SAN ANTONIO- South San Antonio ISD has a new superintendent to lead the district. The school board unanimously hired Rebecca Robinson to take the reigns, with one board member absent. Board members hugged and congratulated Robinson while Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson" played in the board room to "lighten the mood."
The hiring came after a two hour executive session in what was expected to be a heated meeting with several controversial items on the agenda. The board directed Robinson to look into issues regarding Director of Finance David Landeros and to make a recommendation as soon as possible.
Landeros was grilled over $2.5 million the district must pay back to the state. South San received too much enrollment money and now will receive less funding over two years to make up the shortfall. An unreleased audit obtained by News 4 WOAI says Landeros should have acted on irregularities discovered in missing football funds all the way back in 2009. Landeros could have lost his job Wednesday night but the board instead made the direction to Robinson.
The board also could have taken disciplinary action against interim superintendent Linda Zeigler, but voted to take no action. Secretary Rose Marie Martinez defended Landeros and instead blamed Zeigler for the $2.5 million shortfall.
Board members took no action against board member Karyn Tomlinson about alleged inappropriate behavior. Before the meeting, Tomlinson denied ever asking Zeigler for a personal $1,700 loan and said it was nothing more than hearsay.
At the beginning of the meeting, the board swiftly and unanimously voted to remove the president, vice president. After a brief break, new president Helen Madla and vice president Trinidad Mata took their new seats and the meeting continued.
