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José García (Texas)
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José "Pepe" T. García is the Place 4 representative on the Sharyland Independent School District Board of Trustees in Texas. He won election to the board in the general election on May 9, 2015.
García stated that financial transparency, improving academic excellence and collaborating with the community would be his top priorities if elected.[1] He joins the district in facing an ongoing state investigation of its spending in addition to welcoming a new superintendent for the district, its third in as many years.
Biography
García was born February 16, 1972.[2] He is the principal of Treviño Middle School at La Joya ISD.[3]
Elections
2015
Two of the seven seats Sharyland school board were up for election on May 9, 2015. Incumbents Fernando Ramirez and Eddie Montalvo's at-large terms ended in November 2015. Due to a change in the election procedure for the board, Ramirez and Motalvo had the option of running for the new Place 3 and 4 seats. However, neither incumbent filed to run in the 2015 election.[2]
Both of the open seats saw contested races. Melissa Martinez-Smith defeated Cesar Aguilar for the Place 3 seat. José García defeated fellow newcomer candidates Suzanne Peña, Robert Puente, and Kevin Sparks for the Place 4 seat.[2] However, Puente withdrew from the race on April 24, 2015, and endorsed García in the Place 4 race. Puente's name still appeared on the ballot.[4]
The seat numbers did not correlate to geographic districts or specific schools in the district. Rather, they served to separate the elections for each seat on the board into its own race. Candidates filed to run for a specific seat, but all voters in the school district were eligible to vote for both seats up for election. For more information about the election process, see the method of board member selection section of this election's overview.
Results
| Sharyland Independent School District, Place 4 General Election, 3-year term, 2015 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  José García |
40.2% | 759 | |
| Nonpartisan | Suzanne Peña | 38.7% | 730 | |
| Nonpartisan | Kevin Sparks | 20% | 377 | |
| Nonpartisan | Robert Puente | 1.2% | 22 | |
| Total Votes | 1,888 | |||
| Source: Hidalgo County Clerk, "Sharyland I.s.d.- May 9, 2015 Election: Official Results, May 20, 2015 | ||||
Funding
García reported $13,000.00 in contributions and $8,853.23 in expenditures to the the district according to reports by The Monitor, which left his campaign with $4,146.77 on hand as of April 9, 2015. Of those contributions, $10,000.00 came from loans.[5] The next filing deadline was May 1, 2015.
Endorsements
Fellow candidate Robert Puente endorsed García after withdrawing from the race himself.[4]
Campaign themes
2015
García participated in a candidate forum held by the Progress Times on April 24, 2015, where he stated that financial transparency, improving academic excellence and collaborating with the community would be his top priorities if elected. He emphasized the need for assessments to be made before the board approves spending. He stated the board must be sure that district spending is "in the best interest of our children, and not because of our own personal agendas, per se.”[1]
In line with fiscal transparency, García commented that the district must meet the needs of students. When discussing whether or not to increase taxes, which he acknowledged is an unpopular move, he stated the board should focus on the question of whether or not expenditures are serving and meeting the needs of the students.[1]
He also sympathized with those who took issue with mandated testing, but also noted that such testing is required. He elaborated further, “However, we need to invest time and effort and research best instructional practices for our students because they can still be measured for a test, but we can still teach them to think critically, and most important, logically."[1]
García also spoke about the importance of supporting activities such as University Interscholastic League (UIL) and fine arts in addition to sports, saying "We have to be sure that we support all of our students in every aspect."[1]
What was at stake?
