UVALDE, Texas — Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Superintendent Hal Harrell will continue serving as superintendent through the rest of this year before retiring.
At Monday night's meeting the board authorized their law firm to begin searching for a new superintendent to replace Harrell while leaving him in his current position though the year.
Superintendent Hal Harell will retire once the board names a new replacement.
Harrell wrote a letter to school district staff members Friday indicating that he is considering retirement, saying he didn't want them to be surprised by the agenda item for Monday's meeting.
According to the district's website, Harrell graduated from Uvalde High School. He was previously voted in unanimously as the superintendent by the trustees.
After the Robb Elementary shooting, he and authorities who responded to the tragic shooting faced backlash at community meetings, with questions like, “How do you expect us to trust you?” asked Jesse Rizo, a resident who frequently attends these meetings.
The retirement also comes after the Friday announcement that Uvalde CISD has suspended the Uvalde CISD Police Department "for a period of time."
Decisions concerning the UCISD police department have been pending with the results of the Texas Police Chiefs Association and JPPI Investigation. Their recent developments have reportedly "uncovered additional concerns with department operations," hence the administrative leave orders and the suspension of the department.