By Juan Montoya
The members of the board of the Brownsville Independent School District, Charro Days Inc., and the City of Brownsville are all washing their hands of the decision by the BISD administration excluding charter schools from participating in the annual children's parade.
Trustees say the decision to exclude the schools did not come before the board for a vote but was made by the administration of new superintendent Rene Gutierrez.
And Charro Days Inc. say that their deal with the BISD leaves the running of the children's parade in the hands of the district and they don't have any say-so in the matter.
The city – which provides community facilities, security, and many other public services to the annual celebration of the festival – is also stepping away from the matter.
How convenient for the BISD board members to wash their hands of the actions of the administration. Are they relegated to be just a rubber stamp for whatever the notoriously inept and fat-cat bureaucracy entrenched at the district wants to do?
Will they sit by and watch a superintendent who has been at the helm for only seven months (since July 15, 2019), has never been at a children's parade during Charro Days, and who apparently does not realize that the event has always been a community wide celebration of the friendship between two cities?
In fact, the person who the district chose to show the district's and deflect questions by the media was administrator Alfonso Gutierrez, not superintendent Gutierrez, who is not related and who, by the way, attended both BISD and St. Joseph Academy, a private school.
In other words, someone who has been here less than a year will unilaterally exclude charter school students in Brownsville and will be allowed to decide who can participate in a 83-year old tradition whose mission is to unite rather than divide the community?
The BISD trustees – who are elected by district residents including families with students in charter schools – must take the Charro Inc. and its own bureaucracy by the horns, call a special meeting immediately, and allow the schools to participate this year and hold off the changes until next year. After all, we elected them and not the BISD administration to make this kind of policy decision.
There is time to do this in the next three days, making the exclusion only a bump in the road to preparation in the parade.
Regardless of whether charter schools compete with the district for public funds and students, the students have been practicing to participate in the parade for months, their parents have spent time and money to get them ready, and they should have been given decent warning about the impending move. It's the fair and decent thing to do. They are Brownsville children and some of them may have siblings attending public schools. Families across the city will be divided.
And it cannot be denied that these residents of the district pay property taxes to the BISD. So why leave them out?
Why not extend the parade for an extra hour – it's too short anyway – and allow them to dance for parade goers this year?
Next year the changes can be implemented to limit the number of charter schools, Montessori, and religious school students (Catholic and Baptist, etc.) and give ample notice to those who will be invited on a rotating basis (and those that are not) on the status of their participation.
The trustees cannot wash their hands of this decision. They run the district, not Gutierrez and faceless bureaucrats. They ran to represent the residents of the entire district and cannot leave the decision that will affect the entire community in someone else's hands, especially if they are not elected.
So how about it Minerva, Phil, Drue, Prisci, Eddie, and Laura?
Is this the kind of leadership that we can expect from board members if they run for another public office, as it is usually the custom to use the BISD board as a stepping stone to other offices?
You cannot wash your hands and walk away. If you do, why did you run for public office? After all, it is you who make policy and the administration implements it, not the other way around.
43 comments:
It does not matter if they are excluded this year or next year, people will still complain. It’s a BISD event, they have the right to implement their rules. If charter schools want their own event, let them get together and make their own event. It should not be that difficult, look at all the “festivals” that are put on by the Trevi guy. Heck hire the guy and let him come up with a festival for the charter schools.
I still could be wrong. Consciences could come sit upon enough members of the Extremely Troubled Caucus in the Republican majority to force McConnell’s hand, but I never thought that was the way to bet. We will have two days of questions from the senators. Then a motion to hear witnesses will be made, and it likely will fail, probably 51-49, because a couple of GOP senators will get a pass to vote "yes," and then lying Trump will be acquitted in time to lie about almost everything come Super Bowl Sunday Right Here On Fox. And after that, week after week, month after month, more and more evidence will emerge as to his guilt on these charges and a hundred others, because he is not going to go straight. The man was born far too crooked.
After the Iranian government fired a barrage of missiles at U.S. military bases in Iraq earlier this month, many impacted American service members reported suffering from concussion-like symptoms. On Wednesday, the U.S. president was asked about the severity of these soldiers’ injuries, during a news conference in Davos, Switzerland. “I heard they had headaches,” Donald Trump replied. “No, I don’t consider them very serious injuries, relative to other injuries that I’ve seen.”
On Friday, January 24, the Pentagon announced that 34 U.S. service members had been diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries as an apparent result of their proximity to the exploding Iranian missiles. By Tuesday, that number had grown to an even 50, following a CNN report in which the Pentagon confirmed that an additional 16 service members are suffering from TBI symptoms.
