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1st Q: Why the rush? @Geronimo4AISD We passed $1B bond package, pay raises, recapture of $612 M & deficit before HB 3 (some used for raises & programming). Invest in empty seats or academic programs? System historically discriminatory & need systematic ways to address equity.
Q1 cont. w/ @PTAnderson70: not 1 way to address equity. Budget used for maintenance & payroll. Bond big part of East Side investment & compensation increase (largest in history).
Q2 on finances & when school closures are necessary w/ @kevmfos: Contradictions & errors in measurements. Not much confidence in $ numbers. Urges engaging community & letting them lead. Closures & consolidations can be agreed on then.
Q3 for parent & former educator Ms. Hunter re: how closures feel: Kids have gone to @MaplewoodATX. Shocking it was on the list. If change has to be made, she's okay making sacrifice herself b/c her kid is okay. But not all kids will be. Parents want @AustinISD to slow down.
Q3 cont.: Parents aren't saying "stop." Maplewood parents worried about Cambell students & pushing kids of color out. Equity issues w/ Dobie & Webb combo due to mobility & I-35.
Q4 for @GinaForAustin on having dealt w/ @SavePease closure in past: Peaae only all transfer school. Diverse. Her kids zoned to Casis, but Pease reflected greater Austin community. This year @AustinISD in better shape after growth in enrollment. No deficit now.
Q5 w/ Ken Zarifis @EdAustin_TX on buildings: We miss humans when we just look at data. When we just say "just kids" & "kids first," we use kids as shields. Everyone matters. Kids, parents, faculty & staff. We are not in a crisis. Fallacy. Take time to step back.
Now @kevmfos on circumstances of Ann Richards M.S. & Gus Garcia M.S. openings: Ann Richards planned very well. Garcia new building that took kids from 3 schools, no planning, 1st year teachers. Horrific despite best efforts. Planning matters. Will go w/ old building w/ good plan.
Now back to trustees to w/ Q re: parent dissatisfaction of district input. @Geronimo4AISD imp. to co-create. Likes multicultural curriculum & expanding hrs. of scenarios. @PTAnderson70 a lot of proposals suggestions by communities being considered as alternate scenarios.
Cont. Closures & consolidations allows for reinvestment in other things, like programming, payroll & academics. Avg. age of buildings is 50 yrs. old. New buildings are abt. eliminating maintenance issues.
Ms. Hunter: opportunity & access of magnets & specialized programming planning created by community this summer. [Maplewood or another?] Always opportunities for communities to be engaged, even when it's NIMBY.
Q for @DGarzaforD2—what do we do to make sure we're ahead on affordability? A: Latest bond will go long way to preserve & create affordable housing. Affordable housing on agenda tomorrow at Council meeting. Vestiges of racist past in land development code (redlining).
Cont. Whole point of dense neighborhoods is to help w/ access to schools.
Ken Zarifis on boundary changes in scenarios: proposal school closure plan w/ softening (inclusiveness programming). Half proposals. Half ideas should not be voted on. Vote solely on closures Mon. @shawley03 said report lacks equity. Training board currently.
Trustees asked to respond to Zarifis: ( @Geronimo4AISD pointed out that @aratisingh & @yasminwagneratx are here.) Says school changes not equity plan. @AustinISD historically discrimintatory. But district is far behind due to charters. Pivot change, adapt to environment.
Cont. Need to consider boundary changes after school changes. District worthy of growing & investment. Struggling w/ constraints of finances. (States he needs to fact check after @GinaForAustin said there's no deficit.)
Now @PTAnderson70 responds re: how $ will be reinvested w/ damaged trust & no firm plan: AISD accused of responding to loudest voices, not ones more impacted. Opportunity to co-create w/ additional academic investments & repurposing of properties.
Cont. Challenge to work around new land code. Will take all of us working together in the long-run. Now moderator to trustees, how can ppl trust AISD can tackle challenges?: @PTAnderson70 This board dedicated to making historical & significant investments in East Austin.
Cont. Urban schools across country shuttered & unused. This is about changing what's happening in our schools & addressing historical discrimination. @PTAnderson70
Now @kevmfos on ATX history: historic mitigation of plans, i.e.
1928 Master Plan w/ Black people must move East, but there are amenities there! City historically takes care of marginalized communities after we make policy decisions.
1928 Master Plan w/ Black people must move East, but there are amenities there! City historically takes care of marginalized communities after we make policy decisions.
