Southeast Bexar County Awareness: Position 4 candidates, educators

Southside ISD held it's elections in May 2015. The district had been in turmoil since the board majority, according to members of the community decided to run the district instead of overseeing the district and allowing the Superintendent and his staff to do their job.

The district had severe flight of teachers and staff to other districts since the "team" took control. The board members were accused of nepotism for hiring one board members relative as a non-certified Superintendent, wives and children granted high paying positions as well as firing employees that did not comply with their wishes.

The candidates running for election had been hitting community events to make sure to secure their votes. Flyers were being spread throughout the communities in a grass roots attempt to garner votes. Misrepresentation of facts, but nonetheless, they worked for the their votes that didn't come.

Theodore J. Castillo, running under "Theo" Castillo did not complete the information in his packet for election and did not shed light on his background or qualification to be a school board member to the media, but in an interview by TSTA Rep, Susan Richardson, Theo Castillo was lead by Ms. Richardson to talk about his community affiliations, but his "teaching" background that he ran on was never brought up for discussion.

The 60 year old Castillo, listed himself as a teaching at Lackland AFB, but not the capacity of the position. According to the State Board of Education- Educators Certificate finder, Mr. Castillo did not hold any type of teaching certificate through the state.

Mr. Castillo married Sofia Moreno in 2011, whom was appointed to the ESD #6 Board and sitting president of said board, by Mr. Castillo's friend, ali and campaign supporter; Ms. Sylvia Ruiz Mendelsohn.

According to Mr. Castillo's flyers, he promised more of the same.

• To hire locally, he didn't state anything about qualified, nor did he understand that it is NOT his place as a board member to do the hiring.
• To support local educators, a board member should support ALL educators; the district the size of Southside ISD would require many outside educators to fill positions.
• Improved Academics. Since his "team" was elected, the districts academic levels have become strained some campuses even under qualified.

While, the new "team" of candidates chose to run as such, one of the members is currently sitting on the board.

Alma Guzman, who sued the district, lost and was awarded $120,000, by her ali's on the board.

Mr. Rodriguez, ran for election with the sitting team and won, then chose not to run again and was then appointed by his ali's to the board. He works for an engineering firm.

Mr. Chavez, known as "Roby Cannon Chavez" gangster on the internet, who frequented local bars with his friends and fellow musicians and uses "smooth criminal" as his tag on Instagram, was wanting to be elected to make decisions for the district. Mr. Chavez worked as a mall cop when he wasn't busy taking "selfie" shots of himself.

Mr. Wood, sat on the board with Mr. Chavez and Mr. Brewer serving the ESD#6, which went broke shortly there after and the Southeastern Bexar County area lost the use of all it's volunteer fire departments. A recording of Ms. Vargas, the former secretary of the ESD#6, stated that Mr. Wood didn't know what was going on with the ESD#6 because Sylvia (Board president, Sylvia Ruiz Mendelsohn) had not told him yet what was going on. As an ESD#6 board member he was the "motion" man who called a motion for a vote or seconded the motion.

Daniel Espinoza, 65 years old, is a retired educator and community member. Many in the district remember him fondly as strict and a good teacher, where he taught Spanish, Health and Physical Education. Mr. Espinoza left Southside ISD and served as a principal for a charter school before retiring. Mr. Espinoza is certified through the state of Texas and still has valid certificates.