Comfort ISD finds two contract employees abandoned contracts, authorizes TEA referrals after 5-1 votes

Following a closed-session personnel discussion, the Comfort ISD Board of Trustees voted on findings that two contract employees abandoned their employment contracts and authorized the superintendent to notify the Texas Education Agency seeking sanctions.

On the matter of William Hern, Trustee Lilly Edwards moved that the board find, under Texas Education Code Sec. 21.105(c)(2) and 19 Texas Administrative Code Sec. 249.14(j), that "good cause did not exist for William Hern ... to abandon his employment contract." Trustee Alison Judkins seconded. The motion passed 5-1; Trustee Jeremy Hill was opposed. The board then voted 5-1 to authorize the superintendent to send a letter to the Texas Education Agency seeking sanctions against Hern's educator certification.

A parallel series of motions addressed Sandra Grogan. The minutes record a finding that good cause did not exist for Grogan to abandon her contract and a subsequent authorization for the superintendent to notify the Texas Education Agency seeking sanctions for Grogan's educator certification; each of those motions passed 5-1, with Trustee Jeremy Hill recorded as the opposing vote.

The minutes cite the legal authorities used for the findings (Texas Education Code Sec. 21.105(c)(2) and 19 Texas Administrative Code Sec. 249.14(j)) and note that the board acted after reconvening from closed session. The minutes do not include the underlying investigative materials or the employees' statements; they record only the board's formal motions, the vote counts, and that Mr. Hill opposed the actions.