𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐒𝐂 𝐁𝐎𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑 𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐀 𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐙𝐀 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐓 𝐕. 𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐈𝐀?

 "Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely."  British Historian Lord Acton

Is Adela Garza Morphing Into Julieta V. Garcia?

With her old running buddy, Sylvia P. Atkinson, incarcerated until 2027, TSC Board Chair Adela Garza proceeds alone with her wanton power grab at Brownsville's historic Texas Southmost College.

Not since the days of UTRGV's Julieta V. Garcia have we seen such ruthless manipulation of an educational institution's Board of Trustees.

In Trump-like fashion Adela has thrown her friend of 40 years, Trustee Eva Alejandro, under the proverbial bus without a single word of explanation.

After four decades of close friendship with Eva Alejandro, Adela trashes that friendship by cultivating and now supporting a candidate to run against her for TSC Place 7, Dr. Norma Lopez-Harris.  To the power-hungry, control is the ultimate high.

Getting complete control of a board of trustees or city commission is the ultimate high for the power hungry, longtime friends and associates be damned!

Remember just a few years ago when Mayor Pat Ahumada referred to himself as Brownsville's "quarterback" and the commissioners as his "blocking lineman?"  Well, Adela is of the same ilk.  Only complete control satisfies her inner cravings.

Actually, according a local blogger, Adela is fortunate to not currently be sitting in an adjoining cell to her longtime friend Sylvia Atkinson.

As Juan Montoya reported 11/3/2020 in El Rrun Rrun:

During cross-examination, new details emerged about a related corruption case that involved Texas Southmost College Trustee Adela Garza. Prosecutors alleged that Garza and Atkinson schemed to profit from telehealth companies that wanted to do business with the Brownsville Independent School District and other local school districts. 

They created a company called "Sunshine Solutions" to launder the money, according to prosecutors. Late yesterday, Garza acknowledged Atkinson had named her as a participant in the scheme. 

OK, Sylvia took the fall for all that and is rightfully serving time for conspiracy, extortion and bribery.  In a recent court hearing, Atkinson is asking for a judge to "set aside" her sentence based on some "honest services" she once performed while saying her crime was mainly "bribery."

Just to illustrate, via a small incident, though, Adela Garza's obsession with control, we'll share our observation from Adela's wonderfully-arranged "Celebration of Life" for the departed Ruben Herrera. 

Early on, I noticed special seating arranged for the Garza Family, and stopped TSC President Jesus Roberto Rodriguez as he passed by my corner chair to ask about it:

"There's special seating for the Garza family, but what about the families of the other trustees?" I asked.

The TSC President laughed, adding:  "I'll check with Adela about that."

Less than half a minute later I saw Adela Garza moving toward me with a very strident, determined walk.

"Jim, that is not seating for my family but for the family of Hector Garza, Ruben's closest friend," Adela explained before turning around to go back to her seat.

I might have bought that explanation had Adela not gone immediately to that seat to rip off the "Garza Family" sign from the back.

A few minutes later, one of Adela's own daughters sat in that very seat clinching which Garza family for which the seats were intended.

Later, during the actual program, Hector Garza came to the stage, not from Adela's designated row, but from somewhere deep in the audience.

OK, it's not a big thing, but it's an indication of character.

Despite no longer being a believer, hundreds of scripture texts still roll around in my feeble brain from my inculcation decades ago.

"He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in that which is greater: and he that is unjust in that which is little, is unjust also in that which is greater." Saint Luke Chapter XVI, Verse X~Catholic Douay-Rheims Version

Jesus own words there seem to indicate that a person capable of manipulating seating for a funeral service could also manipulate those serving on a Board of Trustees to maintain control.

It's usually referred to as being power hungry.

Thinking rationally, which board is likely to better serve the school's interests; one where each board member makes an individual decision or a board controlled by a single overlord?