Edinburg CISD board clears up weather rumors, forms community advisory board, calls for stricter campus access rules

Editor’s Note: The Jan. 27, 2026 meeting of the ECISD School Board covered a large number of topics with many details. We have opted to write multiple stories about the meeting in order to provide as much detail and information as possible to our readers. This is the first story on that meeting.

Arnoldo Mata

Edinburg TX – Edinburg CISD trustees used Tuesday night’s board meeting to publicly clarify recent weather-related decisions, formally introduce a new Community Advisory Committee, and demand tighter enforcement of campus visitor protocols amid growing safety concerns.

Superintendent Dr. Mario Salinas addressed circulating claims that trustees had ordered the cancellation of student trips and school delays during recent severe weather.

“No board member called me to cancel anything,” Salinas said. “I made a decision on my own. We had been studying the storm since last week.”

Board President David Torres pressed the issue directly.

“So none, no board member told you to cancel the trip?” Torres asked.

“No,” Salinas replied. “No board member gave me any advice on anything regarding that.”

Salinas also clarified the decision to delay school start times, saying trustees asked questions but issued no directives.

“They asked me, ‘What are you going to do?’” Salinas said. “One of the things that concerned me was rain. Rain concerns me. It’s dangerous, especially when the anticipated temperatures are going to get to below freezing.”

Salinas said the final decision came after hearing from district officials and parents. There were also numerous claims on social media that criticized the districts actions.

“Dr. Garza called me at my house,” he said. “He told me he was getting phone calls about children in the colonia community waiting for prolonged periods of time in inclement weather. Together we concluded that it was probably best that we delayed.”

Trustees emphasized the clarification was necessary due to public misinformation.

“We don’t have that authority,” Torres said. “We have a superintendent of schools. He makes those decisions.”

Community Advisory Committee formally introduced

The board also formally introduced its newly created Community Advisory Committee, which will serve as a liaison between trustees and the public.

“As board president, I have the right to choose committees, and this is the first committee that I have assigned,” Torres said. “One of the roles we need you all to do is keep track of the pulse that’s out there in the community.”

Committee co-chair Jaime Solis told trustees the group intends to operate constructively.

“Our role here, at the end of the day, is to advise the board in a positive way,” Solis said. “We want to have great impacts on the decisions that need to be made by our administrators.”

Co-chair Edward Dimas echoed that sentiment.

“We’re always going to maintain a positive attitude,” Dimas said. “At the end of the day, we want a positive district outcome.”

Trustees demand stricter visitor protocols

Trustees also raised concerns about unauthorized or unapproved campus visits, including visits by public officials.

“As superintendent of schools, you should be aware of every single person that comes into our campuses,” Torres said. “Whether it’s a judge, a mayor, a commissioner, a council member—they need final approval through you.”

Torres said trustees often find out about visits after the fact.

“We’ll see it on social media, and then I get the call: ‘What is this person doing at that campus?’” he said. “And sometimes even the superintendent didn’t know they were there.”

Trustee Letti Flores suggested trustees themselves should be included.

“Tell the district to invite us everywhere,” Flores said. “If we want to go, we do. If we don’t, that’s okay,but at least we were invited.”

Salinas said written guidelines will be distributed to administrators to reinforce the rules.