Ousted superintendent sues Socorro School District

Former Socorro School Superintendent Ron Hendrix is seeking $341,028.60 from the Socorro Consolidated School District, according to a letter sent by his attorney, Paul Melendres.

In the letter sent to School Board President Dave Hicks on Oct. 2, Melendres argues for the compensation.

The amount sought is the contract amount of $161,027.60, which includes the 3% raise and $600 a month for 25 years that Mr. Hendrix would have received if he had worked one additional year for retirement, according to the letter.

In addition to money he is seeking the continuation of his medical insurance until a new employment is found, a letter of recommendation and a confidentiality agreement.

“This letter is in response to Socorro Consolidated Schools’ (School) decision to fire Mr. Hendrix on July 1, 2024. To this date, the School has failed to provide Mr. Hendrix with any written documentation setting forth the reasons for his termination and the only verbal explanation that was given was that his employment contract was not signed,” Melendres wrote.

Under Factual Background in the letter, it states that Hendrix’s contract provided that he could only be terminated for cause.

“Mr. Hendrix had received positive reviews from the board and during the January of 2024, the parties discussed and agreed to a contract extension for the 2024/2025 school year. The School Board voted to extend Mr. Hendrix’s employment contract by one year at its January 25, 2024 meeting and Mr. Hendrix agreed to accept the position.” Melendres wrote.

In May of 2024 Hendrix was given and identical employment contract to his previous one, “The formality of signing the contract, as had been done in the past, was to occur in June of 2024. Regardless of an actual signature, the parties had a binding agreement.”

Melendres wrote that Hendrix was out of the country when he was informed he would no longer be the superintendent of the school.

He claims Hendrix relied on the promise which caused him to make material changes to his life to stay in the position and forgo seeking other employment.

“When boards make a unanimous vote to extend a contract, they shouldn’t just be able to take that away without any kind of cause,” Hendrix said, in response to a request for a comment on the matter.