TASA’s “Inspiring Leaders” tagline is not just a reminder of TASA’s commitment to leadership development; it describes our members themselves — school leaders who inspire others as they work to prepare future-ready students. Meet Eduardo Hernández, one of those Inspiring Leaders.
Two years ago, Dr. Eduardo Hernández became superintendent in Edgewood ISD, taking the helm amidst a period of turmoil in the district, involving a TEA investigation and high turnover rates in leadership positions. Since then, the changes he has made in the district have been immense and successful.
“We now have an amazing leader who supports us, grows us, pushes us and makes us think differently,” says Olga Moucoulis, executive director of industry and community partnerships in the district. “Personally, I have grown more in the last five months than I have in my entire career. That is what a true Inspiring Leader does.”
A child of immigrant parents, Hernández knows what it means to struggle and to overcome people’s expectations.
“My work is part of my personal ministry. I have been given a charge and a platform that I intend to use each day to fight inequity, a lack of education, and to combat any type of hate that may exist in our community,” he says. “My faith in people’s ability to rise out of their situation is the fountain that fuels my philosophy, as I grew up poor, too.” Edgewood ISD was the initial plaintiff in a historic court case that led to reforms in Texas’ public school funding that aimed to make funding more equal between school districts in rich and poor areas. For Hernández, the case serves as a defining moment in the district’s history.
“What makes me proud of our district is the rich history of social justice that exists in our neighborhoods and in our schools that is still part of the pride that is talked about each day,” he says. “Our people are living embodiments of the hard fought neighborhood social movements for equity and access that are epitomized in the landmark court case around financial equity that Edgewood ISD lead here in Texas.”
An inspiration in Edgewood and beyond, Hernández is proud to mentor other education leaders in the state. To him, it’s a way to thank his community, while helping to support its future.
“Mentorship is an opportunity to help build the future, and I am a living testament to the many people who poured into me so that the fight for upward social mobility could continue now and in the future. I mentor because it is my way of giving back to my community and helping build the future of education leadership.”
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