Special Edition: Wife of Brandeis. Teacher killed, speaks out

SAN ANTONIO – It has been more than three months since a Northside ISD employee was killed while doing his job.

School leaders said Alfred Jimenez, a teaching assistant at Brandeis High School, fell and hit his head while interacting with a student.

His wife, Margo Jimenez, said when she spoke with investigators, they confirmed he had been pushed by a student with special needs.

His death was ruled a homicide by the coroner. According to San Antonio police, this is a case of homicide.

Margo said she is now working to ensure this tragedy never happens again.

“If they think this is going to be swept under the rug, it’s not because they took away a big part of my life,” Jimenez said.

Alfred, better known to his students as Mr. Fred, was 73 when he died on February 17, 10 days after the incident. Margo said she was forced to make the heartbreaking decision after doctors said there was nothing else they could do to save him.

His birthday was just last week. Margo said every day is a new battle dealing with grief. She had just lost her son about five years ago.

“The day this happened to him, he was going to file his retirement paperwork, so we didn’t quite make it,” Margo said.

Mr. Fred worked in public education because he loved it, not because he had to. According to his wife, he had previously retired from a long, successful career in sales.

“He loved what he did, he loved those kids very much and he came home every day and told me how much he cared about those kids,” Margo said.

She never thought he would die doing a job he loved.

“I feel like I’m so lost without him,” Margo said.

She has been in contact with Melina Espiritu-Azocar since his death. She is the president of Northside AFT, the teachers union.

“No one should go to work and be afraid that they won’t come home the next day,” Espiritu-Azocar said.

She said Northside AFT has been pushing for improved training and safety protocols for special education classes since the incident. The club filed a complaint with the district in April.

“This is not an isolated incident,” Espiritu-Azocar said. “These are issues that occur across the district, on campus and at all grade levels.”

A Northside ISD spokesman said the district offered to meet to address the complaint. However, Espiritu-Azocar said it was difficult to nail down this meeting.

She said they would do their utmost to ensure their concerns were properly addressed. Meanwhile, Margo wonders how the investigation into her husband’s death will turn out.

“What are you waiting for? “Anyone else dying?” said Margo.

A spokesman for Northside ISD said they have been evaluating and evaluating special education programs and reaching out to staff across the district for input. They added that one of the areas assessed was training.

Once San Antonio police finish investigating the manslaughter case, they will refer the case to the district attorney, who will then decide whether to file charges.