Uvalde CISD released a statement Friday morning, February 10th, on recent decisions made by the board regarding suspending its search for a new school superintendent and also the decision not to pursue and investigation the district’s police department with JPPI. Last week, the Uvalde Hesperian reached out to JPPI for a comment which the firm declined.

The following statement was issued by Uvalde CISD:

“Superintendent Search Temporarily Suspended
At our Uvalde CISD’s Board Meeting on Monday Night, February 6th, the Board of Trustees voted to temporarily suspend the Superintendent Search, believing a change in leadership with a new transition is not in the district’s best interest at this point. Extending Mr. Patterson’s time with the district will provide continuity and stability in leadership. Mr. Patterson will continue in the Interim Superintendent role until a date to be determined.

JPPI Investigation
The district’s participation with JPPI was mentioned as a possible option for an investigation. JPPI was never engaged, nor was a contract or payment completed between the district and JPPI. The district decided to move forward with the Texas Police Chiefs Association in the investigation of the UCISD Police Department.

The district has received the following investigative reports, audits, and reviews.

Texas House of Representatives: Investigative Committee on the Robb Elementary Shooting

The systematic review and investigation of the UCISD Police Department conducted by James McGlaughlin with the Texas Police Chiefs Association

Texas School Safety Center: Uvalde CISD District Safety and Security Audit Report

The Department of Justice’s ongoing investigative review will be completed at a date to be determined.

The district has received a systematic review of the UCISD Police Department conducted by James McGlaughlin of the Texas Police Chiefs Association. The administration and Board of Trustees are currently reviewing this document. In addition, the district is actively participating and cooperating with the DOJ investigation and review.”

Berlinda Arreola, the grandmother of Amarie Jo Garza who was one of the 19 who perished at the May 24th Robb School Massacre spoke to the Uvalde CISD Board at Monday night’s December 19th meeting,

Arreola then spoke about observing a police officer on the Flores Campus on his cell phone when they should be alert to security matters.

“Last week I went to pick up my granddaughter from Flores, and there was somebody ahead of me so I had to wait. While I was there waiting, there was this officer that was there and he sat on his phone and he’s on his phone looking down this whole entire time that I’m in line waiting. And then I get up, I go, and take the picture, and still, no look up, no nothing. ”

“There is also another picture that somebody else took that I was trying to get it was three officers that were sitting in the cafeteria doing the same thing on their phones the whole entire time, no looking up; not protecting,” she said.

She went on to say, “They are not paying attention to our students.”

  Two parents of Uvalde CISD students have contacted the Uvalde Hesperian describing persistent bullying each had dealt and how their efforts to work with school officials failed them.  Uvalde CISD has procedures in place to deal with bullying situations and threats against students but according to Noemi Gallagos the parent of a Morales Middle School student and Janine Turner the parent of a Uvalde High School student who was eventually transferred to Crossroads Academy Campus, the district’s officials continues to fail Gallago’s daughter and had failed Turner’s son.

  Noemi Gallegos: Parent  of a student at Morales Junior High 

 “I’m the mom of a student that goes to Morales Junior High and I’m wanting to see what I had to do to get this bullying nonsense brought out to the light cause I feel like I’m losing it with this school system and their policies that have yet to stop girl from making my daughters life a living hell at school each day.

  My daughter is failing, stressed, full of anxiety each school day and each week I get a call saying that I need to pick her up cause she was in a verbal attack with yet another of the same group of girls.  Like I said before this is a serious thing for me as my daughter has tried to take her life 2x already by overdosing so it might not matter to them cause they do have to put up the broken pieces of a child’s life but I’m not giving up on putting an end to this.

 Please let me know if you can be of any help to try to get this uncovered and out so that other mothers or parents like me can rest easy each day. I’m tired of living each day knowing that today will be yet another day that my daughter will be picked on.

 I’m one that has been through this with my daughter for the past 4 years and has resulted with my daughter trying to take her life 2x within a 2 year span.

2 years at Flores and another 2 at Morales as the girls dragged it on for that long

 She tried to overdose on over the counter meds twice due to feeling like she had no way out or that she had no one to help her overcome what those bullies would do to her on a daily basis.”

It needs to cause Junior High has gotten really bad with this and this thing about treating the victim and accused the same with punishment isn’t making it better.

