Kelly Isbell, formerly Flieger, has filed an official grievance with the San Antonio Independent School District. The grievance says she wants her position as principle of CAST Tech back, and detrimental commentary of her to be retracted.
Isbell was unexpectedly removed from her position as head of the first Center for Applied Science and Technology, and placed on administrative leave on April 20. The school is a collaboration between SAISD, H-E-B and the technology industry.
Isbell along with her attorney Terry Gorman filed the grievance with the school before the May 8 school board meeting where members voted against extending her contract.
At that meeting Isbell signed up to speak during Citizens to be Heard and asked the school board to reconsider.
In the complaint, she states that she was placed on administrative leave "in retaliation for my unwillingness to force an excess student population into the established and designed plans for the school."
The school announced Monday they had accepted 175 students into CAST Tech's inaugural freshman class. This is 25 more than the school had originally planned for.
The hearing for the grievance is scheduled for Friday.
If a remedy can't be found, a level two grievance against SAISD will be filed in accordance with the local grievance process outlined in the Texas Administrative Code. Only after a Level Three grievance to the school board fails will the Texas Education Agency become involved.
Isbell's lawyer, Terry Gorman, says they are open to going to court if a solution within the administrative process can't be found.
SAISD announced Melissa Alcala, director of North East ISD's STEM Academy, would begin at CAST Tech in June.
