GP ISD pays him off, too?

Oh, no. I feel compelled to write another story about former PSJA ISD Superintendent Dr. Jorge Arredondo (EdD) since he reached a settlement last Monday with Grand Prairie ISD, but I’m reminded of an email I received last October from a local woman who worked for PSJA ISD for years, who wrote to me in a somewhat accusatory tone: “For quite some time, you have dragged Jorge Arredondo through the coals in your newspaper. Is there anything positive the man did? What about the T.E.A. A rating? That was the first ever for the district. Has the district maintained that A?”

I wrote a follow-up piece that pointed out that the TEA’s “A” rating was skewed a little, courtesy of the COVID pandemic, but, no, sorry, I watched the guy work for three years, and saw few good things about him, in my opinion, other than his seeming talent at tearing apart a school district that had been winning awards before he came on board. That, and running cover for the board majority.

You scratch my back, I’ll scratch your back kind of thing.

The guy was a public figure, open to criticism. If someone doesn’t like it, get out of the limelight, which is part of the reason that superintendents make fairly decent money.

My email buddy wasn’t happy with my news/opinion coverage of Dr. A: “There are two sides to every story, and I cannot help that you have it out for this guy, regardless. You take great pride in slandering and destroying his reputation.”

Whoa. Wait just a cotton-picking minute. Number one, facts can never be construed as slander (actually “libel” in the written format) if they are, in fact, fact.

Fact — the audit claims that Arredondo paid one consulting firm $114,000 without board approval, that has nothing to do with The Advance.

Everything I wrote about PSJA’s former superintendent was based on facts.

Second, I didn’t write anything about the guy, really, that didn’t either include the forensic audit done after he left PSJA, which uncovered some odd expenditures, to say the least, or his new job at Grand Prairie ISD, which lasted all of two months before he got suspended, and then after an internal investigation was completed, he got fired.

His attorneys filed a lawsuit, while Arredondo continued the luxury of paid leave.

Agreement Reached

Last week, Grand Prairie ISD’s board of trustees reached an agreement (voluntary separation) withArredondo.

The financial settlement will be kept under wrap, until a newspaper like The Advance, or I’m sure by now, a newspaper that covers Grand Prairie files a public information request with the district.

District attorneys will then send the request to the office of the Texas AG, who will rule that the financial amount does indeed have to be disclosed since public monies paid for it.

The investigation, if you will, into Arredondo’s work at school, what got him fired, will be kept under wraps, too, because Arredondo’s settlement with the district demanded that.

The district wanted the investigation made open, but the former superintendent did not.

Fact. All Grand Prairie would say in the end was this: Based on an outside investigation, Dr. Arredondo violated the district’s discrimination, harassment, and retaliation (policies).

Which was the slam against him at PSJA ISD, and which led to at least one lawsuit filed against him, which was later dismissed after he left the RGV.

When Arredondo left PSJA, the Advance made a request for his payout amount, which we got after the AG ruled in our favor -- $405,000; but we never did get a copy of his job evaluation, per the AG opinion.

It is true that no one knows for sure what went down at GP ISD, because per the voluntary separation agreement, the district can’t say, and Arredondo isn’t saying anything, other than blaming the whole thing on school board politics.

At Grand Prairie, after his initial suspension, he was throwing around the “anti-Hispanic” card, claiming that he’s being discriminated against because his family roots come from Mexico. At least that’s one of the reasons he’s giving for his current situation.

The board has three Hispanics on it, two of whom still support Arredondo; one black woman; two female Anglos; and one maleAnglo.

So again, by making this claim – discrimination – he’s doing what he did at PSJA ISD – create division and discord.

According to a board statement, Arredondo violated Grand Prairie ISD policy regarding “discrimination, harassment, and retaliation involving District employees.”

Final Note

This is just a guess, but Arredondo will pick up another job. In fact, I bet a guy lunch I’d be proven right.

“In two years, if he doesn’t have another superintendent’s job, I’ll buy you lunch, but I bet another district will pick him up,” said I.

The other guy said he thought Grand Prairie will end Arredondo’s career in public education.

Don’t think so. He’ll convince some board that he was the victim of “board politics,” and the GP board was anti-Hispanic.

Besides, these part-time gigs are too good to pass up.

GP ISD had to settle with him, because if not, his lawsuit would have stayed in place, and he would have remained on paid leave until it was finally settled, which could have taken a year or two.

Sure, the board and board attorney could have said he was fired for “just cause.”

Please, though, for the jury, define “just cause.”

Two months’ work for what I bet will prove to be at least a one-year salary?

Not bad work if you can get it.

“Hey, Wendorf, quit picking on Dr. A.”

“Hey, quit getting a school supe job that only lasts two months, and I will.”

I wish him all the best though.