By Edmond Ortiz
This education-centric edition of News Briefs highlights a Northeast Side school district’s final move to fire its beleaguered superintendent, and two City Council members’ questioning a north San Antonio school district’s decision to pause some bond-funded projects.
Judson ISD officially removes Fields as superintendent
Judson Independent School District board voted 4-3 April 21 to formally terminate Milton Fields as superintendent and his employment contract.
The board voted in February to fire Fields, one month after trustees placed him on suspension pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
Board President Monica Ryan, who motioned to finalize Fields’ firing, said Fields was being terminated for “good cause.” She went on to list multiple ways Fields failed in his role as superintendent, including not developing an amenable, long-range plan to address the Judson ISD’s budget deficit and other financial challenges.
According to Ryan, Fields also failed to raise JISD’s academic performance in the eyes of the Texas Education Agency and its accountability rating system.
Additionally, Ryan said Fields failed to report incidents of child abuse, involving students, about which he allegedly knew. Fields also allegedly brought alcohol to district grounds, among other reasons for termination provided by district officials.
Ryan said JISD’s attorneys produced 3,000 pages of documentation supporting the reasons for Fields’ termination, as well as eyewitness accounts.
Trustee Jose Macias sought to thwart the termination of Fields by moving to delay the action to fire Fields and instead let him submit a formal letter of resignation.
Macias said he had received such an informal letter from Fields, but no other board members said they got a similar submission from Fields.
Macias said the reasons to support Fields’ firing had not been fully vetted, and that a narrow board majority had long sought to force Fields out of the superintendent’s office.
According to Macias, Fields, who was absent from the board meeting, initially wanted to fight his removal, but opted to seek departure by resignation. Macias said it would have cost JISD an estimated $150,000 to mount a legal battle against Fields.
“I think it was a little overboard for you to put that nonsense out there because it really was a load of crap,” Macias said. “My proposal for resignation is a way for us to move past this, move forward, and not tarnish the reputation of a man who has given his entire life to this district.”
Ryan countered Macias, saying the findings produced in the investigation of Fields were substantial and well-documented. She added that Fields declined to have a public airing of the reasons given for his termination.
Macias’ motion to postpone firing Fields in lieu of waiting for his resignation letter was rejected by a 4-3 board vote.
Before trustees voted to proceed with Fields’ termination, trustee Suzanne Kenoyer said she opposed the firing mainly because she feels it is the result of a series of board meetings dating back to the Jan. 10 session, which she claimed was the scene of a “walking quorum” of members who decided to suspend Fields.
Texas law defines a walking quorum as a group of elected leaders who use various means of communication outside of an official open public meeting to deliberate on local governmental matters.
“There are proper ways to handle these matters, but illegality is not the way. This is just more evidence that the current board leadership is untrustworthy and should be replaced,” Kenoyer said.
Robert Jaklich remains JISD’s superintendent on an interim basis.
San Antonio council members voice concerns over NISD bond projects
Two San Antonio City Council members recently questioned the pace by which Northside Independent School District has chosen to implement projects funded by the district’s $992 million bond, which voters passed in 2022.
Superintendent John Craft announced in the Feb. 24 Northside ISD board meeting that improvement projects involving nine existing elementary schools are being put on temporary hold until district officials complete a school optimization plan.
Such a plan, NISD leaders have said, would address how best to maximize each existing campus, especially older facilities. Craft said he understands that an optimization plan could lead to school closures, but it is presently too early to consider shuttering campuses.
“We need to use a lot of foresight before we invest millions and millions of dollars in renovations at campuses that we may want to reconfigure,” Craft said Feb. 24. He added that while funding for the projects is secured, the district has yet to formally sell the bonds.
NISD officials are also looking at the potential of using the November 2026 elections to propose a new bond package, and possibly a property tax rate hike as well.
District 4 Councilmember Edward Mungia and District 6 Councilmember Ric Galvan co-authored a letter dated April 16 and addressed to Craft and the NISD board. They shared their letter on their official Facebook pages.
The two city leaders said they are troubled by NISD’s decision to “halt improvements” slated for nine elementary schools located in their districts. They added that pausing the projects could adversely impact the learning environments for students at the affected campuses.
“We recognize the challenges posed by shifting enrollment and financial constraints. At the same time, decisions of this scale underscore the importance of transparency and community engagement,” the two council members wrote. “Families, educators and local stakeholders should have the opportunity to better understand these changes and provide input before plans are altered.”
NISD trustee Corinne Saldana answered the council members online April 22, commenting: “The superintendent made it clear that the bonds are on hold until he can determine what’s going to happen to NISD when vouchers take effect. Bonds can only be used for infrastructure. You are welcome to attend the building committee meeting where all construction is discussed. Those meetings are open to the public.”
