Some Amarillo ISD voters are continuing to ask for transparency ahead of tonight’s school board meeting.
The Parents for Transparency Coalition is a newly formed Facebook page. They said they want a full, external investigation after the resignation of former Amarillo High Volleyball coach Kori Clements, early this year.
RELATED: Amarillo High Head Volleyball Coach Clements on Paid Leave Following Resignation Letter
Concerned AISD parent Tom Tortoreo said it is not about getting anyone fired or forcing anyone to resign. Instead, he said their goal is to petition Amarillo ISD into conducting an independent, external investigation into the circumstances that led to Clements’ departure.
Clements announced her resignation amid alleged parental pressure back in January and was placed on paid leave. Tortoreo said parents just want to know why, and how to stop it from happening again.
RELATED: AISD School Board Accepts Coach Clements’s Resignation
“The firing of Coach Clements is just a symptom and just the tip of the iceberg. So that’s why we believe it’s very, very important that this investigation get conducted from an outside source, and it’s not just about the actual firing itself, but the circumstances leading up to that firing,” Tortoreo said.
Some concerned citizens have tried to force a solution by filing a complaint with the Texas Education Agency, however, the TEA said it is a local employment issue and therefore does not fall under its jurisdiction.
RELATED: TEA Complaint Filed Against AISD Regarding Handling of Fmr. AHS Head Volleyball Coach Resignation
Tortoreo and other concerned parents with The Parents for Transparency Coalition are encouraging attendance at tonight’s school board meeting. On the Facebook page, they are calling it “Stand Up for Transparency”.
“We just want to know what happened, and then if something bad did happen, you know, we live in one of the most forgiving and loving communities in this country. If someone made a mistake, get some training. Let’s fix it. Let’s change the way the protocol works so this could never happen again,” Tortoreo said.
RELATED: TEA Responds to Complaint Against Amarillo ISD School Board
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. and we will live stream the public comment section on this page.
Tortoreo also claims he and other concerned citizens have received letters in the mail they consider intimidating as a result of their push for transparency.
We have reached out to AISD for a response on today’s comments from Tortoreo but we have not heard back.
The district previously told us in part regarding the Clements matter, there are generally two differing viewpoints, and they do not comment on personnel matters.