2015
TEA investigation
It was revealed in January 2015 that the Texas Education Agency was formally investigating complaints of questionable business practices at Sharyland ISD. The district stated that it will fully cooperate with the investigation. The TEA had been unwilling to detail its investigation because it was still in progress.[6] It has been reported, however, that the investigation was spurred by questions regarding the district's bidding and purchasing processes.[7]
Interim Superintendent Dr. Filomena Leo said of the investigation, "We have an ethical obligation to ensure to our taxpayers and the parents of our students that all is well in the district, and it is. It is. We have an obligation as well to respond to those who have raised questions and to respond to the agency, the overall governing agency that we answer to.”[7]
Retaliation claims
The district was accused of retaliating against an administrator who cooperated with the TEA's investigation. According to her lawyer, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Nereida "Nellie" Canut had been "providing information on the thefts and illegal contracts of the school district." Then, in the spring of 2015, she was informed that her contract would not be extended. Canut's lawyer, Javier Peña, wrote to Superintendent Leo asking for an explanation on the "non-extension."[8]
The district responded to the accusation that the move was retaliation for Canut's cooperation with the ongoing state investigation by saying that it does not discuss personnel matters, but that it was taking the allegations seriously. Leo commented on the issue, saying, “It does disturb me that any kind of a smear campaign will reflect on the district. I hope that it does not.”[8]
Superintendent resignation & appointment
On September 29, 2014, the board voted 5-2 to accept the resignation of Superintendent Virginia Richter; trustees Eddie Montalvo and Rolando Peña were the dissenting votes. Filomena Leo, former superintendent of La Joya Independent School District and former trustee for South Texas Independent School District, was appointed to serve as interim superintendent until a permanent appointment could be made.[9]
On April 16, 2015, Marble Falls ISD Superintendent Dr. Robert O'Connor was named the "lone finalist" for Richter's replacement. Texas law required districts to wait 21 days after naming a superintendent lone finalist before a contract could be signed. After two rounds of interviews and visiting Marble Falls ISD, the board voted unanimously to make O'Connor their final choice. Board President Noel Garza said, “Dr. O’Connor is a highly successful, experienced school superintendent. The school board was most impressed with his dedication and commitment to the success of all students.”[10]
Three superintendents in three years
Richter's resignation marked the second in less than three years. Her predecessor, Scott Owings, resigned in February 2012 due to allegations that he sexually harassed two female school officials at a Texas Association of School Administrators conference.[11] Leo also served as interim superintendent during the search that lead to Richter's appointment.[9]
The circumstances surrounding Richter's resignation were questioned by some community members. The board had conducted a climate survey of those holding leadership positions in the district, and the results of that survey were reported in open session at the board meeting on September 23, 2014. The report of the survey described overall employee satisfaction with school leadership as "very poor," and many stated they would consider employment outside of the district if things did not change. Virginia Townsend, leader of Objective Watchers of the Legal System (OWLS) and former district trustee, objected to the methods by which the survey was reported to the board, saying, “When do you ever evaluate a superintendent in open session? No, you do that in a closed session.”[9]
New high schools
The beginning of the 2014 fall semester marked the district's expansion from one high school into three. Approximately $55 million was spent to build Pioneer High School. The new school was built to serve up to 3,200 students, although just 1,400 were enrolled for its inaugural year. The third high school came from splitting the older Sharyland High School into two campuses.[12]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms José García Sharyland ISD. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Sharyland Independent School District, Texas
- Sharyland Independent School District elections (2015)
- Decreased success for school board incumbents in Texas; 1/3 defeated in largest districts (May 11, 2015)
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Progress Times, "Sharyland ISD candidates face off in forum," April 27, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Margaret Koenig, "Email correspondence with Lou Ann Sarachene, Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources, Sharyland ISD," March 3, 2015
- ↑ Domingo Trevino Middle School, "Administrators," accessed April 29, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Facebook, "Sharyland Times: Wall Post," April 24, 2015
- ↑ The Monitor, "Initial finance reports in for Sharyland school board election," April 13, 2015
- ↑ Fox Rio 2, "Sharyland I.S.D Superintendent Speaking out Regarding TEA Investigation," January 13, 2015
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 KRGV, "TEA Formally Investigates Sharyland ISD," January 8, 2015
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 ValleyCentral.com, "Amid state investigation, Sharyland administrator claims retaliation," April 7, 2015
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 The Monitor, "Sharyland ISD board accepts resignation, appoints interim," September 29, 2014
- ↑ Progress Times, "Sharyland ISD names superintendent finalist," April 17, 2015
- ↑ Carina A. Brunson, Progress Times, "New superintendent official for SISD," July 6, 2012
- ↑ ValleyCentral.com, "Sharyland ISD to open two new high schools," August 4, 2014
| 2015 Sharyland Independent School District Elections | |
| Hidalgo County, Texas | |
| Election date: | May 9, 2015 |
| Candidates: | Place 3: Melissa Martinez-Smith • Cesar Aguilar
Place 4: José García • Suzanne Peña • Robert Puente • Kevin Sparks |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
