Investigation ends with employee resignation

An allegation of an employee drinking on a school-sponsored trip was reported to Odessa High School Principal Anthony Garcia.

He assigned it to an assistant principal to investigate and the employee resigned during the investigation, according to information from Ector County ISD. The employee was Alyssa Garcia, daughter of Anthony Garcia.

The district says there is no further action to be taken as Alyssa Garcia resigned April 12.

The matter came up because of an anonymous letter sent to the Odessa American. It said the student council sponsor took the student council to a competition in Dallas and the employee drank in front of the students. Students took pictures and a video of the employee.

The employee admitted to drinking alcohol on the trip in front of her students and resigned.

The letter alleges that Garcia refused to report it to Human Resources, but he did not refuse, according to the district response.

There is an Educators Code of Ethics, and ECISD policy regarding conduct at a school or at school-sponsored events, the response stated.

Consuming alcohol on a school-sanctioned trip with students present is prohibited by ECISD policy.

This does not affect Anthony Garcia’s new job as an executive director of leadership, the district news release stated.