On future of district w/ Zarifis: When report came out, AISD got hit w/ negative public opinion. Interviewed over 200 ppl & no positive feedback. Heard a lot of "hindsight" talking from district folks. How do we trust that we learn anything in the future if we don't learn now?
Zarifis cont.: Trust, not closures should be @AustinISD's aim. Don't stop. Slow down. Build trust.
Now @DGarzaforD2 responding to Zarifis: Trade-offs are made in these types of discussions. Not everyone knows the ins & outs of data, etc. Everyone needs to be on the same page.
Responding to @DGarzaforD2, @kevmfos says there needs to be clarity. FABPAC process long & frought, but passed with over 70% support. Can live with tough conversations & move the ball forward that way.
Doesn't hear support for plan except from @AustinChamber. ( @GinaForAustin). Can't get straight data from the district. Need to take time since even #TxLege doesn't understand. Data @AustinISD has given is fluid. Public trust is paramount.
Now @PTAnderson70 says HB 3 helped w/ largest compensation increase, but that's it. Still paying for recapture. No sustainable revenue from HB 3. Can't wait & see. Emotionally, we'd like to wait & see. But there is a reality to where the district is that isn't improving.
Follow-up on @AustinChamber & conflicts of interest from moderator & where support exists: @PTAnderson70 says any 1 of 9 trustees would be offended that plan designed by @AustinChamber. Talked to diverse chambers & elected officials. Reports to @AustinChamber & many other orgs.
Moderator now asks about conflicts of interest w/ regards to trustees. @Geronimo4AISD discusses district's process & review by attorneys. Should take community concerns seriously. Issue raised w/ AISD admin.
Moderator asks are we missing something if we focus on closures? @kevmfos says we're missing opportunities to ID systemic realities of our City that hinder us. Mayor Tom Miller was passionate advocate for city & moneymaker. Qs arise when business & govt. mesh.
Historically @AustinChamber has outsized influence in city. Not saying everyone is corrupt. Folks work hard. ( @kevmfos)
We love our old buildings, history & sense of place @UTAustin. Schools more segregated now then when was bussing was introduced. Need to look at boundaries first to address racism— @GinaForAustin.
Zarifis: Buildings don't teach students, people do. Budget is sound. #TxLege will find $ to support HB 3. We need to be talking about SPED, dual language programs& SPED teachers quitting. Our SPED services are on fire, not buildings.
Closing thoughts. Ms Hunter: Axis of people greatly affected not here. Black and brown people have been burned. We're not reaching out (AISD). Need entire department of people reaching out, building bridges. Don't see this an equity plan. Still segregated.
Cont. New buildings good for flexible spaces, but greatest resource our communities. May need school closures b/c no choice. @PTAnderson70 want more experienced teachers at Title 1 schools. Class segregation. Race & class need to be addressed. 86% after recapture pays staff.
Cont. @PTAnderson70 brings up alternative learning center's needs. Can't talk about schools in vacuum. Can't talk about single schools. Proposals have merit.
Now @Geronimo4AISD: We need good schools in every part of this community. Can have controversy & continue to be friends. @DGarzaforD2: Growth from difficult conversations. Keep open minds. Confusion over data makes it hard for citizens to understand why choices are made.
Cont. w/ @DGarzaforD2—states COA & AISD need to be on the same page. Need to solve this together. @GinaForAustin: Tried to share constituent input & not her own judgement. But 2 wks ago, decided to speak out after constituents talked how bond should fill most of 6000 empty seats.
Now Zarifis @EdAustin_TX: Not urgent when budget is solvent & buildings are OK. Closing schools might free up just $3 M. Not in crisis. District obsessed for a decade w/ closing schools. Kicking equity, racist & white supremacy can down the road by going thru w/ plan.
Finally, @kevmfos w/ closing remarks: Specialized offerings in AISD have benefitted his kids. School changes scared him (version 1) b/c of program losses. Version 2 shrank (good), but this doesn't look like a focused plan. Looks like closure plan w/ strategic approach.
Anderson H.S. alumni are still hurt 50 yrs later! Folks today affected by closures just as mad, hurt & confused. Worried that another generation will be done w/ @AustinISD. We are at great risk at this moment. Do what we agreed to do when 2017 bond was voted for.
Vote no. Do what 2017 bond says. Then have transparent, widespread community conversations— @kevmfos.
