BISD trustee Carlos Elizondo:"By voting no, you're voting against fifth graders..."
BISD trustee Laura Perez-Reyes:"I want the record to reflect that when I said too much money, I didn't mean that we're spending too much money on our kids. That's not what I mean. And I don't appreciate your tone or your remarks because I am respecting you and I expect the same from you."
By Juan Montoya
During the March 29 specially called meeting of the board of the Brownsville Independent School District trustees, there was an item about the purchase of $1.5 million in CSP #17-103 computer tablets for fight graders that the administration recommended be awarded to Kajeet Inc. from McLean, Va.
The history of the purchase of the tablets has been a long and convoluted one. The previous board had approve the setting aside of the $1.5 million at the request of the administration under Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas. At first, the administration had planned to purchase the tablets from a different vendor by going through the buy board. But since it involved restricted funds, the bidding process had to be followed and bids were received by the BISD purchasing department.
After bidding for the tablets, Kejeet Inc. emerged as the administration's choice and this was presented at the February BISD meeting where it was tabled. At the regular March meeting, the item was tabled – along with many other items –after a six-hour executive session where litigation and personnel items were the focus of the discussion.
Several members had questions on the administration's recommendations and wondered why a name-brand company like Dell, Apple or Microsoft did not get the bid. A motion by Dr. Sylvia Atkinson to table the item was met by the superintendent's objections that parents and students were clamoring for the tablets. After a 4-3 vote against tabling the item, the motion was again made to accept the bid.
But before the vote on the motion to table, an exchange occurred between trustee Laura Perez-Reyes and Carlos Elizondo which showed a snarky side of Elizondo's character.
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Perez-Reyes said that since Kajeet was a =n obscure brand, she would have felt more comfortable if the item was run through the technoilogy committee to get their recommendation on the product.
"We're spending a lot of money and I just want to be sure that it's the best we have for out students...," She said.
Elizondo, the next to speak, said thta the item had alsready gone through the technology committee and said: "Ive had a meeting with the technology committee and this is their recommendation, he said. "I don't think that spending $1.5 million for fifth graders is too much money, but that's just my opinion..."
Shot back Reyes-Perez, "I didn't say that sir."
Elizondo: "Well, that's what you said."
"I said for the product," she responded.
"By voting no, you're voting against fifth graders..
Perez-Reyes: "Not at all."
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At this point, trustee Minerva Peña commented that she resented Elizondo's tone and remarks against Perez-Reyes and said. "We are not here to vote against the students. That is a low blow. I am appalled that you would sink so low."
Atkinson spoke next after trustee Phil Cowen repeated Zendejas' claim that the students and parents were clamoring for the tablets and said that perhaps the fact that the name was Indian was prejudicing some of the trustees against the company.
"They are a reputable company," Zendejas said.
But Atkinson took it one step further, directing her remarks at Elizondo: "We are only saying that we should do our due diligence and ask the technology committee to come up with a recommendation. It's not about hurting students. We all take offense to those snide comments. That is not doing anybody any good. Be respectful when you decline. Be respectful when you approve."
Eventually the $1.5 contract for the tablets was approved for Kajeet, but not before Perez-Reyes turned to Elizondo and said:
"I want the record to reflect that when I said too much money, I didn't mean that we're spending too much money on our kids. That's not what I mean. And I don't appreciate your tone or your remarks because I am respecting you and I expect the same form you."
BISD trustee Laura Perez-Reyes:"I want the record to reflect that when I said too much money, I didn't mean that we're spending too much money on our kids. That's not what I mean. And I don't appreciate your tone or your remarks because I am respecting you and I expect the same from you."
By Juan Montoya
During the March 29 specially called meeting of the board of the Brownsville Independent School District trustees, there was an item about the purchase of $1.5 million in CSP #17-103 computer tablets for fight graders that the administration recommended be awarded to Kajeet Inc. from McLean, Va.
The history of the purchase of the tablets has been a long and convoluted one. The previous board had approve the setting aside of the $1.5 million at the request of the administration under Superintendent Esperanza Zendejas. At first, the administration had planned to purchase the tablets from a different vendor by going through the buy board. But since it involved restricted funds, the bidding process had to be followed and bids were received by the BISD purchasing department.
After bidding for the tablets, Kejeet Inc. emerged as the administration's choice and this was presented at the February BISD meeting where it was tabled. At the regular March meeting, the item was tabled – along with many other items –after a six-hour executive session where litigation and personnel items were the focus of the discussion.
Several members had questions on the administration's recommendations and wondered why a name-brand company like Dell, Apple or Microsoft did not get the bid. A motion by Dr. Sylvia Atkinson to table the item was met by the superintendent's objections that parents and students were clamoring for the tablets. After a 4-3 vote against tabling the item, the motion was again made to accept the bid.
But before the vote on the motion to table, an exchange occurred between trustee Laura Perez-Reyes and Carlos Elizondo which showed a snarky side of Elizondo's character.
Perez-Reyes said that since Kajeet was a =n obscure brand, she would have felt more comfortable if the item was run through the technoilogy committee to get their recommendation on the product."We're spending a lot of money and I just want to be sure that it's the best we have for out students...," She said.
Elizondo, the next to speak, said thta the item had alsready gone through the technology committee and said: "Ive had a meeting with the technology committee and this is their recommendation, he said. "I don't think that spending $1.5 million for fifth graders is too much money, but that's just my opinion..."
Shot back Reyes-Perez, "I didn't say that sir."
Elizondo: "Well, that's what you said."
"I said for the product," she responded.
"By voting no, you're voting against fifth graders..
Perez-Reyes: "Not at all."
At this point, trustee Minerva Peña commented that she resented Elizondo's tone and remarks against Perez-Reyes and said. "We are not here to vote against the students. That is a low blow. I am appalled that you would sink so low."Atkinson spoke next after trustee Phil Cowen repeated Zendejas' claim that the students and parents were clamoring for the tablets and said that perhaps the fact that the name was Indian was prejudicing some of the trustees against the company.
"They are a reputable company," Zendejas said.
But Atkinson took it one step further, directing her remarks at Elizondo: "We are only saying that we should do our due diligence and ask the technology committee to come up with a recommendation. It's not about hurting students. We all take offense to those snide comments. That is not doing anybody any good. Be respectful when you decline. Be respectful when you approve."
Eventually the $1.5 contract for the tablets was approved for Kajeet, but not before Perez-Reyes turned to Elizondo and said:
"I want the record to reflect that when I said too much money, I didn't mean that we're spending too much money on our kids. That's not what I mean. And I don't appreciate your tone or your remarks because I am respecting you and I expect the same form you."