Trustee Homer Flores Jr., who represents District 3 on the South San Antonio Independent School District Board of Trustees, is expected to return to the dais next week for the first time in seven months — a lengthy pause the trustee said was necessitated by a medical condition.
In the months he was gone, remaining board members voted to enter an agreement with the Texas Education Agency, resulting in the appointment of a conservator, and voted to authorize the superintendent to enact layoffs after declaring a financial exigency, among other pivotal decisions.
The board also voted to censure Flores for allegedly using “highly vulgar, offensive and profane language” to insult Abe Saavedra, the state-appointed monitor at the time, and Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath during an executive session of a June board meeting.
Flores said he didn’t want to comment on issues he wasn’t present to discuss, but told the San Antonio Report Tuesday that he was looking forward to catching up and would be working to ask questions of the district.
Medical scare
Last September, just days after the last board meeting the trustee attended, Flores said he was at a conference held by the Texas Association of School Boards in Dallas when he stubbed his toe. The injury quickly progressed due to complications from diabetes.
“Kind of overnight it accelerated,” he told the Report Tuesday, adding that he has peripheral neuropathy, a condition caused by damaged nerves often in the hands and feet. The condition is often associated with diabetes.
After showing signs of fever and feeling ill, the trustee said he left the conference for San Antonio and was quickly admitted to the hospital, where he stayed for the next three months, undergoing several medical procedures.
“I lost half of my right foot and so I had to learn to walk again, gain balance,” he said. “I was instructed not to do anything, so I wasn’t at work, I wasn’t going to go to any board meetings.”
Flores did not notify the board of the injury or that he would be absent from meetings.
Board disruptions
Flores said of all the board members he’s only heard from Trustee Abel “Chili Dog” Martinez, who reached out and checked on him while he was in the hospital. Flores also said he spoke with Superintendent Henry Yzaguirre.
After being released from the hospital, Flores said he was still on doctor’s orders not to be on his feet, but that his doctor cleared him recently to return to both work and his school board duties. He did not provide the specific date of his release or doctor’s clearance.
Board President Manuel Lopez confirmed that he had not talked to Flores, but declined to comment further Tuesday.
A spokesperson for the district also did not return a request for comment.
The episode is not the first time ailments have disrupted the board, which has been under close scrutiny by the Texas Education Agency due to several special investigations prompted by complaints about dysfunctional governance.
Former Trustee Stacey Alderete stepped down over the summer after contracting a severe case of viral meningitis. A new trustee, Joe Araiza, was appointed in her place.
Clashes between board members have been a hallmark of the governing body for the last several years, with Flores and Martinez taking particular issue with the current administration.
One major flashpoint has been the closure of schools, which took place amid declining enrollment and quickly worsening finances.
Six-month timeline
The return of the trustee comes as the board reaches the halfway point in the deal made with the Texas Education Agency in October to comply with corrective actions and other directives of Saavedra, who has been guiding the district as a conservator.
If progress is not made, the TEA could oust the board and replace them with a board of managers — an action taken in Houston and more recently in La Joya ISD.
Saavedra told the Report last week that while progress is being made, there are remaining concerns, including the absence of board members.
In addition to Flores, Shirley Ibarra, who represents District 4, has missed eight out of the last 14 meetings, leaving those constituents without representation.
Ibarra did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Saavedra said that those members who have been present "have been working well together," with the exception of Martinez, who has been at odds with Saavedra throughout his time on the board. He has missed four out of 14 meetings since August, according to board meeting minutes.
"There seems to be a solid four people on the board majority that want to do the right thing for kids," he said.
But without all members contributing, he added, it's not enough to show the TEA that there is a fully functioning board.
