By Juan Montoya
There will be plenty of fireworks at today's meeting of the board of the Brownsville Independent School District.
The board will consider the recommendation
The board member (not identified) who placed this item on the agenda probably did so at the request of parents and students who attend/or attended these schools. The administration has advocated the closing of these schools without announcing what plans, alternatives to closings, did not seek public input or gave notice of the plans to close them.
Hopefully, a majority of the board can get enough public support at tonight's meeting to force the administration and a board majority to make the process more transparent and accountable to the parents and students before launching such a drastic plan as closing a school.
On its face, this would seem to be a no-brainer. Why would the district not accept a donation from a vendor?
Could it be that there were additional rings in addition to the contract with Herff Jones ordered by a board member (Joe Rodriguez?) without asking the principal or the administration for the authority or if there was money in their budget to order them? Lately, Rodriguez has been said to be getting involved in the purchasing process at the BISD and at times has tried to steer the district's business toward selected vendors.
As we understand, there was not enough money in the budget at Porter on in the district to pay for the additional rings, and rather than explain why the rings were ordered (and by who), the vendor would rather donate them to the district without charge. If something seems to good to be true, it probably is. In a Level 3 grievance to be heard today, former Veterans Memorial High School principal Mary Solis is charging that Rodriguez was urging her to purchase graduation products (rings?) from Herff Jones. Why?
Who ordered the additional rings? Was there a purchase order issued for their acquisition from the vendor aside from the initila one? Were normal purchasing procedures followed in the ordering of the rings? If not, why not? Has Joe Rodriguez become Brownsville's Lord of the Rings?
There will be plenty of fireworks at today's meeting of the board of the Brownsville Independent School District.
RESACA, CUMMINGS AND LONGORIA SCHOOL CLOSINGS:
41. Discussion regarding a board resolution against the consolidating and/or closing of any school for the 2017-2018 school year without first receiving a comprehensive plan detailing budgets, alternatives, sufficient public input, notice, etc. (Board Member Request)The board will consider the recommendation
The board member (not identified) who placed this item on the agenda probably did so at the request of parents and students who attend/or attended these schools. The administration has advocated the closing of these schools without announcing what plans, alternatives to closings, did not seek public input or gave notice of the plans to close them.
Hopefully, a majority of the board can get enough public support at tonight's meeting to force the administration and a board majority to make the process more transparent and accountable to the parents and students before launching such a drastic plan as closing a school.
APPROVAL OF DONATIONS OF 28 STUDENT RINGS WORTH $25,060
15. Recommend approval to accept $25,060.00 from Herff Jones for the donation of 28 student rings given to the Porter Early College High School 5A State Championship team.On its face, this would seem to be a no-brainer. Why would the district not accept a donation from a vendor?
Could it be that there were additional rings in addition to the contract with Herff Jones ordered by a board member (Joe Rodriguez?) without asking the principal or the administration for the authority or if there was money in their budget to order them? Lately, Rodriguez has been said to be getting involved in the purchasing process at the BISD and at times has tried to steer the district's business toward selected vendors.
As we understand, there was not enough money in the budget at Porter on in the district to pay for the additional rings, and rather than explain why the rings were ordered (and by who), the vendor would rather donate them to the district without charge. If something seems to good to be true, it probably is. In a Level 3 grievance to be heard today, former Veterans Memorial High School principal Mary Solis is charging that Rodriguez was urging her to purchase graduation products (rings?) from Herff Jones. Why?
Who ordered the additional rings? Was there a purchase order issued for their acquisition from the vendor aside from the initila one? Were normal purchasing procedures followed in the ordering of the rings? If not, why not? Has Joe Rodriguez become Brownsville's Lord of the Rings?