Pueblo High School principal Augustine Romero does not meet Arizona’s requirement to do his job according to the Arizona Department of Education certification portal. In Arizona, educators must hold a specific certification in order to act as principal, Romero currently holds no Arizona teaching certificate.
According to the Arizona Department of Education, Romero’s Standard Secondary Certificate and Principal Certificate expired on January 22, 2017.
Dr. Romero is under investigation in connection to a grade changing scandal at Pueblo involving student athletes. Reports indicate that Romero changed students’ grades. Only the teacher of record or the school board can change students’ grades under Arizona statute.
Romero first raised eyebrows during the District’s battle with the State of Arizona over the Mexican American Studies program when he bragged to a group of educators and social workers in Phoenix that his team would target hungry students, and in a vulnerable state, the students would be more receptive to his “barrio pedagogy.” It was during that presentation that he compared himself to Christ and lost many of his previous supporters.
Romero’s latest controversy involves the submission and acceptance of his resignation as principal. The TUSD Board voted to accept the resignation only to find out later, that Romero was claiming that he rescinded his resignation only moments before the Board’s vote. He is claiming, according to sources, that the Board should not have accepted the resignation.
Because Arizona’s statute requires a Principal Certificate, Romero’s resignation may have been unnecessary.
