Plumbing 
Paul Wayne Moss
Paul “Wayne” Moss Jr., is used to multitasking. He said working hard is in his blood.
“I’ve had two jobs my whole life,” he said, referring to his routine of working multiple jobs at once throughout his extensive law enforcement career.
A career law enforcement officer, Moss simultaneously spent years teaching law enforcement to high schoolers in Crystal City ISD and in Del Rio. He believes the combined experiences, considering how intertwined policing and schools are today, would bring a unique perspective to Uvalde’s school board.
Moss is among seven candidates vying for one of three opening seats on the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District’s board. The four-year terms of Luis Fernandez, Rob Fowler, and Cal Lambert are expiring this year. The position is unpaid.
Moss wants to see that district policies align with procedures, that teachers and school cops are receiving quality training to navigate an emergency response, and that people, specifically teachers, feel heard moving forward.
Moss is competing with newcomers Erika Ayala-Muñoz, Jesus “Jesse” Rizo, and Jaclyn Gonzales as well as Lambert, Fernandez, and former board member Roland Sanchez.
He recently ran for the Pct. 1 county constable position but lost to UPD officer Max Dorflinger in the March 5 Republican primary. During a candidate forum for that seat, Moss said he works as a police captain in San Antonio during the week and a security officer in Austin on the weekends.
Security
Moss said he’s frustrated with the way school and law enforcement officers responded on May 24, 2022. He said the response points to deep security failures.
As a licensed officer with experience as an instructor, Moss said he sees a clear need to revamp training and protocols. If elected, Moss wants to examine what trainings staff and district police are participating in and how they can be improved.
He said he still doesn’t understand how officers responded the way they did during the Robb Elementary shooting and that he would have done differently. Moss added that he continually hears “don’t be like Uvalde” during active shooter trainings. He hopes to change the narrative by improving standards.
Supporting teachers
Moss spent 20 years teaching law enforcement classes to high schoolers in the region. Through that experience he was able to examine teaching and the school system from various angles. He said the main thing that stood out to him from that time was an overwhelming and ongoing need to better support teachers.
He said teachers today aren’t only underpaid but also don’t feel supported or appreciated. He said district administrations put up a lot of red tape that makes the day-to-day difficult for some teachers.
“Nobody took the job to get paid,” he said. “It was a calling.”
That said, teachers don’t make enough, he said. It was among the reasons he decided to leave the profession and why people today continue to do so.
“I don’t understand why teachers get paid so low,” he said, noting how important but undervalued the role is.
tough conversations
Ultimately, Moss said he plans to be open to questions and providing information to community members. He said lacking communication and letting promises fall through is where people begin to lose hope in the school system.
Moss said that if he were elected and someone were to criticize him or the board for their actions related to May 24, 2022, he would tell them that he wasn’t there at the time but would have done differently if he were. He said he would have risked his life were he at Robb that day.
He hopes to better support not only people directly affected by the shooting but also students, teachers and community members who are concerned about their safety.
Moss also commented on how many students in need of special services fall through the system. He hopes to foster an environment where students feel better supported and are less inclined to drop out.
About Moss
Moss, although born in Del Rio, was raised in Uvalde. He graduated from Uvalde High School in 1987 and went on to attend Southwest Texas Junior College before transferring to Texas Tech where he received a bachelor’s degree in business and administration.
After graduating from college, Moss came back to Uvalde and attended the Middle Rio Grande Law Enforcement Academy, which he graduated from in 1992, he said.
He went on to work as a deputy in Zavala County while also working as a public schools teacher in Crystal City ISD. He has since worked in various police and security positions across the region. He presently resides on Uvalde’s east side.
Moss has a daughter and three grandchildren, all of which live in Uvalde. His daughter graduated from UCISD, he said.
When he’s not on the job or seeking public office, Moss enjoys fishing, hunting and spending time outdoors.
He decided to run for this seat because people approached him and asked him to, he said.
“They know I’ve always been straight up, I don’t beat around the bush or sugar coat,” Moss said. “I don’t play games.”
Editor’s note: The Uvalde Leader-News is publishing free candidate announcements provided candidates meet with and answer questions from the newspaper. As of April 16, Roland Sanchez and Luis Fernandez were the only candidates who had not responded to a request for an interview. Cal Lambert declined to answer Leader-News questions.
Sofi Zeman (szeman@ulnnow.com, 830-278-3335) is a Report for America corps member who writes about education and crime for the Leader-News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep Sofi writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting tinyurl.com/995h5cka
