MERCEDES — Leadership at Mercedes ISD may be significantly changed Thursday when the board will discuss placing Superintendent Carolyn Mendiola on paid administrative leave and consider reorganizing the board’s officers, although the trustees behind those items are refusing to say much of anything at all on the situation.
The board will discuss Mendiola’s employment status Thursday in addition to considering placing her on paid administrative leave. The board will also discuss appointing an interim superintendent or naming an acting superintendent, along with considering delegating authority to negotiate an interim or acting superintendent agreement.
The four trustees who placed the reorganization and superintendent leave items on Thursday’s agenda seemed committed to sharing as little information as possible Tuesday.
Those trustees directed questions to Board President Oscar Herndandez or Superintendent Mendiola — expecting her to explain why she thinks they feel she ought to be put on leave.
Mendiola agreed to answer questions about the meeting via email Tuesday and was sent questions asking why she felt she was being put on administrative leave, whether that item was tied to allegations of inappropriate relations between a district employee and students, and whether she would try to convince the board not to place her on leave. She did not reply to those questions as of presstime.
Hernandez directed questions about the meeting to trustees he said were responsible for requesting the administrative leave item be placed on the agenda, the same ones who consistently referred questions to him and Mendiola. The board president said he couldn’t comment on whatever prompted the item.
“Two board members, they asked for a special board meeting with those particular items. I’m just following school policy … says that they have a concern and I’m board president, it’s my solemn obligation to, if I see the validity of it according to policy I can call a special board meeting,” he said.
Hernandez said trustees Pete Martinez III and Eddie Howell Jr. asked for the item to be placed on the agenda. Neither explained why they feel Mendiola should be placed on leave.
Howell said he’d like to consult with the district’s attorney before answering any questions.
“I’m brand new to this and I’m not sure if I’m allowed to talk about it,” he said.
Later, Howell said he had been directed to refer questions to the superintendent or board president. He declined to say whether he made that decision based on legal counsel and wouldn’t say who was telling him who he can and cannot talk to.
Martinez did not need to seek anyone’s counsel before emphatically declining to speak in any capacity about reasons behind an effort to place Mendiola on leave.
“I’m not gonna — nope. Sorry. I won’t — I have no comment. I don’t want to say anything right now. So that is — thank you,” he said. “You can call the superintendent though.”
Martinez also declined to comment on the board reorganization effort, which could affect his status as board vice president.
“I have no idea what … I saw it on the agenda and that’s all I know,” he said.
The reorganization effort could also threaten Hernandez’s position as board president. He declined to say definitively whether he would try to retain that position and, again, directed questions about the item to the trustees who put it on the agenda.
“It’s the wishes of the board,” he said. “I’m still going to be an advocate for the students and the staff.”
Trustees Lucy Delgado and Rachel Treviño were behind the reorganization item. Delgado responded to calls via text message Tuesday, directing questions to Hernandez and Mendiola.
After claiming a commitment to transparency Tuesday, Treviño also resisted discussing the item, saying she was afraid the public couldn’t interpret it correctly and suggesting anyone interested watch the meeting.
“I don’t want to have people misunderstand what we’re all about,” she said.
Like Howell, Treviño asked to seek someone else’s permission before answering any questions. She also declined to discuss Mendiola’s possible leave.
“Unfortunately I can’t comment on anything,” she said. “I’m not the spokesperson for the board, so unfortunately I’m unable to comment on anything. I do apologize, I do believe in being transparent and everything but my hands are tied at the moment. I’m so, so sorry.”
Despite the pledges to transparency, later attempts to reach Treviño were unsuccessful.
