Grand Prairie ISD board member calls for investigation into superintendent's suspension
GRAND PRAIRIE — A Grand Prairie ISD school board member is calling for an investigation into the administration over concerns about the treatment of the district's new superintendent.
Superintendent Jorge Arredondo was placed on administrative leave Wednesday night without explanation, just two months after starting the job in July. Arredondo leads a district with nearly 30,000 students.
"This seems like a witch hunt and like political motives," board member David Espinosa said. "And we would like to get more substance in this investigation."
Espinosa expressed frustration Wednesday night after his fellow board members voted to place Arredondo on administrative leave during a special meeting with no mention of it on the agenda.
Board members have not disclosed the reason for Arredondo's suspension. On Thursday, Espinosa criticized the decision in a statement, saying, "I'm in support of the superintendent 100 percent. I believe in his intentions and goals. The administration needs to be investigated."
Espinosa also criticized the board's decision to name the district's chief financial officer as interim superintendent.
Community leaders are calling on Grand Prairie ISD to be more transparent by releasing what it knows.
"It's tragic for the school board to pick someone in May and suspend them in November," said Ed Gray, a radio show host.
An outside law firm has been brought in to investigate undisclosed concerns about the superintendent, whose previous job also had its share of controversy.
An audit of the school district Arredondo oversaw in South Texas – Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD – raised questions about the handling of district finances and contracts. If that's behind this recent inquiry, no one is saying.