The Gonzales ISD School Board met for their regularly scheduled meeting Monday, Jan. 13 the GISD administration building.
The meeting kicked off with public comments with a Gonzales ISD parent informing the board about an incident with an opposing junior high team player throwing a chair during the Gonzales Apaches B team basketball game.
“During the B team game, a chair was thrown towards the stands by a Miller player. He proceeded to yell and cuss at the coaches and referees, then stormed out of the gym. That same player sat in the stands during the Aa team game, yelling at the players the whole time,” Renee Rathmann said.
Rathmann added that another player spit on a Gonzales player when they were congratulating them after the game.
“Miller and Goodnight, who our boys play this week on their home turf, have given us multiple problems since last year. And this year, in both football and basketball, our junior high cheerleaders aren't allowed to travel to these schools to cheer on our boys due to how they have been treated and spoken to,” Rathmann said.
Rathmann added she looked into the UIL rules and Texas Way Sportsmanship initiative other schools are participating in and how the district picks schools that they are playing.
“I believe between the physical abuse of the Miller players and the verbal abuse from people in the stands, it took a toll on our players. As a 40-year-old woman, I kept my phone recording until we made it safely to my truck because we weren't sure how things would go after the game. Our boys and girls deserve better. They should be able to enjoy the game they love and dedicate so much time to. We need to do better for them,” Rathmann said.
Acting Superintendent Amanda Smith was aware of the incident that happened at the junior high game and the district is taking the situation seriously.
Smith said the incident came at a convenient time with new security cameras having been installed in the junior high gym so the district police could review the footage of the incident.
“There were several police officers, campus administrators, myself, some of our coaching staff. And I just want to share that the GISD staff and students who were at the event handled themselves appropriately. They handled themselves with integrity when otherwise, other people in that situation may not have, given the nature of it.” Smith said.
Smith said it is the referees’ responsibility to make sure the game is conducted in accordance with UIL rules. The district has been in contact with San Marcos Consolidated ISD about the incident, Smith said, and they have also taken the incident very seriously, though the exact response taken by the other district cannot be shared due to FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act).
“For the remainder of the season, at GISD, we are going to double up on administrative presence and police officer presence at events so that we are as prepared as possible to handle anything should this come up. But we were very thankful that we have those security cameras in place,” Smith said.
The board approved the following agenda items:
– approved the Juvenile Justice &Truancy Prevention Grant Program Resolution
– approved Approve the Annual Financial & Compliance Report for Fiscal Year Ended August 31, 2024 and the Engagement Letter from Singleton, Clark, & Company, PC for the 2025 Fiscal Year Audit.
– approved Board Policy CW (Local)
– approved Renaming the GHS Competition Gym after Vic Salazar (the district was clarifying a previous motion by the board).
– approved Memorandum of Understanding with the College of Education at Texas State University for Clinical Practice (Student Teaching or Internship)
– approved the Order and Notice of Election for Gonzales ISD School Board, Districts 1 & 2
– approved to Grant Authority to the Superintendent to contract with Gonzales County Election Administrator for the May 3, 2025 Elections.
– approved Action on the GASB 54 Resolution
– approved the Annual Investment Report, Investment Policies, Investment Strategies, and Related Resolution