  I have tried talking to everyone and they say they would do something about it and they don’t.”

Janine Turner- Parent of a student previously at Uvalde High School 

  The following was posted on Twitter by Janine Turner.

  “Three weeks ago, I tweeted about my son being verbally abused and now physically threatened by the cousin of the boy turned in for making a threat to Uvalde High School. @Uvalde_CISD decided they wouldn’t keep my son safe.  They did absolutely nothing to that kid. Basically blamed my Quinton. Quinton has not been back to @Uvalde_CISD since the day he was attacked, that was October 17th. The school refused. (It) refuses to take action against the child. Instead, my son was allowed to move to Crossroads, an alternative school.

   You wonder why no one trusts you and the school system, this is why! My son said he is punished for doing the right thing. He’s absolutely correct.

 The only good thing is that at Crossroads  my son can do as much as he wants and will graduate a year early.”

 Uvalde CISD statement on the district’s position on bullying:

Uvalde CISD has the following statement posted on the district’s website regarding bullying:

“Uvalde CISD takes bullying seriously. Bullying has been the focus of several recent local news reports, and Uvalde CISD wants you to be aware of the district’s stance on this national problem. Uvalde CISDs bullying policy, taken directly from elementary, intermediate, and high school handbooks, is as follows: Bullying will not be tolerated. For purposes of this handbook, bullying is defined as hitting, kicking, teasing, threatening, taunting, assaulting, or any other form of written, verbal, physical or electronic (cyberbullying) harassment toward another student. Should students feel as though they are victims of bullying or believe that other students have experienced bullying, it is imperative that a teacher, counselor, or administrator be notified immediately. All complaints will be promptly investigated and if bullying is substantiated, immediate corrective action will be taken.We want you to know that we are committed to providing our children with a safe environment in which they may grow and learn. More information about the district’s bullying policy can be found at FFI (Local) or at the campus administration office.”

Courtesy of KENS5

Stock photo courtesy of Pixabay.com

   The Uvalde CISD School board met Monday night to present. review and vote on the 2022-2023 school budget and compensation plan for the district’s employees as well as consider the effective school  tax rate for the 2022-2023 school year.  A Town Hall Meeting was scheduled as the second of the three meetings where speakers were given extended time to speak to the superintendent and school board members and ask them questions.

  While Monday night’s series of meetings had fewer citizens attending, at the Town Hall Meeting, the speakers present including Jesse Rizo, Diana Olvedo-Karau, Rosenberg Risa,  and Laura Garza and Berlinda Arreola and others who delivered stinging criticism against the board for not starting the investigation of the district’s police department officers and for keeping four of the district officers as the new school year begins in one week’s time. Superintendent Harrell received condemnation for promoting Hernandez to Interim Police Chief heading the force until the district hires a new Uvalde CISD Police Chief.

  Kimberly Rubio was joined by Brett Cross, Javier Cazares and others in listing security changes which if they were in effect on May 24th could have saved the lives of many students and teachers who were murdered or injured,  As Rubio spoked the listed recommendations, another speaker followed with the names of the victims who could have been saved.

  Town Hall Speakers also criticized the school board for not securing Uvalde High School, pointing out the campus is very open and students who are 18 years old could legally purchase the same weapon the shooter used in the May 24th massacre.

   “Matters haven’t been settled yet. Mario turned the mic back on and he got lectured. You have to start somewhere, ” Jesse Rizo said. Rizo was referring to last week’s school board meeting on Wednesday, August 24th where the auditorium microphone was turned after the school board convened into closed executive session.

   “Consider suspending the current officers of the school district. All four of them were at Robb Elementary. You have decided to appoint Mr. Hernandez as your interim chief. This is insulting,” Diana Olvedo-Karau said.

   “The current systematic review of the the Uvalde CISD police department; who made the decision to reach to James McLaughlin?” Manuel Rizo asked

  ” I made the decision to reach out to him,” Superintendent Harrell answered

   “The investigation has not started yet,” Manuel Rizo asked.

   “It has not,” Harrell said.

  Deyanira Salazar spoke about a 1st year teacher she knew who had  applied for a teaching job with the district a month and a half to two months ago and had not heard back from the district on the status of her job application. Salazar also brought up the history of the school board and how the district’s budgeted money gets misallocated and even disappears.

