Board Rejects Retaining Avery
The monthly Board meeting just ended at 12:41 am. I'm sorry to report that the Board members stuck to their original plan and it does not appear that they will be asking Dr. Avery to stay.
It was not unanimous. Monique Celedon, Janie Serna, and Sam Samaripa were clearly in favor of keeping Dr. Avery. Ana Cortez made a motion to move forward with a separation agreement between the district and Dr. Avery. Samaripa attempted to circumvent the motion by making a motion to amend Cortez's motion. Samaripa's motion was to postpone the separation agreement for one year so that they could ask Dr. Avery to stay. Ana Cortez, Elmer Fisher, Temeika Thomas, and Johnny Velasco voted against the amendment. It had already failed by the time Celedon abstained. Serna and Samaripa both voted for the amendment which did not pass.
They then voted on Cortez's original motion. It passed along the same lines with Cortez, Fisher, Thomas, and Velasco voting yes and Celedon, Serna, and Samaripa voting no. Celedon made a brief statement indicating she has heard the community and wishes we could keep Dr. Avery. Samaripa said he supported Celedon's statement.
Technically, we have not failed until another superintendent is hired and Dr. Avery leaves. However, the truth of the matter is far less hopeful. Short of some kind of miracle, our district has lost Dr. Avery.
Please do not stop speaking up against this. Four people in our community decided they no longer want Dr. Avery and they have forced him out. Four people. This petition currently has 331 people who essentially begged the four Board members to reconsider. Perhaps those four Board members feel secure in their position on the Board. They should not. Perhaps they do not feel that they have to answer to the community. They do. Thomas is up for reelection this November. As far as I am concerned, the campaign to unseat her begins today. The other three will take more time, but they too will be up for reelection in the coming years and I will be here to remind everyone of the choices they've made today and over the past year.