The Edgewood Independent School District board of trustees voted unanimously Thursday to sanction trustee Michael Valdez for violating board policies, citing a “pattern of disruptive and disrespectful conduct” after a tense first year marred by frequent squabbles and disagreements.
Valdez, who denied the accusations in a brief defense that included a number of unsubstantiated allegations against his colleagues, will have to attend professionalism training and adhere to policies or face being stripped of committee assignments and barred from district property in the future.
The sanctions and possible future actions were recommended by an outside law firm that conducted a 5-month investigation into an employee complaint against Valdez starting in July and ending in November. Under board policy and state law, the district has the authority to censure and sanction a board member up to the point of barring them from district property, besides the board room during official meetings.
The episode opened old wounds, with board members recalling the 2016 ouster of the full board, when dysfunction led the Texas Education Agency to install an appointed board of managers to restore order. After returning to local control, trustees said they took steps to ensure order, like adopting a continuous improvement training called Lone Star Governance to guard against future disruptions.
Among other issues, the investigation found the trustee, 20, demanded to be seated on stage during a district event, talked over the board president and failed to comply with an EISD police officer’s order to move a car.
According to reporting by the San Antonio Express-News, the investigative report provided to the board stopped short of saying the trustee’s actions created a hostile work environment or constituted “prohibited harassment” against staff. The paper reported that the investigation did find Valdez violated other Edgewood ISD rules and policies by acting “inappropriately” toward employees.
Valdez called the investigation “one-sided” on Thursday night.
“We started off with … [Lone Star Governance] because we wanted to make sure that we were not taken over again by TEA,” trustee Richard Santoyo said. “And we haven’t been.”
But Valdez has strayed from that training, board members said Thursday.
“I have never, ever, ever been disrespected in my life as you have disrespected me,” board president Martha Castilla said before the vote. “As a woman, as a leader…”
Castilla also bristled at the costs in money and time spent on the investigation, which “could have paid for another teacher.”
Valdez denied the charges against him and said the action Thursday and at previous meetings was retaliation for his young age and insistence on pushing back on what Superintendent Ed Hernández wanted.
In a defense made before the vote, Valdez asked the rest of the trustees why they were on the dais, and listed a litany of unverified transgressions he said had been committed by his colleagues, including living outside of the district, not caring about students and sexual harassment.
While first lauded for running unopposed just months after he graduated from one of the district’s high schools, Valdez has been mired in controversy for much of his 14-month tenure on the board.
Valdez regularly peppered district officials and board leadership with questions during school board meeting, which many community members cheered — arguing that he has been pushing for answers long sought by the community he serves.
Trustee Luis Gomez said during the meeting that he had been excited when Valdez joined the board, and implored him to be more respectful moving forward.
“You’ve got a lot to learn,” Gomez said. “I personally don’t dislike you. I’m disappointed in you.”
Castilla sent emails to the trustee on at least four occasions asking him to tone down his behavior after he raised his voice at a district employee, used the word “damn,” and accused Castilla of not knowing how to do her job, which she said in the letter was both offensive and a violation of board conduct. Valdez shared the emails with the San Antonio Report, and the emails were shared as part of the sanctions resolution.
Supporters of the trustee from the community spoke for about 30 minutes during the meeting’s open comment period, using the opportunity to chastise the district for spending an entire meeting on the subject while student achievement is struggling.
Community member Amy Kastely said she has worked with Valdez in various capacities and pointed out that Valdez was awarded for his professionalism by the district just last year.
“I have known Michael through various community projects,” she said. “I consistently have seen that professionalism that you recognized with the award.”
Waiting for the board to emerge from the hour-long executive session where they deliberated on the sanctions, Valdez chatted with more than a dozen community members who had attended the meeting to support him. After taking a group photo with them, he told the San Antonio Report that he would continue serving on the board regardless of Thursday’s vote.
“I’m still going to be here,” he said. “It is just going to be tough. I hope this is the last thing where they are complaining and getting mad at me. I hope we can just move forward.”
