CTTO
PASADENA – Outrage is brewing in Pasadena as Councilman Emmanuel Guerrero alleges that scholarships he established using his allocated budget funds were cancelled by the city attorney without his knowledge. The cancellation has left two college-bound girls, who were promised the funds, devastated.
Guerrero expressed deep frustration, noting that while he could handle a personal setback, the impact on two young constituents in need was particularly egregious. “This move affecting two teenage girls in need puts it at an all-time low,” he said.
Recent Pasadena High School graduates Lauren Centeno and Ana Pineda, both high-achievers with outstanding grades and multiple skills, were initially thrilled to learn they had been awarded the scholarships. Centeno, aspiring to become a lawyer, and Pineda, aiming for a career in engineering, saw the scholarships as a vital boost for their future studies at Texas A&M University.
“I applied to many scholarships and most of them didn’t give it to me,” Centeno shared. Pineda echoed the sentiment, saying, “I’ve applied to many scholarships, unfortunately I didn’t get any of them.”
Their fortunes seemed to change at the June 4th city council meeting when Guerrero announced, “I’m honored to present the first District C Guerrero scholarships for the most economically disadvantaged high school, Pasadena High School.” The $500 scholarships were funded from Guerrero’s budget and had been approved by the payroll manager and the city attorney.
However, Guerrero discovered that just 20 minutes before a subsequent council meeting, which he could not attend, City Attorney Jay Dale had pulled the checks without explanation. Guerrero’s secretary was shocked to find the checks missing when she went to pick them up after the meeting.
Centeno and Pineda were equally stunned. “Everything was already in motion and they stopped it,” Centeno said. Pineda added, “It devastated me.”
In response, KPRC 2’s Deven Clarke contacted Dale to understand why these specific checks, out of an 11-page list, were pulled. Dale’s response was sharp: “The money that we spend at the city belongs to the citizens and somebody that thinks that they can start giving scholarships to private individuals has got a long road ahead. They don’t even know the basics, and it sounds like you don’t either.”
The conversation grew increasingly heated, with Dale becoming more aggressive. “You got half the story brother,” he said. When Clarke asked for the full story, Dale retorted, “I just did.” Clarke noted, “Sir you don’t have to yell,” to which Dale replied, “You’re yelling at me dude.” Clarke calmly responded, “Sir, my voice is actually pretty calm now.”
Guerrero believes Dale’s actions reflect longstanding inequalities against Latinos. He plans to raise awareness about the issue at the next council meeting and has promised Centeno and Pineda that they will receive their scholarships one way or another.
The controversy has highlighted tensions within the Pasadena city administration and has drawn attention to the broader issues of equity and support for disadvantaged students.
