Education

Texas Principal Suspended For Linking To Christian Website Has Been Reinstated

Chuck Ross Investigative Reporter
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The principal of a Katy, Texas, junior high school was recently placed on administrative leave all because — according to parents of students at the school — she posted a link to a Christian website article in a school e-newsletter.

Seven Lakes Junior High School principal Imelda Medrano was actually reinstated to her position on Friday, but administrators at the suburban Houston school district have remained tight-lipped about why she was abruptly placed under administrative review and removed from her post last week.

According to the Houston Chronicle, parents surmised that Medrano came under scrutiny because she linked to an article titled “9 Most Dangerous Apps For Kids” in a Jan. 9 e-newsletter sent to parents.

The article, which draws awareness to how sexual predators use web apps such as Snapchat and Tinder to target children, was published on the Christian parenting website, Crosswalk.com.

“Sexual predators can target your children even when your child is in the room down the hall,” the article warned. “And sexual predators aren’t the only problem. Cyber-bullying and exposures to sexually inappropriate content are additional concerns.”

But the site was apparently too extreme for the school district, which sent a follow-up email to Medrano’s e-newsletter asking parents to disregard the article.

“On Friday, January 9, you may have received an eNews containing an article titled ‘9 Most Dangerous Apps for Kids’ which was obtained from a website that had not undergone a thorough review and approval process for content distribution. Please disregard that article and content,” the email read, the Houston Chronicle reported.

The school district referred parents instead to an entry on the Katy Independent School District’s website about cyberstalking.

But days after that, the school district’s police department published a link to the article on social media, touting it as “great info for parents regarding Apps kids are using on their phones.”

The social media post has since been deleted.

Having received no answers for why the popular Medrano was suspended, Seven Lakes parents created a Facebook group supporting her.

“This is our second year at SLJH and our family has been more than happy by the way the school is being run by Dr Medrano,” wrote one parent, Ethel Diaz. “We always have received a smile from her….we as a family want her back!”

Katy school district administrators announced on Friday that Medrano was being reinstated, though no further details were provided about the suspension.

“Following an administrative review, I am pleased to share that effective Thursday afternoon, January 22, 2015, Dr. Medrano was reinstated as principal at SLJH,” Katy Independent School District Superintendent Alton Frailey wrote in an email.

He said Medrano will be back to work Tuesday.

“I appointed Dr. Medrano to open SLJH in 2012 and since then, she has demonstrated successful leadership capacity at the school,” Frailey continued. “She has my full support and confidence as she continues as principal at SLJH.”

Neither Medrano nor Frailey responded to The Daily Caller’s request for comment.

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