Tuesday, November 4, 2025

THE UPLIFTING OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS IN OUR HANDS TODAY

   

(Click on video to watch.)

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Let’s support the BISD bond election TODAY!

I am very proud to be a product of the BISD school system. I enjoyed attending our schools and supporting my children at school events when they attended school at BISD.

This bond issue on the ballot today includes projects that have been recommended by a committee composed of a cross-section of our fellow district residents. We are not just voting YES for Propositions A and B in this November's bond election,. We're empowering the citizens of Brownsville to take charge of our school district's future. We can ensure that the improvements and changes we need are guided by the community, for the community. 

Nearly 20 years ago, the residents of the Brownsville Independent School District were asked to invest $135 million to provide our children with four additional new schools and construct and upgrade wing additions and renovations at seven campuses.

There were also HVAC and fire alarm system upgrades in the bonds package and included Americans with Disability Acts improvements for our disabled children as well as reroofing projects and parking lot expansions and repairs.

Our district residents said "yes" back then and our district and its students were the winners.

The students who attended those new schools and improved campuses have graduated by now, and it's our turn to step up to the plate and provide our coming generations with improvements in at least 39 campuses that have been identified by our fellow district residents in need of structural repairs. We are not building new schools, but rather improving the ones that already exist.

Our district has 50 schools, 34,350 students, and our 5,543 full-time staff in our district that covers 90 square miles, the largest school district in the Rio Grande Valley. Over the years, past generations have taken matters into their own hands and provided their support to educate our children. It's our turn to roll up our sleeves and do our part.

By voting "Yes" on Propositions A and B in today's  bond election, we're empowering the citizens of Brownsville to take charge of our school district's future. We can ensure that the improvements and changes we need are guided by the community, for the community.

This bond proposal will ensure our schools are rebuilt, maintained, and provide the right environment for our children to learn, and we will be able to take control of our district, and not continue the top-down, business-as-usual practices that have guided us in the past. Now is our chance to wrest control from bureaucrats and return it where it belongs: in the hands of the people.

Many of BISD's schools are between 50-100 years old and need facility and infrastructure upgrades for basic operation such as air conditioning units.

BISD also has a need for a new Career and Technical Education Center to keep programs moving forward. I also support a new performing arts center for our growing community that will be the largest in the Rio Grande Valley.

While previous elections have addressed growth with new schools, this election is to invest in what we already have. The District has done a good job at retiring most of its old bonded debt and has the capacity to finance new facilities through the voter approved bond election today. And the way we've structured it, new taxation will be minimal.

But let's face it, things cost money, and good things cost good money. It's a fact of life. Do we want the best for out kids?

In certain cases involving senior citizens, they will pay nothing at all. No one can argue that our district boards across the last 20 years have not been fiscally responsible and provided responsible financial stewardship. In fact, our financial advisors have asserted that their performance in whittling down that debt has resulted in savings on interest cost to our district taxpayers.

That responsible performance has resulted in the early retirement of the original debt with no tax increases. It has reduced its debt ahead of schedule and it will now cost less to address financial borrowing to make the proposed district-wide improvements.

Students perform better in newer and/or recently renovated buildings with proper air conditioning and heating systems. Our children deserve access to nice classrooms, no matter where they live. And it's in our hands to provide them this and keep control of the improvements every step along the way.

And if we are vigilant, we can demand that local preference on bidding for their construction be implemented so that our tax money will stay here.

Our fellow residents of the district – through the Citizens Facilities Committee – spent months analyzing the needs of the students and district facilities and proposed another bond issue to be implemented over five years that will bring critical improvements to 39 campuses. Making these improvements, they said, will ensure safe, modern environments for our next generation of students.

Want our district to be a showcase for our students' talent? Build them a performing arts center we can all be proud of.

It is now up to us to take control and support our next generations as those before us did to provide our children with safe, modern learning environments. Please vote "yes" on Props A and B today. It's our turn to take control and get 'er done.

Where to vote in your precinct:

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Spend money on advertising
It works for idea
All the payments drink the idea Kool aid
False advertising great marketing
Idea offers
Inferior buildings Inferior teachers Inferior sports
Yet people keep sending their kids there

Anonymous said...

Vote NO.

Anonymous said...

You are so full of shit. Probably only paid $50.00 to write this BS lol.

Anonymous said...

DOWNSIZE BISD! Fire bloated administration and if a school needs to be closed, do it! Learn to live within your budgets BISD Board members

Anonymous said...

Nope! Vote NO!

Anonymous said...

Who won?

Anonymous said...

As someone who taught for 40 years at BISD I am glad that people went out and voted no. I didn't go vote, gasp. What I saw when I worked at BISD was only the brown nosers got monies for instructional supplies. My department head once told me, "I gave you money to get what you needed." With emphasis on the word "I." From that day forward I did not a expect a thing from them. Then there are all the people in charge who only speak Mexican Spanish. If you don't speak like them you are out of the loop. By people in charge I mean the people in the Glass Palace and school administrators. Then don't forget all the Spanish speakers that are hired as aides and substitutes. Don't for a minute think that the money they are paid stays in Brownsville.

I didn't go vote because I didn't want my vote to hurt BISD but I am glad that others did the job. If my grammar was not great you should see the way administrators write.

Despite all this there are children that still succeed. I know that I succeeded. Maybe the results of the election will give those that run the circus a chance to reflect on what they are doing wrong.

Anonymous said...

Oh believe me, THEY ARE GETTING THE MESSAGE. LOUD AND FUCKING CLEAR.

Anonymous said...

Our community’s strength is tied to the quality of our schools. The bond failed, property values could decline, new families may choose to move elsewhere, and local businesses could feel the impact of a less vibrant, less educated community. Investing in our schools is investing in the future of our city and the tax payers have voted. So, don't blame the school board for the hard decisions they're going to have to make this year.

Anonymous said...

Bunch of malarkey. Parents are the ones that make the kids study and learn at home. Teachers know this when they give a spelling quiz or a test. The students that do well, is because the parents told them to study. The ones that copy and are aggressive in class is because the parents forgot to tell them the truth: study or you will struggle all your life. The School Board is not about the students, they are a bunch of TONTOS.

Anonymous said...

The school board like the Rata Pelona, the people like Sylvia Atkinson. Good let the board see what they reap. Maybe the teachers will go look for jobs elsewhere.

Anonymous said...

Fuck off “union rep”

rita