Round Rock trustees begin discussions on naming interim superintendent
Following the Round Rock school board's decision this month to place Superintendent Hafedh Azaiez on paid administrative leave, trustees on Thursday night began discussions on naming an interim superintendent.
During executive session, the board also discussed with legal counsel the status of an investigation into Azaiez. The board deliberated for approximately three hours but made no decision.
On Jan. 6, the board approved a recommendation from a monitor with the Texas Education Agency to place Azaiez on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation of a protective order filed against him on July 30 in Travis County. The order expired on Dec. 15, according to county records. No charges have been filed against Azaiez.
Daniel Presley, the district's senior chief of schools and innovation, was named acting superintendent.
Azaiez previously served as superintendent in the Donna school district in South Texas and was hired by Round Rock in June. Also that month, he was named the Region One Superintendent of the Year for 2021.
Round Rock district officials on Friday said about 180 students across the district walked out of classes on Thursday to protest for for stronger COVID-19 protections at schools. Officials said the secondary students who left school will receive unexcused absences.
A petition that organizers said had received more than 1,700 signatures from high school and middle school students called for the district to tighten mask requirements, resume contact tracing in secondary schools, add more COVID-19 testing sites and expand outdoor eating — or offer a virtual learning option.
The district, which has an enrollment of more than 46,000 students, has reported 5,699 COVID-19 cases since the spring semester began two weeks ago, according to its COVID-19 dashboard on Thursday.
For about 30 minutes on Thursday night, several students spoke up virtually or in-person during the school board’s meeting to urge officials to tighten COVID-19 protocols.
The protocols were not on the agenda for the meeting so trustees were not allowed to comment on the matter.
During the public comment section of the board meeting, many students expressed their fear of getting sick, their worry for their teachers and said they believe the district is not doing enough to keep students, teachers and staff safe.
MORE: Round Rock High School students walk out to plead for stricter COVID-19 protocols
Petition and walkout organizers Tiernne Pitts and Elianna Smith expressed concerns that teachers are under great pressure due to staff shortages and that immunocompromised students and family members are being put at risk.
Eleanor Sultan, a senior at Round Rock High School said she is immunocompromised and worries for her fellow classmates and their families.
“The last thing I want is for another 5-year-old child to experience a gut-wrenching fear of mortality,” she said. “Additionally, the children being exposed to COVID are giving it to their grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and many others.”
MORE: Number of patients hospitalized for COVID in Austin area eases to 700 from pandemic high
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Round Rock trustees begin discussions on naming interim superintendent
