Fort Worth Independent School District trustees named Dr. Karen Molinar as interim superintendent after former Superintendent Angélica Ramsey’s resignation two weeks ago.
Ramsey resigned from her position following parental and teacher outrage at her leadership over the past two years. Her time at Fort Worth ISD was marked by controversy, as many parents and teachers accused her of creating a toxic environment and failing Fort Worth students.
In the resignation agreement between Ramsey and the district, trustees agreed to pay her nearly $1 million until she officially leaves the Fort Worth ISD in August 2025. She will remain employed with Fort Worth ISD under the title of “Ambassador for Public Relations” but will be on leave until her final day with the district.
During the school board’s special meeting on Tuesday, a couple of residents questioned why trustees consented to pay her so much.
“I have a lot of ‘make it make sense’ questions,” said Amy Super. “The agreement states she [Ramsey] will now serve as ‘Ambassador of Public Relations’ for the district until August 30. So is she here? Is she gone? Did she stay or did she go?”
“So make it make sense for me, did we not read the contract from the get-go that you originally signed and asked for there to be goals in there so that you could fire her for actually not doing what she was supposed to be doing, or [for not meeting] the goals that you set for her? Was that what happened?” Super questioned. “Or did we not carefully review the resignation and the stipulations that came with it, which is why we’re having to write all of these big checks over the next year for someone who is no longer doing the job that they were hired to do?”
Resident David Hafer also criticized the leadership of the elected board members, citing Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker’s letter to the board discussing the failings of the district.
“It [the letter] criticized district leadership, resulting in the forced resignation of the superintendent, effective six days after that action, with no backup plan. And so I think that the mayor was also not just referring to the superintendent, but leadership broadly,” said Hafer. “I looked at that contract … it was a very one-sided exit contract, which frankly made me angry when I saw the total.”
After a nearly three-hour executive session, trustees unanimously voted to name Molinar as the interim superintendent while they search for a replacement for Ramsey.
Molinar has worked in Fort Worth ISD for nearly 26 years and has served as a deputy superintendent for the district since 2020.
“I’ve always been supportive of our campuses,” said Molinar Tuesday night. “Teachers, campus administrators, and our parents are our priority in our district. Student achievement, you will see, will be our priority going forward.”
Molinar also hinted at being interested in staying as the superintendent in the future.
“I will apply for the job if it’s open,” she said. “But I’m here to do the role as interim and support the district in the meantime.”
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