Looks Like Dallas Independent School District Needs a New Chief Technology Officer

Patricia Viramontes has long been one of Dallas Independent School District's more controversial figures, dating back to at least September 2007, when district officials concluded that, yes, maybe the DISD's executive director of instructional technology services shouldn't be reporting to her husband after all, nepotism policies being what they are. Because, for those who haven't been playing along (no, not you, Allen Gwinn), Patricia's husband is Arnold Viramontes, Superintendent Michael Hinojosa's chief of staff -- who, till last year, was the DISD's chief technology officer and the man charged with cleaning up the unholy mess left by Ruben Bohuchot, who, last we looked, was being sentenced to 11 years in the hoosegow.

To the drama surrounding that position, add this latest chapter: Unfair Park (and Tawnell Hobbs and Allen Gwinn) has learned that earlier today, Patricia Viramontes was locked out of her computer and told to clean out her office. She was then escorted out by DISD security officers. As Tawnell and several Friends of Unfair Park have pointed out, IT didn't fare well in the 2008-2009 audit, with information technology among "three material weaknesses cited by auditors," as the DISD put it in its press release last month.

Unfair Park left a message for and sent an e-mail to Jon Dahlander, DISD spokesman, two hours ago. Then we called the superintendent's office, and we were told ... to talk to Dahlander.

"This is a personnel matter, and I can't discuss it," Dahlander said when reached by Unfair Park moments ago. That guy has the toughest job in Dallas.