More than 600 teachers on H1-B visas were hired to work in the Garland school district during a 10-year period. In that time, the district says the former head of human resources, Victor Leos, pocketed fees and took numerous all-expenses paid recruiting trips to the Philippines.
District officials and a law firm working with the district revealed those findings Tuesday.
Alfonso Casares Tafur said he鈥檚 disappointed the district isn鈥檛 doing
鈥淭here is an injustice here,鈥� he said. 鈥淥thers made the mistakes. Others didn鈥檛 file our documentation in the right way and still we have to pay the consequences.鈥�
District officials allege the scheme by Leos was extensive. Some of the recruited teachers were told they could live in a rental house owned by his stepson, who was also a district employee.
The investigation also revealed Leos directed teachers to a law firm where his stepdaughter worked. She鈥檚 a convicted felon.
Leos has since retired.
Hector Flores, past national president of LULAC, said the teachers did everything they were told to do.
鈥淚 think there were promises made by employees of the district and even the lawyers of the district,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o they had high expectations that these were going to be completed and unfortunately, that didn鈥檛 happen. And they feel like they鈥檝e been defrauded.鈥�
The Garland school district is also looking at Leos鈥� former boss, associate superintendent Gary Reeves, who鈥檚 on paid administrative leave. It claims Reeves knew about some of the wrongdoing, but didn鈥檛 stop it.
Federal officials are now investigating the case.
