Eagle Pass ISD School Board Majority Hires John Cox as New Principal of Eagle Pass High School in Split Vote of 4-1

By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016

The Eagle Pass Independent School District Board of Trustees hired John Cox as the new Principal of Eagle Pass High School on a split vote of 4-1 at a special meeting held on Thursday, January 21, 2016, in Eagle Pass, Texas.

EPISD Trustee Rudy Bowles made the motion to hire Cox and Trustee Hilda P. Martinez seconded the motion. Board President Lupita Fuentes and Trustee Humberto Torralba, Jr. joined Bowles and Martinez in approving the motion while Trustee Ignacio Saucedo voted against. Trustee Saucedo stated that the reassignment and hiring were not necessary in casting the lone vote in opposition.  Trustees Dr. Hector Alvarez and Glenna Purcell did not attend the special Board meeting.

Over 600 Eagle Pass High School students walked out and marched in protest and in solidarity of their revered former Principal Vale Moreno to the EPISD Central Office Board Room, but only 18 students were allowed to enter the Board meeting while hundreds were kept outside by District Police Officers. Some of the 18 students wanted to speak to the School Board at the meeting but were not allowed to address the Board.

The students left the Board meeting disappointed and saddened that their student representatives were not allowed to address the Board as well as the Board’s decision to hire a new Principal when they fully supported their previous Principal Vale Moreno.