PSJA teachers press board over stalled grievances; board affirms non‑retaliation for several complainants
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Summary
Union representatives told the PHARR‑SAN JUAN‑ALAMO ISD board that multiple employee grievances have lingered without explanation. After an executive session the board voted to grant remedies in several Level 3 grievances and publicly affirmed that employees will not be retaliated against for filing complaints.
Union leaders and teachers used the public‑comment portion of the PHARR‑SAN JUAN‑ALAMO ISD board meeting on Jan. 26 to demand clearer, timelier grievance procedures and better communication from the administration.
"Allowing a grievance to remain unresolved undermines trust in both the process and the system as a whole," said Claudia Davila, an elementary early‑childhood teacher and executive board member of the PSJA American Federation of Teachers, urging the board to address delays and opaque handling of appeals. Dahlia Garcia and Cynthia Flores, also speaking for PSJA AFT, described cases filed as early as November 2024 that had not advanced to level 3 and said the pattern made employees feel the system "looks arbitrary and it feels deeply unfair."
Board counsel and administrators acknowledged the concerns during discussion of a separate policy package tied to the 89th Texas Legislature. Counsel told the board the updated local policies include statutory timelines for grievance processing and that district practice would change going forward to reflect those deadlines.
After returning from a closed executive session late Wednesday, the board took public action on multiple Level 3 grievance items. For each matter presented to the board counsel recommended—and trustees approved—an explicit public statement that the employee who filed the grievance would not be retaliated against. Several motions to adopt those remedies carried, although a small number of trustees abstained on specific items as recorded in the minutes.
Votes at a glance
- Adoption of South Texas School Board Association resolution recognizing School Board Recognition Month: unanimous approval (procedural resolution). - Multiple Level 3 grievance remedies (public non‑retaliation statements): motions approved following executive session; recorded roll calls include several abstentions on individual items; motions carried overall.
What the union asked for and next steps
PSJA AFT asked the board to adopt enforceable timelines in the grievance policy, require clear levels of review and accountability, and provide consistent communication to grievants at each stage. Counsel and administration said the policy updates presented to the board were drafted to align with new state law and that those timelines will be applied moving forward; the board also instructed counsel to attempt reasonable retroactive adjustments where legally possible.
The board did not change the basic public‑comment rules; union leaders said they will continue to monitor the district's handling of outstanding cases. Several trustees publicly acknowledged the difficulty of handling personnel matters in a public forum and pledged to follow established procedures moving forward.
The board recorded the executive‑session outcomes and instructed staff to implement any procedural steps necessary to ensure compliance with the updated policy and with the remedies the board approved for the grievances.