Reconsider the Appointment of Adrian Bustillos as SAISD Superintendent

The San Antonio Independent School District's own criteria for its next superintendent could not be clearer: the Board of Trustees called for a leader defined by transparency, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to every student. Adrian Bustillos does not meet that standard.
In 2017, the State Board for Educator Certification placed Bustillos's educator certificate on probation following findings tied to one of the most serious academic integrity scandals in Texas history, a scheme in which administrators deliberately manipulated student records, blocked children from taking required exams, and falsified graduation statistics to game accountability ratings. Bustillos signed an agreed disciplinary order with the state. These were not allegations; they were administrative findings that resulted in formal discipline.
The Board told us the next superintendent must operate with "openness and integrity as a matter of principle." Appointing a candidate who has been formally disciplined for conduct that undermined public accountability directly contradicts that standard. While individuals can learn from past mistakes, the position of superintendent demands the highest level of public trust. When the state itself has formally disciplined a candidate for conduct related to academic integrity, the burden rests on that candidate to demonstrate why that history should not disqualify them from leading a district facing intense state scrutiny.
SAISD currently faces the threat of a state takeover, the same consequence EPISD faced after its cheating scandal became public. We cannot afford to gamble our district's future on a leader whose past raises legitimate questions about whether accountability outcomes can be trusted.
Some will argue that Bustillos's record of innovation makes him the right fit for SAISD, which operates more than 42 choice schools and programs, the most of any district in San Antonio. But that argument deserves serious scrutiny. In 2022, 63% of SAISD campuses earned an A or B rating, yet district officials have acknowledged that many of those high-performing seats are concentrated in 1882 partnership and choice schools rather than in traditional neighborhood campuses, where many of SAISD's most underserved students remain enrolled. Innovation has not lifted all students; instead, it has created a two-tiered system in which choice campuses thrive while traditional schools continue to lag. SAISD does not need more choice schools right now. It needs accountability, honesty, and a leader focused on ensuring that every neighborhood campus has the resources, support, and academic success necessary to allow traditional schools to flourish.
When the Board set integrity as a core requirement for this role, a formal state disciplinary record should have been disqualifying. We urge the Board of Trustees to reconsider this appointment. Our students deserve a superintendent they can trust, and so does this community.