After 2 Fort Worth ISD principals were fired, community members react, search for answers

Community members are reacting to the firing of two Fort Worth Independent School District principals with confusion and shock, as details of what led to their dismal remain unclear.

Former Eastern Hills High School Principal Katrina Smith and former Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School Principal James Garcia were both fired from their positions on Tuesday after the Board of Education voted in favor of their proposed terminations. The school board’s discussion before the vote was in a closed session, and no details were given publicly by officials during the meeting.

“The Fort Worth Independent School District cannot speak to specific issues regarding individual employees, and as such cannot address specific actions or inactions of those individuals,” district spokesperson Jessica Becerra said in a statement Thursday.

In response to the Star-Telegram’s story about the decision made at Tuesday’s board meeting, several community members posted on Facebook about their dismay of the lack of transparency and situation overall.

“Y’all fire the good & keep the ones that don’t care about our students. SMH!” one person stated.

Roxanne Rodriguez, a Diamond Hill-Jarvis High parent and president of the school’s athletics booster club, also posted on Facebook in reaction to Garcia’s firing after speaking in his defense during public comment at Tuesday’s school board meeting.

“This makes me so mad and hurt all at the same damn time for these kids and school, Mr. Garcia has been the rock for the school since 2016 and they treated him like he wasn’t anything,” she wrote.

Mary Alice Suarez, president of the Diamond Hill-Jarvis Heritage Foundation, told the Star-Telegram on Thursday that she didn’t know what happened leading to the firing, but she respected the school board’s decision.

“I know that they did not take the vote very lightly. I’m sure it was a very serious matter that they had to consider,” she said. “I wish Mr. Garcia well, and we hope to continue this foundation that he inspired us to start.”

Garcia spearheaded the creation of the foundation, which was modeled after North Side High’s Legacy Foundation, providing scholarships and financial assistance to students, Suarez said.

“I have nothing but high regard for him. He was very concerned about students and their achievement in school,” she said.

At Tuesday’s board meeting, multiple people also spoke in support of Smith and her leadership at Eastern Hills.

Jeremy Orsagh, a special education teacher at Eastern Hills, said he’s worked with Smith for the past five years and noted her prioritization of the needs and well-being of her students, faculty and staff. He called her a “positive role model” with “unbending integrity.”

“She demands excellence and sets the tone for success by building her students, teachers and staff up with an organized, cheerful, yet demanding atmosphere,” he said. “Ms. Smith truly believes Eastern Hills is the pride of the east side.”

Ciara Jackson, a senior at Eastern Hills, told the board she has felt a loss of support since Smith’s absence, as Smith would consistently check in with her about her grades and make time to talk to Jackson in general.

“Principal Smith has made a tremendous impact on my life academically, as a mentor and a student leader,” she said. “No matter how busy she was, she always welcomed me into her office.”

The district’s contract employees are required to be given “reasonable notice” of the charges filed against them along with the district’s evidence before they are dismissed for good cause, according to Becerra. Those employees have 15 days after they have been notified of their proposed termination to request a hearing with an independent hearing examiner, according to the district.

Additionally, employees have 20 calendar days after their termination to appeal the decision to the Texas Education Agency by filing a petition for review, according to the TEA. Neither Smith nor Garcia has reached out to the Texas Education Agency to file an appeal as of Thursday, according to spokesperson Jake Kobersky.

The Star-Telegram has also submitted public information requests to the district regarding disciplinary actions taken against the former principals.

Smith and Garcia could not be reached for comment on Thursday by phone.

Board member Tobi Jackson declined to comment Thursday on the matter. Jackson, who represents District 2, where Eastern Hills High is located, abstained from voting on the termination of Smith.

Board member Roxanne Martinez, who represents District 9, where Diamond Hill-Jarvis High is located, did not respond to a request for comment as of Thursday afternoon. Martinez abstained from voting on the firing of both Garcia and Smith.

Board President Camille Rodriguez also did not respond to a request for comment as of Thursday afternoon.