SAN ANTONIO — UPDATE – The mother who was arrested at the Edgewood ISD board meeting, Maribel Gardea, has since been charged with criminal trespass, Disrupting a Meeting or Procession, and Resisiting Arrest.

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SAN ANTONIO — Tensions flared at an Edgewood Independent School District board meeting as a parent was escorted out in handcuffs, highlighting growing frustrations among parents who feel the district is not addressing their concerns.

The incident occurred when a parent refused to sit down after her allotted speaking time expired. An Edgewood ISD police officer escorted her from the meeting, leading her to the Edgewood ISD Police Department. Concerned parents followed, as they continue to demand changes in the district.

Agapita Jaramillo, a retired Edgewood employee of 14 years, expressed dissatisfaction with the district’s performance. “Our district has a decrease in enrollment, has a decrease in attendance, and we have a rate of D, and we’ve had that rating for five years, and that is unacceptable, because if we have fewer students, we should see some progress in our district, and we’re not seeing it,” she said.

Parents presented a petition calling for immediate action to restore transparency, safety, and partnership in schools. Jessica Rodriguez, a parent, noted the community’s unity, saying, “More than 120 signatures already, and that’s because we just started a couple weeks ago. But we really are coming together as a community.”

Concerns about the district’s lack of transparency and accountability were echoed by Dora Maldonado, another parent. “These kids aren’t getting the full services they’re supposed to, I know they’re trying their best, but you know, there has to be like a cutoff point to where they need to realize what’s going on at the bottom levels,” she said.

The Edgewood ISD superintendent acknowledged these concerns, stating, “At this moment everyone has signed up, because there are some things that we need to address, I’m not contesting that, there is space to grow.”

In a statement, the superintendent explained the removal of the parent, saying, “This evening, Edgewood ISD Police escorted a community member from the District Conference Center following a disruption during the school board meeting. The individual’s actions were not in alignment with the EISD Board Operating Procedures and Code of Ethics, necessitating their removal. Edgewood ISD is committed to fostering a respectful and inclusive environment where all voices can be heard. We value community engagement and uphold the importance of civil discourse. To ensure productive dialogue, we ask all participants to adhere to the established procedures and decorum that guide our board meetings.

Parents have vowed to continue attending meetings to push for change.