until the May 2019 election.

In her letter of resignation, Byrd urged the Board to consider its “shortcomings.”

“First and foremost is accountability and oversight … This lack of accountability and oversight has created a culture that I fear could backslide into some of the worst habits of past Boards and administrations, particularly when we seem unwilling to put strong safeguards in place to address clear weaknesses,” Byrd said.

“Ms. Byrd served on the Board during an important transitional period for the District and the community thanks her for her service,” said EPISD Board President Trent Hatch.

“This Board has worked diligently to provide the community with unprecedented avenues for transparency and heightened access,” Hatch added. “That has been our focus as Trustees, and those guiding principles will continue to be our driving force as we move forward to find an appropriate replacement for Ms. Byrd.”

The EPISD Board will determine in January how to proceed in finding a replacement for Byrd.