Superintendent explains new La Joya ISD policy on employees holding elected positions

LA JOYA, TEXAS ( ValleyCentral ) — The La Joya Independent School District approved a new policy Thursday that prohibits administrators from holding elected positions.

La Joya ISD approved the policy after two school board trustees and three administrators pleaded guilty to public corruption charges.

“It’s just to ensure that what has happened here in the past doesn’t repeat itself,” said Superintendent Marcey Sorensen.

More than 4,000 people work for La Joya ISD, which is the largest employer in western Hidalgo County.

Members of the school board, who set policy and make personnel decisions, frequently rewarded supporters with jobs. Opponents, meanwhile, could be re-assigned or terminated.

In some instances, the school board also exerted inappropriate influence over elected officials employed by La Joya ISD.

Documents filed by federal prosecutors detail how Armin Garza , who served on the school board from 2016 to 2022, used promotions and stipends as bargaining chips.

“It was further part of the conspiracy that GARZA exerted influence over the employment of other co-conspirators, including Persons E-H, who were elected officials at other governmental entities,” according to the criminal information filed against Garza. “The influence was exerted to promote the awarding of contracts to Company D at said governmental entities. As part of the exercise of his influence, GARZA supported promotions or awarding of stipends to Persons E-H in exchange for their official votes or support of Company D’s energy savings projects at other governmental entities.”

Garza resigned from the school board in January 2022, when he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States.

Similar allegations surfaced when the Agua Special Utility District approved six-figure severance packages for Garza and Oscar “Coach” Salinas , who also served on the La Joya school board.

At the time, a majority of the Agua SUD board worked at La Joya ISD.

The Texas Rangers investigated the severance payments , but the Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office didn’t accept the case.

Concerned about corruption and conflicts of interest at La Joya ISD, the Texas Education Agency replaced the local school board with a board of managers.

The state also brought in Sorensen , who previously served as deputy superintendent at the Virginia Department of Education.

Sorensen recommended that La Joya ISD prohibit administrators from holding elected positions.

“This is about clarity of role, clarity of responsibility,” Sorensen said. “So that there is no conflict of interest both for the district or our employees.”

In an interview, Sorensen emphasized that she didn’t recommend the policy because of any individual employee or elected official.

“This isn’t about people who currently work in the district,” Sorensen said. “This is about being preventative.”

La Joya ISD approved the policy on Thursday, when the board of managers held a nearly six-hour meeting.

Under the new policy, administrators may not:

• Run for an elected position in Hidalgo County.
• Hold an elected position in Hidalgo County.
• Run for an elected position within any county in Texas “that has direct or indirect contractual relations with La Joya ISD.”
• Hold an elected position within any county in Texas “that has direct or indirect contractual relations with La Joya ISD.”
• Run for an elected position “that would conflict with his or her position as an employee of La Joya ISD.”
• Hold an elected position “that would conflict with his or her position as an employee of La Joya ISD.”

Administrators who fail to comply with the policy are subject to termination

“This policy does not apply to classroom teachers and other campus-level and central-office based support staff,” according to a statement released by La Joya ISD. “Current employees subject to this policy who wish to maintain their elected position will be able to remain employed with La Joya ISD until the conclusion of their employment contract.”

Sorensen said that she didn’t know how many La Joya ISD administrators would be affected by the policy.

La Joya ISD administrators, though, hold elected positions in Peñitas, Palmview and San Juan. Other administrators serve on the boards that govern Mission CISD and Sharyland ISD.

During the next few weeks, they’ll be forced to make difficult decisions.

La Grulla Mayor Laura Patricia Solis, who is the principal at Patricio Perez Elementary School, didn’t wait. She resigned from her position in La Grulla on Thursday morning — hours before the board approved the policy.

The policy also affects political candidates.

Roberto Zamora Jr., the assistant director for Fine Arts at La Joya ISD, is running for a seat on the South Texas College board.

If he wins, Zamora will be forced to choose between his career at La Joya ISD and his new position.

“If that’s what it comes to — and I get a non-renewal — I would understand,” Zamora said. “I will look elsewhere. I will find other things to do.”

Zamora, who started working at La Joya ISD about 27 years ago, said he understood why the district created the policy.

“I’ll say: The sun shines on the good and the bad alike. And sometimes when you’re trying to fix things, there’s collateral damage,” Zamora said. “And we may be part of that collateral damage, unfortunately.”

Zamora said he’s also concerned about the long-term consequences of prohibiting administrators from serving in elected positions.

“As a short-term fix, I know exactly where it’s coming from. But what is the long-term impact of a decision like this to the community?” Zamora said. “Because now you’re limiting your leadership options — not only in your school district, but in your municipalities and your community outside.”

Former Peñitas Mayor Marcos Ochoa, who attended the board meeting on Thursday night, said most people support the policy.

“It was needed. And I would venture to say that 80% of the people are in favor of it,” Ochoa said. “It’s the best thing that’s happened to the district. It was long overdue.”

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