HISD trustee launches attacks
Social media posts target board members for rejecting budget, end a period of civility
Houston ISD Trustee Jolanda Jones airs personal attacks and allegations against fellow school board members in online posts, chipping away at the board’s efforts to present a more cohesive front in the face of upheaval.
Houston ISD Trustee Jolanda Jones publicly aired personal attacks and allegations against fellow school board members in online posts this week, chipping away at the board’s efforts to present a more collegial front in the face of administrative upheaval and potentially major state sanctions this year.
In three Facebook posts, Jones alleged a newly elected trustee called a longtime board member a “thief ” and a “crook” with “no moral character,” and she accused a fellow trustee of misleading her during the process of electing a school board president. Jones also claimed five trustees who rejected HISD’s proposed budget last week will be responsible for employees losing their homes — even though board members are expected to pass the budget next week, with no adverse impact on staff members.
The posts, which Jones also linked to on Twitter, come as HISD trustees have sought to foster greater community trust and an improved public image after years of squabbles that have eroded confidence in the school board of Texas’ largest district. The board’s image has taken on greater importance lately given that the Texas Education Agency could replace HISD’s trustees if four of its longest-struggling schools fail to meet state academic standards this year.
Jones, a criminal defense lawyer who represents portions of southeast Houston, widely is seen as the most publicly combative member of HISD’s school board, unafraid of calling out fellow trustees by name and criticizing groups that do not provide more support for impoverished children. In recent months, Jones has engaged in a public spat with fellow Trustee Wanda Adams and lambasted some board policy decisions.
Jones did not respond to requests for comment Thursday. Based on her posts, it appears the board’s rejection of the district’s proposed $2 billion budget last week and lingering frustration over the selection process for the board’s president prompted Jones to air the new allegations.
In her first post, Jones claimed the five trustees who voted against the budget proposal will be responsible for HISD shutting down at the end of the month. Her unedited statement read, in part: “When our lowest paid HISD employees lose their homes/apartments & cars & everything else because they can’t afford missing any paychecks, much less A
paycheck, it’s their fault!”
However, trustees are scheduled to meet Monday morning to consider and possibly approve a revised spending plan. Trustees who voted against the plan quibbled with taking $18 million from the district’s rainy-day fund to cover a shortfall at a time when its reserves should be twice as high. Board members are required to pass a budget by June 30.
“We’re going to have a budget by when we need to pass it,” said Trustee Anne Sung, one of the five who voted against the initial proposal and one of Jones’ social media post targets.
Staff will be paid
HISD’s administration also confirmed district staff will continue to get paid normally as long as trustees approve a budget by month’s end.
In a second post, which she titled “AS THE BOARD TURNS: Episode 1,” Jones said she would start airing behindthe-scenes board machinations. Jones then wrote that newly elected Trustee Elizabeth Santos told her she would not support electing Trustee Diana Dávila as board president “because she said Diana was a thief/crook/no moral character.” Multiple trustees sought the board presidency but could not garner enough support from colleagues. Rhonda Skillern-Jones, who was not in line to assume the presidency, ultimately was unanimously elected.
Dávila received criticism in 2010 for pushing to get her husband and campaign manager appointed to the district’s bond oversight committee. She resigned from the board that year, citing “personal family issues,” but was elected again in 2015.
Dávila and Santos did not respond to requests for comment.
In a third post, Jones alleged Sung had solicited support for her board president candidacy, then misled Jones about her efforts. She also alleged Sung told her she “didn’t trust Diana either.”
Sung declined Thursday to address the allegations, saying they distract from giving attention to students.
“Social media is one of those tools that it can bring people together or be divisive,” Sung said. “I’m not going to go into commentary on what somebody posted on social media.”
Perceptions of dysfunction
For years, HISD’s school board has dealt with personal and professional in-fighting, contributing to perceptions of dysfunction.
Board members have sought to reverse those perceptions this year, particularly with three new trustees seated. When board members unanimously appointed then-Chief Academic Officer Grenita Lathan as interim superintendent following Richard Carranza’s departure in March, they lauded themselves for cordially reaching consensus.
Jones’ personal attacks are the most significant launched by a trustee this year. Santos did call for Skillern-Jones to step down as board president in April after Skillern-Jones presided over a contentious board meeting — two people were arrested and later released with no charges, and all attendees were cleared from the building. Skillern-Jones has not stepped down, and there has been no visible public acrimony between her and Santos since.
Skillern-Jones did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.