By Juan Montoya
Sources at the Brownsville Police Dept. say that assertions made by board member Laura Reyes-Perez during Monday's Specially Called Meeting that Chief of Police Felix Sauceda told her there have been an average of two suicide daily in the city because of anxiety of staying at home during the COVID-19 crisis cannot be confirmed.
The meeting was called to hear Superintendent Dr. Rene Gutierrez's recommendations on the status of the district's response to COVID-19 Issues to include Curriculum & Instruction Update Business & Operations Update/FEMA. In other words, information for them to decide whether to have face-to-face instruction or distance learning this coming school year.
Perez-Reyes made the statements that were transmitted through the BISD's television channel urging that the district take action to address the rise of anxiety among district employees and to allay their worries over the coming school year. She argued that many people (teachers, staff, and students included) were suffering from anxiety over having to stay home. And she hinted that forcing them to do so by implementing distance learning could increase the threat of suicides among them.
"I've spoken to (BISD Superintendent) Dr. Gutierrez recently about potentially having a safety meeting soon in regards to these same efforts even for employees.
"I've spoken to the chief of police in Brownsville and he has assured me that we've had a suicide, one, two suicides a day since since COVID happened here in March..."
While the police department would not comment publicly to deny the board member's assertions, they said they could positively confirm that Sauceda had not made those assertions.
Some of the COVID symptoms include periods of imbalance, dizziness, an altered sense of balance and place, possibly described as lightheaded, feeling faint, or as if head is spinning.
Sources at the Brownsville Police Dept. say that assertions made by board member Laura Reyes-Perez during Monday's Specially Called Meeting that Chief of Police Felix Sauceda told her there have been an average of two suicide daily in the city because of anxiety of staying at home during the COVID-19 crisis cannot be confirmed.
The meeting was called to hear Superintendent Dr. Rene Gutierrez's recommendations on the status of the district's response to COVID-19 Issues to include Curriculum & Instruction Update Business & Operations Update/FEMA. In other words, information for them to decide whether to have face-to-face instruction or distance learning this coming school year.
Perez-Reyes made the statements that were transmitted through the BISD's television channel urging that the district take action to address the rise of anxiety among district employees and to allay their worries over the coming school year. She argued that many people (teachers, staff, and students included) were suffering from anxiety over having to stay home. And she hinted that forcing them to do so by implementing distance learning could increase the threat of suicides among them.
"I've spoken to (BISD Superintendent) Dr. Gutierrez recently about potentially having a safety meeting soon in regards to these same efforts even for employees.
"I've spoken to the chief of police in Brownsville and he has assured me that we've had a suicide, one, two suicides a day since since COVID happened here in March..."
While the police department would not comment publicly to deny the board member's assertions, they said they could positively confirm that Sauceda had not made those assertions.
Some of the COVID symptoms include periods of imbalance, dizziness, an altered sense of balance and place, possibly described as lightheaded, feeling faint, or as if head is spinning.
We would suggest that Perez-Reyes go to the city's testing site and take a few tests to see whether she might be infected or perhaps is asymptomatic to COVID-19.
Did Sauceda say this to Laura in confidence? Or did he say it at all?
Did Sauceda say this to Laura in confidence? Or did he say it at all?