Mercedes ISD School Board Trustees approved a consolidation plan to reduce the number of campuses during a heated Tuesday school board meeting.

The plan was approved during the same meeting that trustees were set to discuss the employment status of Mercedes ISD Superintendent Benjamin Clinton.

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Mercedes ISD parent Claudia Ledesma was at the meeting to voice concerns over the consolidation plan.

“I came just like everybody else to listen and to be heard, and nobody has heard me,” Ledesma said. “We have a lot of parents like me that are not for it.”

Ledesma's son attends Harrell Middle School. But following Tuesday’s vote, he will now be attending Chacon Middle School, along with about 860 other students.

The district’s consolidation plan will cut the number of campuses from 10 to eight. The district says the decision is due to a drop in enrollment of over 700 students in the past six years that’s led to less funding.

Under the plan, Harrell Middle School will become an elementary school, and students will no longer be attending classes at Zachary Taylor and John F. Kennedy elementary schools.

As of Tuesday, staff members have not been laid off or reassigned, and the district said they don’t know yet what will become of those two schools.

Mercedes ISD School Board Member Nancy Vallejo voted against the consolidation plan.

“I believe there is more that the board could have done when it came to financial responsibilities and cost savings,” Vallejo said.

Superintendent Benjamin Clinton was supposed to present the consolidation plan to the board, but he was not in attendance following his Friday arrest on a driving while intoxicated charge.

A criminal complaint obtained by Channel 5 News said Clinton was pulled over in Los Fresnos, and reportedly smelled of alcohol and had red and glossy eyes.

The criminal complaint said empty bottles of alcohol were found in his vehicle.

“I don't think it's right what he did as him being the superintendent, he should set an example for kids,” Gonzalo Silva said.

Clinton issued a public apology regarding his arrest on Tuesday.

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Other Mercedes ISD community members reacted to Clinton’s arrest.

“It's unexpected, but everybody makes mistakes, and hopefully he can get some help,” Jose Herrera said.

On the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting is a closed session discussion of Clinton’s employment status, and the possible selection of an interim superintendent.

By the time this story aired late Tuesday night, Mercedes ISD school board members were still in closed session.

Channel 5 News is at the school board meeting, and will provide updates once they become available. 

UPDATE: Shortly before midnight on Wednesday, May 21, the Mercedes ISD School Board voted to place superintendent Benjamin Clinton on leave with pay. Former Harlingen CISD Superintendent Alice Noyola was selected by the board to serve as interim superintendent.