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Edgewood Board Members Resign Citing Fear and Discord

File Photo | Joey Palacios | Texas Public Radio
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Texas Public Radio
Edgewood ISD

Three members of the Edgewood Independent School District board resigned Friday with some of them saying they feared for their safety. 

The Texas Education Agency began investigating Edgewood ISD in January following complaints that the school board is dysfunctional.

Board President Dr. Eddie Rodriguez, Vice President Velma Pena, and Secretary Tina Morales sent a four-page letter to the district saying they are leaving in part because a division on the board prevents trustees from acting in the best interest of the children.

Pena says the discord has led to her being fearful.  She says her home and cars have been vandalized and that the district needs help.

“We only have two high schools and they have no principals,” said Pena in describing her frustrations with the lack of leadership in the district.  

“It was just too many things going on that needed to be dealt with and things weren’t moving forward.” she said.

Friday as school dismissed at Gonzales Elementary on Castroville Road, the resignations surprised many parents like Diana Barron who has three kids in Edgewood.

“Why would three do it all together in one day? That’s kind of shocking.”

With only three board members left, the district doesn’t have a quorum to conduct business or call a special election. The Texas Education Agency could appoint trustees prior to another election.  Ernest Apolinar would welcome that.

“I think that’d be okay for now.  We do need board members.  Without that it won’t function properly.”

Kayhla Calderon-Lugo, a spokeswoman for Edgewood, says the district is working with TEA.

“This is not going to affect our daily operations. This is not going affect the education that the students are receiving on a daily basis,” she added.

Another trustee resigned several months ago and the district bought out the contract of Superintendent Jose Cervantes last August.  Since then, the six member board has been divided.

The next Edgewood board meeting is March 8, but without enough trustees to take action it’s unclear if that meeting will take place.

Joey Palacios can be reached atJoey@TPR.org and on Twitter at @Joeycules
Shelley Kofler is Texas Public Radio’s news director. She joined the San Antonio station in December 2014 and leads a growing staff that produces two weekly programs; a daily talk show, news features, reports and online content. Prior to TPR, Shelley served as the managing editor and news director at KERA in Dallas-Fort Worth, and the Austin bureau chief and legislative reporter for North Texas ABC affiliate WFAA-TV.