By Edmond Ortiz
Separate investigations of two Judson Independent School District trustees are allowed to proceed although the scope of one inquiry is being officially modified.
What is happening
Following a lengthy closed session in a March 19 special meeting, Judson ISD board voted 4-3 to uphold an investigation of allegations that board President Monica Ryan abused her authority to influence employees and have her daughter placed in specific classes.
The board also voted 6-0 to have attorney Tony Resendez of JCA Law take up an ongoing investigation of employee complaints filed against trustee Jose Macias. The law firm of Walsh Gallegos had been leading the investigation of Macias, who abstained from the board vote.
Days prior to the March 19 meeting, Macias openly charged that trustee Michelle Poteet interfered with the Ryan investigation by directly contacting Walsh Gallegos to pause their inquiry.
Poteet and Ryan said they were concerned the investigation into claims against Ryan were expanding beyond the original complaint that Ryan improperly used her position to influence which classes her child would be taking.
Poteet suggested that, if lawyers were expanding the scope of their inquiry without board authorization, JISD would be wasting money in a time when the district faces a significant budget deficit and the board recently made the controversial decision to close four schools as a cost-cutting measure.
Macias and trustees Suzanne Kenoyer and Laura Stanford replied that Poteet overreached and was in no position to unilaterally seek to pause an investigation of a fellow school board member.
What they are saying
The ongoing internal investigations of Ryan and Macias mark a tumultuous period for Judson ISD, where board members have faced community backlash for their decision to abruptly fire Superintendent Milton Fields, close campuses, and for multiple heated exchanges among several trustees in open board meetings.
Stanford said Poteet’s actions essentially nullified a prior board vote that originally authorized the investigation of Ryan.
“If we as a board allow this to stand, it will happen again, and we don’t want that to happen. That is not the appropriate process for any board anywhere,” she added.
Ryan agreed with Poteet’s assertion that the attorneys from Walsh Gallegos were enlarging a “fishing expedition” without prior board permission.”
“That’s a lot of money taken away from our kids,” Ryan said.
It is not financially responsible to let a law firm bill whatever they want in an effort to find something on Monica Ryan or any board member,” Poteet added.
Kenoyer was more direct in her description of current board operations: “This is rogue board leadership, taking advantage of a four-member majority with three people who were recently elected to this board and who are supporting Mrs. Ryan’s illegal, inappropriate unethical behavior on this board.”
Macias added that the multitude of controversies involving the Judson ISD school board have made the school district “a laughing stock” within professional public education circles.
While trustee Stephanie Jones often votes with the aforementioned board majority that includes Ryan, Poteet and Lesley Lee, Jones did break ranks to vote with Macias, Stanford and Kenoyer to continue the investigation of Ryan with the clearly announced scope of work.
