Southeast Bexar County Awareness: Southside ISD says Goodbye to a Good Man- Dr. Juan Antonio Jasso
Credibility- Transparency
Does this board have any credibility or transparency?
Four and a half months later.....
The board postured and finally released Dr. Juan Jasso of his duties; just shortly after being sworn in to serve the Southside ISD community as members of the school board. They convinced the community that he was gone for good, what they failed to tell the community and it became apparent by a motion at the October 1, 2013 board meeting that Dr. Juan Jasso was not released from his contract. He was simply suspended with pay.
The board would then have to continue paying Dr. Juan Jasso and the new Interim Superintendent Ricardo R. Vela at the same time. Costing the district and the taxpayers a great financial burden and something the "team" was willing to do to get rid of Dr. Juan Jasso.
Mission Accomplished for "team" of 5
Mr. Brewer and his "team" came through with a campaign promise they made and removed the Superintendent of Southside ISD, Dr. Juan Antonio Jasso.
The media was present for coverage and the community members came out to support Dr. Jasso, although they were not allowed to speak. The "town crier" Ms. Ellison was present as well as ESD#6 Board President and supporter of her team, Sylvia Ruiz Mendelsohn.
The motion was made to suspend Dr. Juan Jasso with pay as per discussion in closed session. Not much transparency from the board as to what that means. Usually, left to interpretation it could mean that they will negotiate with him to step down or they will have the attorney's and in the case of this board, their minions within the district look for reason to fire Dr. Jasso without having to buy out his contract. Something they had been doing during the campaign process as well. Ms. Ellison along with candidates met with members of the community to see if they knew of any "dirt" on Dr. Jasso. Sitting member, Alma Estrada used her position on the board to search for something that they might be able to use against the Superintendent, as well as former board member Theresa Balderas. As for the motion, only the "team" knew which one it would be since Mr. Brewer made a point of leaving that information out of the motion.
The board president did call for another meeting within days of the meeting to suspend the Superintendent to call for his firing; again no transparency. Reason was not given. They did however quickly vote to approach a former employee of the district Ricardo Vela, to the position of Interim Superintendent. The cost for the Interim Superintendent to the district is approximately $101,000 for a six month period or $778 PER DAY. In less than 5 days after the motion, Mr. Vela was at the district, ready to "try" to drive the bus, as he told the media; being that his background is in business and finance and he had no Superintendent certification or education background.
Dr. Jasso was not only an important member of the district who brought in innovative techniques for keeping the students engaged; he is also a member of the Southside community. The district has lost a good man for nothing more than retribution from members with an ax to grind.
Town Crier---Rises Again
Ms. Ellison spoke for "abecedarian" hubpage. I am not and have not been involved in or with the Southside ISD school board.
And as Ms. Ellison spoke of items in the contract and their decisions; such as, the contract for 1 year of his contract will be paid out, shows that Ms. Ellison must have had an inside line to private information because as I mentioned and the media mentioned, the motion was to suspend with pay, nothing was said about his contract in open session.
Ms. Ellison was at most a misguided individual, who then claimed to be a victim of the newly elected board members. She felt that she was "used" by them as she said to members of her community. However, the truth of the matter, that she was a very vocal individual in their campaign who stood to gain something from it. She was appointed as head of the "Food Service Committee" by Mr. Brewer.
The Food Service Committee met and Ms. Ellison's menus that she presented were outside the guidelines of the federal regulations. Apparently, the program she said was easy to use and the district could make up their "qualified" menus from; didn't work as she planned. If they were used, the district would have been fined on a daily basis until they were in compliance and federal funding for free lunch program would also stop, leaving the district to cover the cost of all the meals or have the parents pay for their students lunches; basically no more free lunch.
The committee was also told that the district had used food service programs for approximately 17 years, therefore all the kitchens on the campuses are not designed for becoming self operational. If the district were to attempt to become self operational it would cost the district hundreds of thousands of dollars to equip every campus kitchen with the proper stoves, ovens, etc. A storage facility would have to be built as well, a commissary would be needed to buy bulk and store to distribute to the campuses. This facility alone would cost in upwards of $300,000.
Ms. Ellison's credibility has waned with the people in the Southside community, but for someone who felt that she was duped by the newly elected board members, she was present and sheered as the board made their motion to suspend Dr. Juan Jasso.
Another unknown member of the community, said, "next, Spec Ed".
