Lacey Gosh, the district’s assistant superintendent of support services, is now serving as interim superintendent, according to a Jan. 10 statement from the district.
The original motion was made by trustee Lesley Lee, and seconded by board Vice President Amanda Poteet. Trustee José Macias Jr. countered Lee’s motion and requested to postpone any discussion in order for the board to talk to legal counsel. That motion was seconded by trustee Suzanne Kenoyer.
Some details
Kenoyer called a point of order and said the item should not be discussed in open session.
“We do not discuss employment in open session. This is past practice in the district. While it may be legal, it is not what we do. It is not fair, it is not appropriate,” Kenoyer said.
Kenoyer motioned to move the discussion into executive session, and the motion was seconded by Macias, who also said he wanted the board to consult with the district’s attorney. The board needed a 4-3 vote in favor to go into closed session.
Kenoyer’s motion to go into closed session failed 4-3, with board President Monica Ryan, Poteet, and trustees Lee and Stephanie Jones dissenting.
Macias said the motion was “disgraceful,” calling it a “witch hunt.”
“I have questions about, allegedly, what investigation is needed,” Macias said. “And now we’re [going to] vote, and we have no idea what the investigation is.”
Trustee Laura Stanford said the last written document they have about Fields was a good evaluation.
“That’s the last document we have in our hands, so I want to know what the board has in documentation to support this drastic move because I’m not aware of any, for the record,” Stanford said. “This is a total surprise to me, so the board is not fully informed. I have no idea what this investigation is about. We definitely need to take time so the full board can be informed before we move forward on something of this magnitude that’s [going to] hurt the district.”
What the community is saying
JISD employee Amber Gonzales said the items on the agenda signal serious steps that are being considered that could fundamentally change the leadership of the district.
“This single decision will lead to a mass exodus of staff. I already know many who have accepted positions elsewhere and many more who are actively seeking opportunities outside this district,” Gonzales said.
Michael Valdez, a Texas Association of School Boards master trustee and Edgewood ISD school board member who spoke during public comment, said having Saturday meetings in addition to regular board meetings was concerning. He also said strong superintendents are hard to find, and good ones are even harder to keep.
“Dr. Fields has lived experience in this community and leadership that understands the people, families and realities of the district cannot be taught overnight,” Valdez said.
