Judge orders Mora schools to reinstate trio

Teacher, 2 counselors fought unexplained dismissals

A state district judge ruled Wednesday that the Mora Independent School District must reinstate a teacher and two counselors it fired more than a year ago.

Judge Alan Malott of Albuquerque made his decision from the bench, giving the American Federation of Teachers of New Mexico a victory in the long-running workplace confrontation.

Former Mora Superintendent LeAnne Salazar-Montoya ousted the employees without specifying a reason for declining to renew their contracts.

The union challenged Salazar-Montoya after she removed teacher Edwina Romero and counselors Paulyette Perea and Lisa Yescas. Salazar-Montoya at the time denied any impropriety in the personnel decisions, though she resigned shortly thereafter.

The school district refused to rehire the three employees after Salazar-Montoya’s departure. An arbitrator, Robert Costello, ruled in April in favor of the employees and ordered the district to rehire them. District administrators again refused, prompting the American Federation of Teachers to sue.

Mora officials then said the district would allow the three employees to be returned to the payroll until June 30, but that financial considerations would prevent them from receiving compensation beyond that.

Stephanie Ly, president of the teachers union, said the three employees never actually went back to work. But, Ly said Wednesday, they want their jobs back.

“They miss the community. They miss being in the schools and they are waiting on the school board and district to do the right thing,” Ly said after the judge’s ruling.

Attorney Shane Youtz, who represented the union in the case, said he does not believe the district will appeal the decision because both an arbitrator and a judge have ruled for the employees. He said it will be up to the district to decide when to reinstate the three employees.

“Certainly we would move to have them go back to work as soon as possible,” he said.

The judge also ruled that the Mora district has to give the three employees full back pay and benefits and maintain their seniority ranking in the district.

Malott also gave the teachers union the option of petitioning his court to have the Mora district pay all legal fees in the case.

Mora’s troubles with leadership date at least to the spring of 2015, when the school board hired Charles Trujillo as superintendent of schools. He is the nephew of then-school board President George Trujillo.

Prosecutors later charged Charles Trujillo with falsifying his credentials to get the job. He previously had worked in the Professional Licensure Bureau of the state Public Education Depart-

ment. Board members placed Charles Trujillo on leave, and he resigned in September 2016.

He is charged with 17 counts of fraud and forgery in Mora and San Miguel counties. Some of the charges involve the credentials of other New Mexico educators. He is to go on trial in March.

After Trujillo’s troubles, the board hired Salazar-Montoya as superintendent.

Attorney Andy Sanchez, who represents the Mora school district, did not return a call seeking comment Wednesday. The current superintendent, Ella Arellano, did not respond to requests for comment.