 “I cannot stand it seeing cops just talking to each other . I’ve seen it many times: at the Honey Bowl. Back in the day, cops would go in!

Now we have students with jeans hanging off their butt and no one says a thing. If we don’t get things under control? We can’t teach,” Salazar said.

  As part of the increased security, Superintendent Harrell stated that 33 additional DPS Officers would be assisting the district’s police department. In the event of an emergency situation, the DPS officers would be the first responders. He went on to say the additional DPS officers would spend Sunday and Monday familiarizing themselves with the campuses. 

   At the last of Monday night’s scheduled meeting, the school board voted to approve the 2022-2023 district budget as presented and approved the compensation plan for district jobs in which many but not all jobs would see an increase in pay.

  During the discussion of the compensation plan, board member Cal Lambert objected to the low pay rate for teacher’s aides listed in the proposed budget. Citing that teacher’s aids often are called to teach and attend training sessions, he said the proposed pay rate was too low. “

  “Teachers aides can go to Applebee’s and wash dishes and make more money there. They have a valuable job,” Cal Lambert said. 

  Board member JJ Suarez later spoke approvingly of what Lambert said. The board approved the compensation plan allowing for an adjustment in pay for teacher’s aides.

Workers are working this morning to install a new higher security fence around the Knippa School playground.

It was learned that the fence being installed by Knippa ISD is not the same brand of fencing being installed at Uvalde CISD at Dalton Elementary and the other district campuses.

Student’s begin school in Knippa on Monday, August 15th. It is not known if the new security fencing will be completed by the first day of school.

  Family members of those slain at Robb Elementary School as well as community members leveled harsh criticism toward Uvalde CISD School Superintendent Dr. Hal Harrell and the panel of elected school board members earlier this evening at the John Harrell Auditorium during tonight’s school board meeting.

  Jesus Rios was one of the first to speak at the podium. “When you decided to run for school board, you took an oath.  At one point or another, we’re going to have to decide if we are going to hold them accountable.  At one point or another, you may be asked to resign, Mr. Harrell. How is Mr. Arredondo still with this program?  Rios asked.

  “We were failed by Pete Arredondo, By keeping him on your staff, you are failing us.” Brett Cross said.

   Next was a speaker named Brenda. “You do everything you want to make us happy. It’s not going to work. We want accountability.”

   She went on to say, “We all know this was handled wrong. We’re here because we have to speak for our children. Make these people accountable!”

  The 16 year old surviving daughter of Irma Garca, Liliana Garcia who also lost her father, Joe Garcia to a heart attack just days after her mother was slain at Robb Elementary School.

  “She went above and beyond, 23 years as an educator. She protected all of her students with her last breath. I needed you there. My mother was murdered.” said Liliana. Liliana spoke about the challenges she faces each day raising her 12 year old sister without her mother and father.  “We were all excited to celebrate their 25 anniversary. It will not take place.:  My mother died protecting her students, but who protected my Mom?”

  Monica Saiz-Martinez , who now resides in Knippa, spoke about growing up next to Robb School. She said. “That day should never have happened.” She said . She also stated Robb School should have had officers there as bail outs which had happened over the past year near the school . In one such bailout, the suspect crashed his car at the same fence as the gunman crashed his truck the day of the shooting.  Saiz-Martinez works at Hillcrest Funeral Home across from Robb School.  “Nobody was there protecting the students.” She said.

“That gate was constantly open.” she said referring to the gate on the fence near the building where the gunman entered the building.

  Living in Knippa, she contrasted Knippa ISD School buildings to Uvalde CISD school buildings.  She said the Knippa schools are hard to get into, She suggested to the Uvalde CISD school board that they need to contact Knippa School ISD administrators and learn how it’s done. She went on to say. Last school year, Uvalde County Sheriff Ruben Nolasco committed his Sheriff’s Office to protecting Knippa ISD schools 24/7.

   Saiz-Martinez concluded her remarks by saying. ” I think prayer should be brought back to school.”

  Following the Open Forum remarks. the school board proceeded onto the next items on the agenda for that evening. including school transportation. the district’s investment activities, student attendance and discipline, along with a long list of business items mostly unrelated to the May 24th Massacre and the Uvalde CISD School Police.

  It was reported that those following the school board meeting on the Live Feed had trouble hearing what was said at the meeting due to the sound being set so low.