A further response to the Odessa American’s request for information on Buice Elementary Principal Jim Workman being placed on leave and reinstated offers a few more details.
In a news release issued March 8, the district said Workman was reinstated upon completion of an investigation.
He was placed on administrative leave pending an investigation of an incident March 3.
The newspaper requested notes on the investigation, the identity of those who conducted the investigation, a narrative of the incident that prompted Workman to be placed on administrative leave and why he was reinstated.
Child Protective Services, ECISD Police and ECISD Human Resources were all involved in the investigation and cleared Workman.
The firm of Atkins, Hollmann, Jones, Peacock, Lewis & Lyon, represents ECISD. Attorney Tatiana Dennis wrote to Paxton requesting that certain reports, records and working papers be withheld.
In an April 6 letter to Attorney General Ken Paxton, attorney Tatiana Dennis included a copy of a report prepared by an ECISD police officer during an investigation into an alleged assault between an educator and an elementary student.
“Mr. Workman, the principal at Buice Elementary school, was a suspect being investigated in relation to an allegation of an assault on a student at that campus. As part of her investigation Officer Hernandez interviewed several witnesses. She also reviewed witness statements gathered by the Human Resources Department as well as from the campus,” the letter said.
Hernandez also was present during the interview of the student — “the alleged victim by a CPS investigator.”
“As a result of this investigation, Officer Hernandez did not find sufficient evidence of any wrongdoing by Mr. Workman and determined no assault or criminal offense occurred,” the letter says.
