ADDITIONAL TIDBITS FROM THE 6/18/19 BISD BOARD MEETING

Judging by the nearly thunderous applause every time teacher raises were mentioned, I'm guessing last night's BISD Board Meeting audience was primarily populated with teachers.

The eight board-member-requested Action Items were my primary focus. Each item included the initials of the sponsoring member.

Thus, we know that Erasmo Castro initiated Action Item #1, calling for "restructuring the leadership of the Board of Trustees," an item that was obviously tabled by prior agreement because it wasn't taken up.

Of the remaining seven items, Board Member Sylvia Atkinson sponsored four and Philip Cowen sponsored three. Board members Laura Perez-Reyes, Drue Brown and Prisci Roca Tipton had no dogs in this fight.

With Philip Cowen's Action Item #4 he actually nominated himself to be the BISD Board's representative for TASB Region 1, Place B.  By way of explanation, Cowen said he making himself available to serve because there currently was no representative for Region 1, but that he would support someone else as long as SOMEONE filled this role.

Cowen received pushback from BISD Attorney Baltazar Salazar who asked to be recognized.  Salazar stated that this appointment was actually in his purview, that he'd already been working on this issue.

"If you want to do this yourself and spend $3-5,000 of the district's money, have at it, but I've already done the work," stated Salazar with annoyance.

It was during Board Member Sylvia Atkinson's Action Item #7 about "appropriate usage of social media by school district officials and employees" where Board Member Erasmo Castro and Attorney Salazar had a heated exchange with Castro first reading from the BISD Code, then referencing a "horrible report" recently being posted on social media.

"We need to be careful," Castro continued, saying that a "member of the board released information without presenting it to the board, something 100% not true."

It was then that Attorney Baltazar Salazar, wagging a finger at Castro, stated "this is not the appropriate venue.  This matter should be discussed in Executive Session only.  This involves security. You are stating half-truths."

It was agreed this matter would be discussed in Executive Session and the meeting went forward.

With Action Item #3 Atkinson seemed eager to expedite a feasibility plan for a Performing Arts Center, smiling sardonically as Castro described himself as the "number one proponent of the Performing Arts Center."  

Castro wanted Rene Gutierez, the lone finalist for BISD superintendent, to be consulted, since "he already had a performing arts center built in Edinburg" and should be familiar with how to implement such a project.

Atkinson was not opposed to bringing in Gutierez, but simply wanted the project to "move forward."  She resisted tabling the item to the board's next meeting in August, but acquiesced, stating "I just want to make sure it gets done."

Patrick Hammes of B.E.S.T., Brownsville Educators Stand Together Addressing Board during Public Comment

From the editor:  Board Member Philip Cowen agreed to appear on the 6/23/19 "Whine with Cheez" podcast.  We've reached out to a special guest for the Election Night podcast 6/22/19.