Harlingen resignation agreement paying Gonzalez $264,262

J.A. Gonzalez

HARLINGEN — Following his stunning resignation earlier this month, the Harlingen school district’s paying former Superintendent J.A. Gonzalez about $264,262 as part of an agreement.

A year after taking office, Gonzalez and the school board entered into a resignation agreement Sept. 3, five months after his job evaluation landed him a one-year extension on his three-year contract and a $10,000 pay increase, bumping his salary to $310,000.

“By accepting his resignation, the district is no longer obligated to pay the final two years of this contract,” Marcy Martinez, the district’s spokeswoman, said in a news release. “The former superintendent had a three-year contract that if paid in full would have exceeded $1 million. The board believes entering into that agreement was and still is in the best interest of our students, staff and community. The agreement ensures fiscal responsibility amid a challenging financial environment.”

Late Wednesday afternoon, the district released the resignation agreement’s details as a result of the Valley’s Morning Star’s request filed under the Texas Public Information Act.

Under the agreement, the district paid Gonzalez $250,780 based on his contract’s salary and benefits along with $13,482, stemming from 10 days of unused leave.

As part of the agreement, the district agreed to give Gonzalez a “neutral letter of reference to include positive statements as contained in Gonzalez’s most recent evaluation” while also agreeing “to remove any negative documentation regarding Gonzalez’s separation of employment from his personnel file and to keep those documents in a separate file.”

The agreement protects Gonzalez’s family members working for the district from “retaliatory actions.”

“The district agrees that no retaliatory actions will be taken against any family members of Dr. Gonzalez who are currently employed by the district,” the agreement states. “The district further agrees that these individuals will not be subject to any adverse employment actions as a result of Dr. Gonzalez’s resignation.”

The agreement calls on Gonzalez’s family members to refrain from making “disparaging remarks.”

“Family members that are advised are also subject to keeping this agreement confidential and not to make disparaging remarks regarding the district, its employees or trustees,” the agreement states. “The board of trustees and Gonzalez agree not to make negative and/or disparaging remarks concerning each other and Gonzalez’s separation of employment.”

Under the pact, Gonzalez agreed to help defend the district against complaints and legal actions.

“Gonzalez agrees to provide assistance to and cooperate with the district … in response to or in defense of any demand, claim, complaint, suit action or legal proceeding brought against the district, its trustees or agents arising from any acts or events alleged to have occurred during Gonzalez’s employment with the district,” the agreement states.

The agreement also prohibits Gonzalez from taking action against the district.

“Expressly, as part of the consideration of this agreement, Gonzalez does hereby … totally and completely, fully and finally, release, acquit and forever discharge the district … of and from any and all claims, actions, causes of action, demands, rights, damages … which Gonzalez had, has or which may hereafter accrue on amount of or in any way growing or arising out of Gonzalez’s employment relationship with the district,” the agreement states.

The agreement also prohibits Gonzalez from participating in claims against the district.

“Gonzalez further agrees to the fullest extent permitted by law to refrain from instituting, participating, unless court-ordered, prosecuting, pressing or in any way aiding in the institution or prosecution of any lawsuit, whether state of federal, claim, action, grievance, appeal or administrative proceeding against the district … for any claim or cause of action regarding, relating to or arising from any acts or events occurring before the date of execution of this agreement by employee,” the agreement states.

On Sept. 3, following a half-hour closed-door meeting, board members accepted Gonzalez’s resignation stemming from what board President Greg Powers described as a “sensitive personnel matter,” naming Deputy Superintendent Veronica Kortan interim superintendent.

The Harlingen school board on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, accepted the resignation of its superintendent and appointed an interim. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald)

Gonzalez’s tenure as superintendent marked the district’s shortest in decades, ending more than a year after former Superintendent Alicia Noyola’s resignation.

In July 2023, the school board selected Gonzalez following an “extensive” search after Noyola, who was drawing a salary of $263,619, announced her retirement after more than two years on the job.

After 27 years with the McAllen school district, Gonzalez said he was ready for his next challenge, following his mentor Arturo Cavazos, a former district superintendent who was drawing a $378,910 salary after seven years on the job.

In McAllen, Gonzalez had climbed the ranks from a science teacher’s job to assistant principal, then worked his way from a principal’s position to associate superintendent for instructional leadership before landing the superintendent’s job in 2016.

In 2020, the Texas Association of School Boards named him Superintendent of the Year.

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