GET OVER IT!! ITS THE "BISD CHILDRENS PARADE!! as been for many years!!! both you and Erasmo seem to cause nothing but problems! good thing us tax payers don't need to have this kind of person representing our district. Charter schools have always chosen to not be part of our Public School System, but now cause they can't be part of a BISD event that is organized by BISD and staff they don't like it. Charter schools are more than welcome to participate on Friday and Saturday Parade. Clarification IDEA may be the sponsor for Fridays Parade but it is NOT called "IDEA Illuminated Night Parade" it "Illuminated Parade Night Parade" Thank you BISD for putting a stop to these charter schools that would just show up on Thursday and expect to be placed in line. If you have never participated and don't know the process of signing up you will see that when you pick up a CHARRO DAYS packet, Thursdays parade is not on that packet to participate. Its only Friday and Saturday. So what does that tell you?! you are not a BISD so you don't come out on Thursday.
I'm sorry, but this is sensationalist exaggeration. Nobody is excluding the charter schools from an 83 year-old celebration. The charter schools are welcome to participate in Friday and Saturday's parades. There are plenty of BISD students who are excluded from participating in the parade, and they should get a chance at participating, since they do attend BISD schools.
Charter schools are always taking a shit on the district and they think they're so much better than the district, but now they're crying foul when they're being shut out of a district event. If the district is so shitty, why do you want to participate in their parade? Go march in the Friday or Saturday parades.
Very irresponsible to say charter schools are being shut out of Charro Days. They aren't. The district is finally trying to take care of its own. The real pity is it took an outsider to realize there was an issue, someone who has never participated in a Charro Days parade, as you say.
Juan special meeting yes, make a board decision not an administrative one at least for this year and next year later, Great idea. Lets see what the BISD Board trustee do, Castro aren't you glad you are out? Karma Baby, and yes everyone is watching to see what the board will do, gee whiz time to earn your pay as a BISD trustee and do your JOB.
It is obvious that BISD hates children.
Where is Gilbert Villarreal?
El Panson Barton is dissing your Metro bus story on the hybrids, Juan. Who's right? Panson Barton says he talked with mechanics.
Whine, whine, whine. Another Montoya CryFest!
This was a public relations disaster from the word go. Rene is clueless in regards to Brownsville, it's history, culture and citizens. Outsiders cannot comprehend how Brownsville folks revere Charro Days'history and traditions. People that grew up here and moved away will often schedule their visits with relatives back here on Charro Days rather than the Christmas Holidays. Family and class reunions which gather people from across the State and country are planned and scheduled around Charro Days. These traditions have been going on now for four or five generations. The Thursday Children's parade has been and continues to be the best and biggest draw of the three parades. It is a big event our winter visitors relish and of course generates the attendance of thousands of residents who wish to see their sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, etc, dancing in their colorful costumes or playing their instruments in the vibrant school bands. The children participating will have lifetime memories of their participation.
Historically, when first initiated, all schools in BISD performed annually. This continued into the 70's until the District became so large that a rotation schedule needed to be implemented in order to keep the parade and attendant logistics within a reasonable time frame. The private schools participated on and off but were not a major issue. Now with the growth of charter schools, this has become an issue for BISD in presenting the parade. All of this is known to the vast majority of BISD Central Office Administration who grew up here and appreciate the traditions of Charro Days and its interaction with the community. This is where the failure happened. Someone should have advised Rene that he was playing with fire when he issued the current edict banning the charter schools. I don't blame Rene simply because he was truly ignorant of the impact of Charro Days and its meaning to Brownsville residents. It is the other top level administrators and certainly Board members that deserve the blame mostly through their inaction and failure to speak up. Certainly, there could have been an announcement at the beginning of the year that the charters and private schools would be added to the rotation and treated the same as the other BISD schools. I understand the resentment of some BISD parents whose children could only participate every three years or so and the charters were participating every year. The addition of the charters to the rotation would have been the sensible way to address the matter without creating this public relations nightmare for Rene and BISD. Ni modo.
Trump desperately trying to stop former advisor John Bolton's damning book:
Logic in Trumpworld has no foothold. It's perfectly reasonable to have things both ways, which is why a philandering lying old pornhound is described as an honorable and decent man.
