RETIREE:IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS MATTER AT THE BISD

(The Brownsville Independent School District – like Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas, is barely limping along. Trustee Joe Rodriguez – like the old milk horse – starts champing at the bit at the sound of money for his pet projects at the expense of academic materials to help teachers and students succeed. Millions have been spent on artificial turn and now Joe's legacy to Brownsville will be the $1.4 million scoreboard for Sams Stadium where underachieving football teams will get to watch themselves underperform in slow motion with all the bells and whistles. For these millions to go to sports vendors, someone is going to get shortchanged in the BISD system. One reader below – a retired BISD employee – thinks its the workers who have dedicated a lifetime to the district. We run his post below.)

Special to El rrun-Rrun

The little things matter to our Brownsville Independent School District employees.

 Dr. Esperanza Zendejas, who has never liked a BISD event which was not her own idea, has found a new way to stick it to district employees, while saving money and taking care of old Joe Rod all at the same time. 

 The annual BISD employee awards gala, a tradition for over 35 years, has been personally tweaked this year by the Superintendent to exclude the employees with 20 years of district service. You read that right! The 20 year folks are no longer welcome at the district's celebration.

Wait, it gets better.

In a break with longstanding practice, if you have 30 or 40 years of service, you get to bring one guest and must pay for each additional guest. Retirees get two free guests and must pay for other people wanting to share in the final celebration of a BISD career.

That might seem fair except that BISD hosts plenty of fancy lunches and dinners like Principal for a Day and Alumni Recognition for hundreds of community members and their guests each year and no one gets charged a penny. 

Why must dedicated, veteran employees be nickeled and dimed?

With 100 less elementary teachers needed next school year due to an expected loss of over 2,000 students to charter schools and neighboring school districts, corners must be cut to pay for Joe Rod'S recently approved $1.4 million scoreboard at Sams Stadium and countless artificial turf projects. 

Plus, a constant concern at district events is propping feeble Joe up. (In the photo one can see an obvioulsy impatient Rordiguez wanting to ge the show over with so he can take a break from standing. Zendejas – nursing a sore hip – just gives up and takes a seat.)

 He insists on scheduling events around his doctors appointments and drinking sessions with vendors but complains bitterly about the length of events because his legs can no longer support him when he needs to stand and shake hands.

Against the wishes of a thoughtful, fair minded district awards committee, the employee celebration has become the latest victim to the Dr. Zendejas and board majority wrecking ball. Employee morale continues to crumble. 

 It's a little thing, but you need to ask: Are we still about the children and staff at BISD or are we only about the whims of Espy and Joe Rod?