Letter by Jesus Pedraza asking for support after being removed from his work as principal at South Bend schools

I’ve dedicated myself to McKinley Elementary and the families we serve, not just as an administrator, but as a part of the community. I’ve worked to ensure that our children, especially those who come from Spanish-speaking and underserved families, have the same opportunities as everyone else. I have always been present—greeting parents at car riders, making sure our kids get to and from school safely, meeting with families personally to address their concerns, translating for teachers and families, and working with students who are struggling with behavior, helping them find their way with respect and care. This is more than a job to me; it’s a responsibility to the community I’ve helped build.

I advocated for the support McKinley deserved. As the Dual Language Immersion English/Spanish (DLI) principal, I was overseeing nearly 450 students, without an assistant principal or full-time dean of students to help manage the school’s day-to-day needs. Despite this, I asked for more support, not for myself, but for my staff and students, because they needed it. Other schools with fewer students and fewer challenges had more resources. Yet, I was expected to do more with less. When I pushed for what was fair and necessary, I became a target.

It wasn’t just me that was affected—our families, our staff, and our students felt the impact of this lack of support. When it was announced that McKinley would be merging with Edison, my contract was nonrenewed under the claim that McKinley would no longer need a principal. But that wasn’t true. The administration had plans to move all Pre-K to McKinley, which would still require a principal. Their decision wasn’t based on logic or need—it was based on their own motivations to remove me. It was only because the community and a couple of board members spoke up at the board meeting that I wasn’t pushed out then and there.

After that, I was told I would be the K-5 principal at Edison, while Mr. Dillon would be the 6-8 principal and Mr. Lee would be the vice principal for K-8th. The administration assured me, in writing, that I would continue in a principal role. But as the school year was about to start, they suddenly reversed their decision, telling me I would no longer be a principal, but a vice principal instead. I have emails proving that they initially promised me a principal position. Administration stated that it according to state rules that there could only be one principal.  I called the state to find out that this is not true at all.  This wasn’t a misunderstanding—this was part of a larger plan to diminish my role, despite my 20 years of service and dedication.

When families came to the board meeting to express their concerns, a staff member brought up the newsletters that hadn’t gone out. The principal of the building had volunteered to take the beginning of the year newsletters to the administration building for them to get mailed out.  However, we found out later that the newsletters were never sent out because they had me listed as principal.  The next morning I met with the other principal and asked him why the newsletters did not go out,  he just looked at the ground and shook his head.   I then asked him if someone above him had asked him not to send them out.  He looked down and didn’t respond. He filed a complaint with HR.     

In response, the administration put me on administrative leave until further investigation.   The facts are clear: I was removed because I stood up for what was right for my school and my community, not because I did anything wrong. They’ve been trying to push me out for years, and now they’ve found an excuse to make it happen. These allegations are baseless, and the truth is, I’ve done nothing but serve this community with everything I have.

I appealed to the school board because this decision is not just about me—it’s about the families who trust me, the students who need me, and the staff who rely on me for leadership and support. Moving me downtown is not the answer.  I’ve been fighting for justice and equality for our students from day one, and I’m not going to stop now.

What I am noticing is a pattern of discrimination.  I want stay in my position as principal of Edison where I can continue to serve my community, to be with the families, the teachers, and the students who need me most. We have many families that are here due to turmoil in their countries yet when they come to Edison they have a sense of community.  Together, we’ve built something powerful at this school—a place where every child feels valued, where every family feels heard, a community and culture were all students can learn in a safe and welcoming environment no matter the color of their skin or where they come from.  

Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.  My cell phone is 574-532-6324.