Don't believe me? Ask 53 GOP senators, 197 congressmen, and all the FoxNews
peaking to reporters after Donald Trump’s lawyers completed their opening arguments in his impeachment trial on Tuesday, Chuck Schumer, the Senate Minority Leader, could barely conceal a smile. “I hope we have just four Republicans. All we need is four,” he said. At another press conference, Adam Schiff, the leader of the House managers, said it was clear that the President’s lawyers were “still reeling from the revelations of John Bolton’s book.” John Kelly, Trump’s former chief of staff, said on Monday that he believed Bolton’s claim, first reported in the Times, that Trump told his former national-security adviser that he wouldn’t release military aid to Ukraine unless the Ukrainian government pursued an investigation of the Bidens. Schiff called this “extraordinary.”
That term also describes the pickle in which Mitch McConnell, John Cornyn, Lindsey Graham, Ted Cruz, and the rest of Trump’s Republican enablers now find themselves. “Mortifying” is another word that could be used. Rarely, if ever, has a political blood oath—in this case, a pledge to acquit a crooked President regardless of the evidence against him, and without even bothering to call any witnesses—rebounded so horribly, publicly, and spectacularly. Like Trump, when the whistle-blower’s complaint originally emerged, McConnell and his colleagues have been caught in the act. And it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving bunch...
Do parents that live in Brownsville and their children attend Charter schools still pay BISD Taxes???? Asking for a friend
Who pays taxes has nothing to do with this argument. It that is what your going to base your argument on, then start by addressing how we all pay taxes for south texas isd and not all children attend that district. We all pay taxes and not everyone participates in Cyclobia. The list can go on and on on that argument.
11:11 a.m.
DRINK WINE MONTOYA, DO NOT KEEP THINGS BOTTLED UP. TODO PA'DENTRO! YOU WILL LIKE THE TASTE.
yes they do no matter what, even if you dont have kids, unless over 65 taxes frozen tehn.
VOTE FOR A TRUE POWERHOUSE.
ERIN GÁMEZ
Democratic candidate for Texas State Representative District 38
"AND JUSTICE FOR ALL"
Texas District 27 Senate
VOTE SARA STAPLETON BARRERA OR RUBÉN CORTEZ
EDDIE LUCIO YOU ARE A JOKE!!!
Eddie Lucio: 40 PERCENT OF MY CONSTITUENTS ARE OBESE AND HAVE NO EDUCATION OR JOBS.
At a conference on obesity, state Sen. Eddie Lucio noted that Brownsville and McAllen are among the poorest cities in the U.S.
"Because higher rates of POVERTY
are associated with POORER. health care outcomes, it should come as no surprise that McAllen is also one of the most obese areas of the country," the BROWNSVILLE Democrat continued
There is NO justification for kicking CHILDREN OUT OF THE CHILDREN'S PARADE pinche pendejo BISD mamon how can they do that if they doin't own anything WHAT'S NEXT KKK COMING IN HERE AND DEMANDING TO USE CITY FACILITIES TO DEMONSTRATE IN FAVOR OR RACISM
4:28 you make no sense.... And it's not an argument. Does BISD pay any fees to participate on the parade..... Asking for a friend.
Superintendent's timing is awful. He lets his deputies decide for him and everyone knows this. This is what the board wanted. Cowen wanted a nice superintendent, Sylvia wanted one that would allow her to do whatever she wanted, Prisci wanted whatever Sylvia wanted, Drue wanted someone to give preference to her friend, Sylvia, Laura wanted someone the attorney favored and Erasmo wanted someone he could take selfies with and whatever everyone else wanted. Board you got what you wanted!
If it truly is a powerhouse let's see how much, do something for the children if not shut the shit up about powerhouse and be labeled as the rest of the self serving elected officials here in cameron county and cob...put up of just shut the fkup!!!
It is a little surprising that the charter schools have not mentioned the desire to also participate in the Monday night BISD Fiesta Folklorica at Sam Stadium.
Participating in Children's parade is not all fun for the small children. The parade requires for the children to wait their turn at the start of the parade for an extensive period of time. At times the wait can be in cold weather and in other times the wait can be under a scorching heat with no cover from the sun for the children. After such an unpleasant waiting period, the children not only have to dance in the parade but also have to walk a great distance on Elizabeth St.
BISD would love to have all their schools participate in the Children's Parade. However, the district is aware of the unpleasant circumstances and therefore for years have decided to allow a portion of their schools to participate in the parade on a rotating bases.
It’s called the BISD children’s parade for a reason. The charter schools can come out on Friday or Saturday like someone else posted. It’s about time someone put an end to this. It’s lasted to long. It’s the BISD Children’s Parade and the charter schools are not just coming out but also advertising and recruiting for their schools.
What next, let the charter schools advertise on the Jumbotron at Sams stadium during the varsity games during the football season? Include them during the Santa and Friends presentation?
