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The four-year saga of former Arlington Heights assistant principal Joe Palazzolo looks to be coming to an end. A jury could reach a verdict as soon as Wednesday in the trial of his whistleblower suit against the Fort Worth school district. In 2010 Palazzolo reported a litany of wrongdoings at the school. He was summarily fired and has been in and out of courthouses and hearing rooms ever since.

In a Wise County courtroom, Victoria Neave and Mark Scott have aired some of the district’s dirty laundry.  School board member Ann Sutherland testified that some information was withheld from the board while it discussed Palazzolo’s fate — including the existence of about 80 letters from teachers supporting him. Sutherland also reluctantly admitted that she believes he was fired as an act of retaliation.

Michael Menchaca, head of the district’s Office of Professional Standards, hasn’t fared well — several witnesses have portrayed him as a villainous figure. Sharon Herrera, the district’s former diversity representative, testified that Menchaca once instructed her to falsify documents. Fort Worth Police Detective Brent Halford, who investigated the theft of laptops and other equipment from Heights, revealed that Menchaca fingered Palazzolo as a suspect in the burglaries –– several months after a suspect had confessed to the crimes and after Palazzolo had turned information over to the Texas Education Agency.

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Retaliation has been a reoccurring theme. Herrera, Heights teacher/coach Chad Whitt, and other teachers all admitted they were terrified to testify, fearing they would lose their jobs. Almost every educator who testified broke down in tears at some point.

Defense attorneys, meanwhile, called a former teacher, two former counselors, and a former Heights vice principal to the stand. They all testified that Palazzolo was a bully and a divisive figure at the school, someone they believed should not be allowed around children.

On the witness stand, Kerwin Cormier, the assistant principal at Heights in charge of attendance, called Palazzolo “the most inherently evil person” she’d ever met.

Stay tuned.

 

Free At Last

A Tarrant County family court judge has dismissed an attempt by the Texas Attorney General’s Office to collect more than $20,000 in unpaid child support from the Rev. Kyev Tatum. Tatum said he didn’t owe the money because his ex-wife signed an affidavit saying she didn’t need it.

A spokeswoman for the AG’s office said child-support workers were acting at the behest of his ex-wife.

But now, Janece Rolfe said, “She has chosen to close the case, and we are complying with her wishes.”

12 COMMENTS

  1. Looks like its time to clean house again at FWISD! Joe is vindicated! Verdict in his favor pay up! As a taxpayer I am babboozled again first by Melody and her minions and now Dansby! Will we ever learn?

  2. http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/03/25/5680746/fort-worth-school-trustees-consider.html

    “Called a former teacher, two former counselors, and a former Heights vice principal to the stand. They all testified that Palazzolo was a bully and a divisive figure at the school, someone they believed should not be allowed around children.” HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!! The operative word here is “FORMER” And FWISD thought these folks would be credible??? And Cormier…what a joke! She WAS the reason the attendance fraud existed and championed by Alexander! A jury has proven that FWISD and most of its board members, past and present, are corrupt as the day is long! IT’S OUT NOW FWISD!!! WE TOLD YOU THAT YOUR DAY WAS COMING AND THANK GOD IT DID! Congratulations Joe Palazzzolo!!! Your day in court was overdue, but you are now vindicated. I am sure that Betty Brinks is smiling in heaven! Thank you Eric for reporting the stories and picking up where Betty left off. I am also thankful that Dr. Sutherland FINALLY admitted that FWISD fired Joe as a form of retaliation. We have Johnson, Dansby, Needham, Reyna, Menchaca, etc., to thank for that. ALL of YOU will get your Karma in due time.

    Amazing that it took 4 years, a stupid assed greedy lawyer and two trials to bring out the truth. I find it humorous that The jerks at Telegram post a story today on how awesome Dansby is, and quoting of all people, Dansby’s corrupt muscles, Galvan and Ramos to show love for him! What a freaking joke and SO TRANSPARENT, on the heals of a long board meeting into the wee hours of the morning. YOU ARE DONE DANSBY!!!! Bow out and take your evil minions with you. The board is going to use you as a scapegoat and try to save face,,,you are toast! Your false promises to get you the job as Super were fluid, b/c our district is worse off! There was no integrity with Johnson…even more so when you came on board. You don’t give a damn about anyone but yourself and your retirement $. Time to pay the piper! Your ass is grass and Joe is the lawnmower! JUSTICE PREVAILED!!!

    • I love a good rant as much as anyone BUT who is going to pick up the baton to finally end the fraud and corruption within the FWISD administration and the school board? If this lawsuit calls the city fathers to task to become more involved in FWISD’s administration, all of us better put our houses on the market, pack our bags and get the hell out of River City. No major city can thrive with a public school system in tatters.

  3. Well, it looks like the school board is trying to buy some time regarding what to make of Coach Dansby. They met for a few hours last night and announced at 1AM that they’ll pick up the review of his contract later. Guess they have to see how much this lawsuit and the defamation will cost the district before they continue to make this guy one of the highest paid superintendents in the state–with one of the worst performing school districts in Texas. It’s probably hard to get much done when so many good people leave and so many incompetent administrators are busy covering up misconduct and abuses by their colleagues through intimidation and retaliation. FWISD has a bullying and failure problem–among administrators.

  4. Even the Startelgram noted that the number of FWISD schools rated “low performing” has jumped in one year from 25 to 38. The trial revealed the top four (4) administrators in FWISD starting with Dansby earn just over $1,000,000. Robbins proved through his own testimony under skillful cross by Joe’s attorney Victoria Neave that he is a liar and a boob. School Board minutes entered into evidence and testimony revealed Needham and Jackson were involved in unethical contract manipulation. And now as BB said, Joe moves on to the Defamation law suit.

  5. Victory for Palazzolo! Election is coming next year and search for a new superintendent. If Dansby stays as the super, the taxpayers have to pay the bills of his in incompetence for the next trial. Dansby and minions, you all need to start packing and filling the form 100. The embarrassment you have caused for the institution and the great city of Fort Worth will be incommensurable.

    Board members get your best excuse and resign your post. I think Fort Worth have honest and honorable citizens that could do a better job for children and FWISD workforce.

    We will be waiting for the trial recount. It will be a similar story of the mighty FWISD cartel. The Mexican and Colombian cartels might need learn from you.

  6. Don’t be surprised if the downtown mafia doesn’t double down and give Walter an extension and a raise instead of letting his contract run out and finding someone new. The board is so full of hubris, among other things, that even after $1.5 million wasted they’ll still appeal and count on this that they still believe they are in the right.

  7. Incredible waste of our school property taxes wasted on this series of lawsuits. Dansby and cohorts are a disgrace to Fort Worh and so is the Board if he is not terminated.

      • welcome. spread the news and share information. Ask questions and we can digg and find out. We have good sources that are helping. We shall change this district one way or another.

        Help support Sutherland who stood up for the truth. They are coming after her.

        • It is being done! Unfortunately, fear of retaliation and willful ignorance are the two greatest enemies. Marching forward!

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