Another Doozie Superintendent

You just can not make this stuff up.  When you hear stories like this it is not surprising that our SAU has been a revolving door when in comes to Superintendents.  I think someone needs to write a book on how to get rich quick.  Get a Ph.D. in Education, get a job in a school, screw up, get a big pay out, move on to another school district.  The taxpayers are none the wiser, most taxpayers and parents do not pay attention.  I believe there have been 7 superintendents in the past 9 years at our SAU.   The following piece appeared on the Albilene Reporter News website.

Cathy

Burns no longer BGISD superintendent candidate; APD still investigating after his arrest

Update: 

Heath Burns, former superintendent of the Abilene Independent School District, has withdrawn his candidacy for the position of superintendent at a school district in Central Texas, according to the firm that conducted the superintendent search for that school district.

 

It was reported earlier this month that Burns was the sole finalist for a the job at Blooming Grove ISD. He previously resigned from AISD after it was alleged that he interfered in police investigations of reported teacher-student sex cases.

 

"Blooming Grove ISD Board of Trustees and Dr. Heath Burns have reached mutual agreement for him to withdraw as the lone finalist for the BGISD superintendecy," said Russell Marshall,  president of Arrow Educational Services Inc., the firm in charge of the search. "We wish him and his family all the best as he pursues other interests."

 

Update:
Former AISD Superintendent Heath Burns responded via email late Thursday to a request for a comment from the Reporter-News.
He referred questions to his lawyers, and added, "Still, I do not believe I violated law in the Brown situation and I will not address the uniqueness of my medical situation at this time. I remain proud of our work in Abilene and anxious to see what Dr. Ude and her team accomplish next."
Original story: 

Heath Burns, former superintendent of the Abilene Independent School District, was arrested Thursday on a charge of possessing a controlled substance by fraud, according to a document filed in district court.

 

The document alleges that Burns obtained 3,400 hydrocodone pills from two different physicians from January to July 2014. The doctors reportedly told an investigator they were unaware that Burns had received prescription medication from both of them at the same time.

 

Burns turned himself in to the Taylor County Jail on Thursday, where he was arrested and booked. He was held there in lieu of a $5,000 bail, which was posted and he was released later in the day.

 

The investigation was conducted by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Abilene Police Chief Stan Standridge issued a statement after Burns’ arrest, saying The Abilene Police Department was aware of the DPS probe.

 

The APD is conducting its own criminal investigation of Burns, which could lead to several misdemeanor and felony charges, the statement said.

 

Earlier this month, police seized Burns’ cellphone and tablet in connection with allegations that he interfered in a teacher-student sex cases late last year and early this year. 

 

 Standridge said Burns failed to properly report knowledge of an alleged sexual relationship between former Abilene High School English teacher Breanne Brown and a 16-year-old male student. Burns, according to police, had knowledge of the alleged relationship on Dec. 30 but didn’t report it until Jan. 5, and during that time another sexual encounter between the teacher and student occurred.

 

Standridge had also accused Burns of impeding the execution of a search warrant investigating the actions of former Holland Medical High School Dean Michael Trook, who is accused of an having an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old student.

 

Burns denies both allegations, adding that his tenure over the five years he served as superintendent of AISD featured multiple successes academically and a construction bond approved by voters.

 

He resigned from AISD on Feb. 2.

 

As part of the resignation, the remaining time on Burns’s AISD contract was bought out in a lump sum of $407,500. On Thursday, Burns was the lone finalist for a superintendent position at Blooming Grove ISD. On Monday, the BGISD planned to “consider employment of superintendent of schools,” according to a meeting agenda on its website.

 

A Blooming Grove school official did not return a call Thursday asking if that status had changed.