Don't you think the honeymoon is over b/w board and super? Maybe this is the way to wash their hands and simply blame it to Dr. Gutierrez who after all the disaster, he has failed to take action in the low performing campuses. Jerry McHale wrote a report from Rivera that's 100 true, but lacks to mention all the employees in crisis using their sick days as mental breaks while Sterling still continues her hatred towards certain people and defends her proteges at all cause.
"Trail milestone: Ground broken on first network catalyst project" another wasted project just like the bike trails wasting tax payers monies just to be featured on stupid magazines and possibly some kind of state and maybe national recognition. Never mind the real necessities of the local citizens and the church's responsibility to their constituents. Bunch of wanna bees using tax funding and donations for their self-serving egos.
January 29, 2020 at 4:57 PM
The local elected officials aspirations to be on a state and national magazine at the cost of not doing their elected duties to maintain the city operational and neglecting other responsibilities. Traffic here is horrendous, flooding is intolerable and the forceful insistence to make this city what it will never be is beyond comprehension. These self-serving elected officials here and in the county should not be re-elected.
EDDIE LUCIO III EDDIE LUCIO JR THIS WHY YOU SUCK AND SWALLOW
EXPECT TO PAY HIGHER FEES, NEW FEES, NO PROPERTY RIGHTS TO OWNERDHIP. INCREASE PROPERTY TAXES TO PAY FOR BONDS.
Bill: HB 71
Legislative Session: 86(R) Council Document: 86R 933 MTB-D
Add to Bill List | Add to Alert List
Last Action: 05/24/2019 E
EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY
Caption Version: Enrolled
Caption Text: Relating to the creation of regional transit authorities; granting the power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds and charge fees; creating a criminal offense.
Author: Martinez | Guillen
Sponsor: EDDIE LUCIO III
January 30, 2020 at 5:29 AM
If its BISD childrens parade hold it at sams and don't use city resources pinche pendejo...
bola de mamones
Parents of charter school children do pay bisd taxes but those taxes (plus additional funds) are sent to charter schools to fund them. Charter schools are funded 100% by the state with funds they take away from traditional public schools. All those fancy buildings they are putting up are paid for by tax-payer dollars but when the schools are ever shut down those buildings stay with the owners. Pretty good deal huh? And, teachers at charter schools do not have to be certified, fyi.
Juan pos ni modo, thats the way the cow ate the cabbage. lol
Idiota forgot to mention they only work 168 days out of a year with 3 months paid vacation NOBODY BUT NOBODY IN THE UNIVERSE DOES THIS NOBODY!!! and its all tax monies pinche gueyes mamones. get to work the 12 months (oh its a contrac excuse me) jotos...
Call the mexican news media to report of the racist actions of BISD, chavez will not show up if this is going on.
Chavez is on azteca on saturday night on box we need to text him about what BISD is doing to the children they run the text he receives live. Ask him not to participate on the discrimatory decisions by the city and BISD against the children.
Any word from the BISD Board yet? Ni Fu Ni FA
The Charro Days won’t get in the middle of it because most of the officers, directors are current and/or former BISD employees.
Charro Days has run it's course and needs to be knocked in the head. Browntown celebrates Meskinism every day in every way.
Thats why they do what they do, we have a bunch of people that give up and proceed to enpinarse instead of fighting NI MODO ME LA METIERON OTRA VEZ ya me esta gustando!!!
Ni las pinches iglesas no hacen para protejer los ninos NOT EVEN ONE WORD AAH PERO ASI HABLAN PARA QUE LES DEN DINERO. NI TRABAJAN NI PAGAN TAXAS NI "ALLUDAN".
Its like saying NO GRINGOS CHILDREN ALLOWED IN THE PARADE, wonder what they would do?
“Why not extend the parade for an extra hour – it's too short anyway – and allow them to dance for parade goers this year?”
Juanito, I know you are usually walking the streets downtown in a drunken stupor… The Children’s Parade on Thursdays have been averaging 3 hours the last few years… It’s just too many schools and children to accommodate. If the BISD schools need to be placed on a rotation, the Idea and other charter schools should also be placed on the same type of schedule. Also, to the maroons complaining about BISD not footing the bill for various expenses on that Thursday of the Children’s Parade… Look around you, all the BISD security, police officers, school busses, drivers, Sam’s Stadium and employees of the stadium are all on the district’s dime. Yes, I know we all pay taxes, etc… Just making a point.
Why not just eliminate charro days its the elistist getting all the monies here. That printer has been printing shit for them since the beginning where's the justification for that? Oh he's rich and famous and is the only printer in white brownsville. And there's more...
Post a Comment