Waco ISD Superintendent Roland Hernandez’s actions are under the microscope, as well they should be, in the wake of last week’s revelations involving an Alta Vista Montessori Magnet School teacher allowed by administrators to continue teaching, even though they knew police were investigating allegations he repeatedly sexually assaulted a 5-year-old girl in his kindergarten/pre-K class.

The fact that Waco police and Child Protective Services officials advised the district against placing this teacher back in the classroom raises serious questions about the WISD administrative hierarchy in terms of communication, competency and common sense, questions these administrators, including Hernandez, must answer.

Closed doors

School board members also have some answering to do. Right after President Allen Sykes convened a special meeting at 3:15 p.m. Saturday, he announced the board would go behind closed doors to discuss the matter and might remain there two or three hours before emerging. This left some parents who came to comment and listen both confused and frustrated.

Although the board actually returned to open session briefly at 4 p.m., some parents had left. Those who remained sought assurances their children were safe and inquired what protocol would allow a teacher facing allegations of sexual assault to re-enter the classroom.

No doubt, board members learned plenty during the 13 hours they met behind closed doors Saturday and Sunday. Initial steps by the board seem sensible — forbidding any teacher to return to class if he or she is under investigation; that school board members sign off on such teachers returning to the classroom; that the hiring of international teachers (such as the accused in this case) stop until the board is satisfied with verification procedures for those teaching applicants’ backgrounds; and that Waco police, the CPS, the Advocacy Center for Crime Victims and Children and others help in setting protocol in such sensitive cases.

Kudos to board members David Schleicher and Pat Atkins for the leadership they’ve shown in all this.

Hernandez, now under evaluation for his actions, will in coming days likely be judging the ability of some of his own staff to make intelligent decisions safeguarding our children. It’s only right, then, that the school board conduct the same merciless scrutiny of him.