DALLAS -- Within hours after news broke that its top internal investigator had filed a complaint with the state alleging hundreds of employee background checks may not have been properly performed, Dallas Independent School District Superintendent Mike Miles fired him.
Jeremy Liebbe, who headed the district's newly-created Professional Standards Office, had been on paid leave since July 17 for unspecified reasons. He was suspended shortly after completing a groundbreaking investigation that led to the firings of 15 DISD coaches and top athletics staff members for improperly recruiting student athletes.
Liebbe's investigation was spurred by WFAA reports that uncovered the recruiting violations.
He had also been investigating his boss, a human resources supervisor, for not disclosing an old misdemeanor conviction on her employment application. During that investigation, he discovered that potentially "several hundred" DISD employees may not have had proper background checks performed on them, according to an Aug. 26 complaint he filed with the Texas Education Agency.
A DISD spokesman earlier Friday declined to comment on Liebbe's allegations. TEA spokeswoman Debbie Ratcliffe said the agency's complaints management team was evaluating Liebbe's allegations before determining if an investigation is warranted.
"[Y]ou are being terminated because of the following specific reasons and conduct, all of which individually and collectively violate District policy. You were the recent subject of an investigation. The investigation substantiated allegations that you acted outside the scope of your role of Manager of the Professional Standards Office," wrote Carmen Darville, the chief of human capital management for the district, in a letter to Liebbe.
Liebbe wrote a letter to DISD trustees Sept. 3 outlining his frustrations with being on paid leave for weeks with no official word from the district as to the reason for his suspension or any updates on his status.
"Having concluded that there is a high likelihood that the administration elected to have me placed on administrative leave in retaliation for discovering and reporting to the superintendent suspected violations of state law and board policy by top executives in the District, and so as to conduct a railroaded investigation for the sole purpose of seeking any cause for my termination, I have filed a complaint with the Texas Education Agency," Liebbe wrote to trustees.
Late Friday, DISD posted this notice on its homepage:
Dallas ISD announced that it has released its lead investigator based on the findings of a month and a half-long review. The review, conducted by outside counsel, found multiple instances of poor behavior and decision-making, and violations of law and the Texas Education Code that warranted the termination of Jeremy Liebbe, who had managed the Professional Standards Office since March of 2014.
As a matter of practice, Dallas ISD does not comment on personnel issues.
"It is unfortunate that this matter has been made so public without the district being able to comment," said André Riley, director of news and information. "Because there has been considerable media and public attention, we believe it is important for the public to know the outcome of the investigation," said Riley. "That being said, to respect all involved, we will not discuss the details of the investigation or resulting action."
Liebbe could not be reached late Friday. His attorney, however, had harsh words for the district on behalf of his client, who is a former DISD police officer.
"We dispute that Mr. Liebbe violated any law and demand that we be immediately told of any such allegations," attorney Pete Schulte said. "The district's media statement is nothing but defamatory fiction clearly designed to try to mitigate any potential liability. DISD parents and taxpayers should be enraged."
Schulte added, "Mr. Liebbe is now reviewing his legal options moving forward."
