The Texas Education Agency is reviewing misconduct claims by Trustee Michael Valdez against fellow Edgewood ISD board members.
SAN ANTONIO — Fresh allegations are intensifying a months-long feud inside the Edgewood Independent School District Board of Trustees.
Two weeks after the board issued a second round of sanctions against him, Trustee Michael Valdez emailed Texas education officials a detailed list of misconduct claims against fellow trustees and Board President Dr. James Hernandez.
Valdez sent KENS 5 a copy of a June 2023 police report which includes a screenshot of a late-night text message that he says supports his accusations.
Valdez told Edgewood ISD police in 2023 that the message, allegedly sent by Hernandez during a March 2023 board conference in Galveston, read: “Do you need someone to tuck you in? Lol.”
He said the text wasn’t a joke, but part of what he described as a pattern of harassment and unprofessional behavior.
In his email to state leaders and the Texas Education Agency, Valdez accused Hernandez of unwanted advances and physical contact and demanded sanctions. He also alleged misconduct by other trustees, including inappropriate remarks, threats and online posts. The TEA confirmed it is reviewing Valdez’s complaints to determine any next steps.
Hernandez denied the allegations in a statement to KENS 5, calling them “meritless” and accusing Valdez of resurfacing years-old claims after the board voted to sanction him again on September 8. Hernandez said Valdez was previously asked to provide evidence and to follow the board’s complaint procedures but did not. He noted that a third-party law firm had already investigated workplace complaints against Valdez, leading to an earlier sanction.
The board’s latest action passed 6–1. Valdez was stripped of all committee roles, barred from district-related travel, declared ineligible for board leadership through 2026 and ordered to complete ethics training.
Valdez maintains the punishment is retaliation for speaking out and says other trustees should face the same scrutiny. KENS 5 reached out to the other trustees named in the e-mail, but since our inquiry was sent after 5 p.m., we only heard back from Trustee Rudy Valdez who referred us to the district’s communication department for comment.
The Texas Education Agency said it will review the matter before deciding whether further action is warranted.