Hanany's Hilarious Headache

Stop me if you've heard this one before, but there's a scandal at EPISD...

Batman had his alter ego / government name, which we all know is Bruce Wayne. So its funny to me that Trustee Leah Hanany uses the last name Wayne for another job at a school district that is 600 miles away from El Paso. I know, its her maiden name.

Come on, its funny. Millionaire who secretly moonlights as the Caped Crusader and a trustee who secretly moonlights as a communications coordinator for a school district that is 600 miles away from El Paso?

No?

Bueno. 

Well you can't blame anyone who questions if she's a very good communications professional based on how she's handling her own mess back home here in El Paso. Instead of dealing with the story with facts in order to minimize the damage, she hides behind an NDA when asked questions by the media about whether she works for one for he EPISD Superintendent finalists? 

And then for good measure, hires a lawyer to also basically say no comment. Hired a lawyer when she's not being accused of a crime. What the hell kind of screwball communications strategy is that?

Lawyers are great at practicing the law. Talking to the media? Not so much. 

Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure I know who suggested she get a lawyer and that particular one. 

But lets talk about something that is an important point that is particularly prevalent in the progressive movement. Bad behavior by people they like is overlooked or ignored. And, people that are in opposition to people they like are demonized, even if they are progressive, because they aren't their progressive. 

They'll do the same thing with Art Fierro selling out progressive values. They are already looking the other way. 

If something is wrong, its wrong even if you like the person. That doesn't magically make it right just because you like them or are on their side. You know who thinks that way?

Trump supporters. 

Hanany supporters are trying to minimize the fact that there is a very blatant conflict of interest. 

Lets lay out the timeline here. 

Hanany was elected in the May election cycle. You remember that election - thats the one were another candidate was endorsed, then unendorsed, in favor of Hanany. The one where everyone was acting like the CREEED candidates were the Cucuy himself! 

Shortly after she was elected, she left YISD and starting working communications at the school district 600 miles away from El Paso. 

I don't know if the hiring process for the superintendent happened before she went to work for that other school district or after, but Hanany campaigned on how important of a decision it was.

Was pushing for Hensen her movida from the start? Is that why he hired her? I have no idea. Neither do you. And its going to be a question people will ask. 

What we do know is that El Paso Federation of Teachers union boss Ross Moore says that Hanany has been pushing for Hensen as early has last summer. I can't begin to underscore how had that is. Here is the quote from Moore on the El Paso AFT Facebook page:

"Note: In the interest of transparency, Ms. Hanany asked me to consider supporting the Marlin ISD Superintendent last summer during a phone call. She did not use Mr. Henson’s name nor did she mention she was employed by him in the past and currently. Given the size of Marlin ISD, I just dismissed it as odd. After that conversation, Ms. Hanany broke off communications until this mess became public because I didn’t put the Federation on the Henson Band Wagon." - Ross Moore, El Paso AFT

Hanany has known that she was a subordinate of Hensen since she started working at Marlin ISD. 

She knew when she spoke to Ross Moore. 

She knew when they were narrowing down the list. 

She knew when he became a finalist. 

And she kept silent about it. 

Did she ever disclose that to her colleagues on the board? If so, when?

Her soliciting of support from the union demonstrates a systematic and sustained effort on her part to advance the candidacy of someone she's a subordinate to. No matter how you slice it, thats what it is. 

Hanany had plenty of opportunities to do the right thing - and she didn't. 

Is Hensen the best candidate? Is he a qualified candidate?

I don't know - but a this point, it doesn't matter because Hanany's involvement poisoned the process. 

And not disclosing that you are a subordinate to a candidate - and advocating on his behalf - is a betrayal of public trust no matter how much you try to spin it. 

That, quite frankly, is the real injustice in this process. The community (yet again) got screwed because they were robbed of a clean process. Now, whomever is selected, will forever have this selection process hanging over their head. 

One trustee - blew an entire process. 

And you can't scratch them all and start over either. What quality candidates would bother applying at this point?

This was an important decision for El Paso. Especially following two REALLY bad superintendents for El Paso's flagship district. It was the biggest campaign issue. The decision they make, and the superintendent they hire, will impact the community for generations to come. There is so much at stake. 

Think I'm overstating it? 

Well those aren't just my sentiments. 

Those are Leah Hanany's words - from her campaign website. Here's her quote from her website:

"...The decisions that we make, and the superintendent that we hire, will impact the community for generations to come. There is so much at stake.”

Indeed Trustee Hanany, indeed.