Round Rock ISD principal placed on administrative leave following discrimination allegations

ROUND ROCK, Texas - The principal of Early College High School is under fire.

Veronica Coss has been placed on administrative leave over reports of discrimination. 

Former staff member Stephanie Martin stood in front of the Round Rock ISD board members last week detailing the harassment and disparaging comments she said Coss has made toward students. “The following are things I personally heard her say If I shared everything it would take a longer time than I am allotted here,” Martin said. “Immigrants don’t teach their kids how to behave, we need to ween 504 children off their accommodations, ADHD kids just need to exercise.”
 
Martin's speech empowered Evelyn Nevarez who as a former administrative assistant said she made several formal complaints to the district which were not addressed. "I'm looking at the video and I'm like oh my god finally somebody else came forward,” Nevarez said. "I followed the proper channels I sent emails to her higher-ups just to explain some of the concerns that I had."
 
Nevarez said she couldn’t work with Coss any longer and quit.

Wednesday night, parents held a meeting with students and community members like Nevarez to share their stories. 
 
Jefferson Reynolds, an ECH Senior came to an RRISD board meeting Thursday to share his story.

He said the Black Student Union received a lot of pushback from Coss before the organization was created.

"I don't think she is suitable for any school anyone else like her needs to be removed because biases like this is not acceptable or not acceptable to any race gender or what else you identify as," Reynolds said. “We told her she needed to be informed about black issues and black culture in general and she responded that we need to learn her culture first before she does anything which is a very ignorant statement for a leader of a school."
 
The Round Rock school district released a statement that says, in part:  

Reynolds is pleased with the district’s decision to investigate Coss but hopes she will not return to RRISD. "This week has been a lot of steps forward and I feel like if we continue this momentum we might save another school from this type of situation," Reynolds said.