SAN BENITO — San Benito school district officials confirmed Wednesday that high school Principal Gilbert Galvan has been suspended.
District spokesperson Isabel Gonzalez confirmed Wednesday afternoon that Galvan was placed on paid administrative leave about six months after Superintendent Theresa Servellon appointed him to the position.
However, she did not disclose the reason behind his suspension nor the length of time he’s been on leave.
“The San Benito Consolidated Independent School District can confirm that Gilbert Galvan, San Benito High School Principal, is currently on paid administrative leave,” Gonzalez stated. “The district does not comment on personnel matters. Therefore, no further comment will be made regarding Mr. Galvan’s suspension and/or employment status.”
Meanwhile, district officials were mum regarding the reason behind Galvan’s suspension amid rumors across the community. There’s also plenty of chatter on social media speculating about Galvan’s absence from the high school.
On Wednesday morning, repeated attempts to confirm Galvan’s suspension were unsuccessful.
At the high school, receptionists gave Valley Morning Star reporters conflicting information.
“He’s out for this week,” a receptionist told a reporter. “It’s a personal matter.”
Another receptionist told another reporter Galvan was in a meeting and would not be available until January.
In June, Servellon, then serving as interim superintendent, appointed Galvan principal of San Benito High School as she reassigned several administrators, effective July 1.
“Over the past several weeks, Interim Superintendent Theresa Servellon has closely examined the district’s overall structure and has identified opportunities for the district to become more efficient and effective in response to student needs,” Gonzalez stated in June. “As part of the united efforts and work in moving the San Benito CISD towards improved student outcomes, it was deemed necessary to align structures and efficient processes. In doing so, leadership changes were carefully considered to expand student services and improve student achievement district-wide.”
Galvan, who had previously served as principal of Veterans Memorial Academy, had worked his way up after serving as principal of Frank Roberts and Ed Downs elementary schools.
Before returning to the district, Galvan had served as principal of Raymondville High School before working as principal at L.C. Smith Elementary School.
Years before working with the Raymondville school district, he had worked as a San Benito teacher who had served as the Texas Classroom Teachers Association’s president.
In 2009, Galvan ran for the San Benito school board’s Place 1 seat in an election in which incumbent Robert Tumberlinson defeated him by an 11-vote margin.
While working as a San Benito school teacher, Galvan entered politics in 1986, when he won election to a city commission seat.
Two years later, he was elected the city’s mayor.
In 1990, Galvan won re-election before his administration was blamed for a financial crisis that led the city to the brink of bankruptcy.
An FBI probe focused on the handling of $1.3 million in federal funds used to bring two companies to the city.
Within a year of their startup, both companies defaulted, plunging the city into debt.
A Texas Rangers investigation into the loss of more than $268,000 hinged on the completion of the federal probe.
In January 1992, a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development probe found that city administration had mismanaged $1.3 million in federal funds.
The FBI never released findings of its investigation.
“I was never accused or charged,” Galvan said in a 2009 interview.
In 1992, Galvan lost his mayoral seat in a landslide to businessman Chuck Weekly.
