UISD Parents urge board member to step down amid assault allegation

LAREDO, Tx. (KGNS) - The investigation continues into the allegations of a USID Board Member arrested for an assault incident; however, parents of the district are speaking out about the matter.

During Thursday night’s UISD Board meeting, Victor Manuel Vasquez is one of several frustrated parents who spoke his mind saying, “Somebody gets arrested, they go to school functions and he’s here today too. Nothing happens.”

Vasquez along with Jose Ovando and many others have gone to UISD Board meetings and spoke out about the arrest of UISD Board Member Ricardo Rodriguez for allegedly assaulting a physician back in March.

“We’re not judging him, we’re not saying he’s guilty or innocent. Just while he handles his situation, I think the best thing for the school district, for our children is for him to step aside. While he gets his situation fixed. That’s what we’re asking for,” said Ovando.

In early May, Rodriguez’s Attorney Philip Del Rio told KGNS that his client had an underlying medical condition during the time of the alleged assault.

Although the investigation continues into the incident, Ovando and a number of UISD parents want the board to take action.

As a father of an elementary student, Ovando said it is important that the district sets standards.

“I tell her how important that we lead by example, I try to lead by example for my children. I am not only disappointed that the sole board member, it’s unfair to single him out. This is the whole board, the whole as a board there are not acting in the best interests of our children,” said Ovando. “That is not setting a good example because they are accepting something that is not accepted and we’re accepting it as it’s ok, and it’s not.”

KGNS News reached out to the UISD Board on why Rodriguez’s remains on the board, the trustee’s president Ramiro Veliz III said they have been advised on the matter.

At this point based on legal counsel there is really no course of action the board can take,” said Veliz. “There is no authority invested in us by the state that we can go and remove him from the board. That is something that us board members cannot do cannot initiate. There is nothing that is being other than it being handled as a personal matter.”

For now, Ovando and other parents say they will continue to voice their concerns to the district asF long as it takes.

“We as parents have a responsibility to and demand they act appropriately,” said Ovando.

Rodriguez’s attorney said they look forward to resolving this matter through the criminal justice system.

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