EPISD Superintendent Needs To Be Investigated

Here is my letter to Carlos Flores, the Board Trustee for District 3 of the El Paso Independent School District:

Mr. Flores,

I am sure that you are aware of the El Paso Times editorial coverage of the poor use of EPISD money to pay former educator and former talk show host, Paul Strelzin, a “consulting” fee. You are also probably aware of insights about this story on David Karlsruher’s blog, Refuse the Juice.

Hiring Mr. Strelzin has the appearance of cronyism on the part of EPISD’s Superintendent, Lorenzo Garcia. As a citizen of the district that you represent on the Board, I am asking you to investigate. Quite frankly, I think that you will find reason enough to demand Mr. Garcia’s immediate resignation and perhaps the resignation of other administrators who should be supporting education in the classroom and not cronyism in the costume of consulting.

Because the payments to Strelzin also seem to be a type of payola scheme kickbacks for hosting EPISD officials on his radio talk show, I will be asking the FCC and FBI to investigate.

I have very close and dear friends who teach in the District. There is little money for curricula and resources and yet the school district has plenty of money to spend on Strelzin. Put the money in the classroom and not on clowns.

I look forward to your reply and follow-up.

Jim H. Tolbert
2701 Frankfort
El Paso, TX 79930

The children of our neighborhood deserve much better from their school district.