Latest news with #LubbockISDBoardofTrustees
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What is on the ballot in Lubbock County? Here's what to know about the May 2025 election
Early voting is underway ahead of the May 3 municipal elections, and this election cycle in Lubbock County is different from previous elections. All items on the ballot are local issues or races that will directly impact you and the Lubbock community. From several city and independent school district elections and measures on the ballot for residents to vote on, here's a brief overview of what each entity has on the ballot. As previously reported by the A-J, the Lubbock ISD Board of Trustees has sent a $290 million bond for voters' approval. Dig Deeper: Lubbock ISD sends $290 million bond to voters in May 2025 election. Here's what to know This bond would help fund building three new schools, safety and security improvements around the district, academic programming enhancements and facility updates. More: What is the Roosevelt ISD 2025 bond? What you need to know about the $58.5 million ask RISD is set to send a $58.5 million bond request for district residents' approval. In short, the district is asking voters to consider a 21-cent increase in its interest and sinking (I&S) tax rate. If approved, that would help the school district build a new elementry school to replace the current facilty with additional drop-off and pick-up lines and a new audtiorium. The bond would also help fund upgrades to the secondary campus including updated restrooms, additional dinning hall and expanded cafeteria serving lines for students. Additionally, the bond would help the district update and install new sewage lines, build a new grounds/maintenance facility and add to the transportation fleet awning. The Township will see six individuals vie for two Alderman At-Large positions. Candidates include: Alicia "Ali" Lucero Rand McPherson Scottie Hildebrandt Angie Fikes John Hand Paul Mince Slaton ISD will also see two candidates — Emily Hargrave and Jamie Chancellor — face incumbent Kara Newcomb for one of the school board's trustee-at-large positions. FISD will see a school board election for Place 2 on its Board of Trustees. Trustee Andrew Cox is set to face challenger Carlos Contreras Jr. in the May election. Wolfforth will also see elections for two city council seats. Others are reading: All three Lubbock-area school districts saw decline in STAAR/EOC test scores in 2024 Current councilmember for Place 3, Doug Hutchenson, is not running in the May reelection for his seat. Instead, three newcomers will face off for his seat — Kolby Stewart, Gregory Stout and Jason Fry. For Place 5, Councilmember Austin Brashier is set to face challenger Karen Worley. Abernathy ISD will see three candidates vie for two at-large trustee positions on its school board — Michael Magallanes, Matt Riley and Scott Bicke. No incumbents are running in the AISD board elections. For New Deal ISD, four people are running for three positions on its school board. Brad Proctor and Eddie Ramirez are the incumbents running again for their positions, with Bobby Durham and Ben Aubrey being new challengers. For more information about the May, 3 2025 election, visit Mateo Rosiles is the Government & Public Policy reporter for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Got a news tip for him? Email him: mrosiles@ This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: School bonds, city races on Lubbock County May 2025 election ballot
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Lubbock school trustees opt to keep book on shelf after parent concern over LGBT image
The Lubbock ISD Board of Trustees voted to keep a book a parent from Roscoe Wilson Elementary deemed to be inappropriate on the shelves. At their regular meeting on Thursday evening, LISD trustees held a level-three grievance hearing to hear from Lloyd Zuniga about why Alice B. McGinty's "Bathe the Cat" should be removed from school libraries. Others are reading: Lubbock ISD trustees blame state, funding issues for school closures Zuniga said his son brings home books from the school's library to read at home with his family. On one occasion, his son brought home "Bathe the Cat," which sparked Zuniga's concern. "I flipped through and seen some pictures," Zuniga said. "One in particular of two males holding hands while holding a baby." Zuniga said the image didn't sit right with him, as the book was about cleaning around the house, and he double-checked with his wife to see if he was making an assumption. She said he wasn't. He said he went to Roscoe Wilson's assistant principal, who pointed out that Zuniga could launch a complaint if he wanted to. Zuniga said he was torn about whether he wanted to, as his son could have picked this book randomly or maybe he had already read the book. "My daughter really kind of tipped the scale," Zuniga said. "My daughter said, 'Oh dad, the librarian read this (book) to us last year to every class.'" Zuniga said there are other books the school can use to teach books how to clean up, like "The Cat in the Hat." "What I don't think is right is that in a public school, this is being taught to our children," Zuniga said. "No. 1, without my consent, and No. 2, without anyone else knowing. It just seems a tad bit like grooming to me." So Zuniga filed a level-one grievance in 2024 against the book. It went before a committee comprised of LISD employees and parents that voted 6-5 in favor of keeping it on the school's library shelves. Zuniga said everyone on that committee who sided with him was an LISD employee. Zuniga then appealed the committee's decision to level two, where it was heard by LISD's director of Student and Parent Resolutions, Brian Ellyson. Ellyson sided with the committee's decision. Ellyson told the trustees that the district's library material is guided by the Texas Education Agency's EFB (Local) procedures along with Texas State Library and Archives Commission and district policies when choosing material for school libraries, noting that books must: All material selected enhances what is being taught in schools, factoring in students' interests, maturity and ability. The books help grow students' knowledge and appreciation for literature. The books encourage reading and higher levels of thinking. Books represent everyone as a whole. Ellyson said that any student, parent or employee can challenge materials; however, there are guiding principles when doing so, with parent and/or guardians' rights only extending to their child. "The district can not restrict student access to the material during the reconsideration process," Ellyson said. "Also, challenged materials can not be removed just because of the ideas of the material, the background of the author or the background of the characters in the book." Ellyson said the final decision on whether to remove the book should be based on the material's appropriateness to the intended audience. Parents have the right to work with school librarians to control what subject matter they want their kids to avoid and provide alternative materials as well, and Ellyson said he encouraged Zuniga to do so when he made his decision. Others are reading: City of Lubbock health officials urge caution, vaccine amid Texas growing measles outbreak "After speaking with the campus administrator and our district superintendent of teaching and learning, and after reviewing the book and reviewing both local and state standards and requirements, I determined that if the book were to be removed, it would violate both the legal and local policies on the basis that the book rises to the level of pervasively vulgar," Ellyson said. "(The book) is educationally suitable for the elementary school library," Ellyson said. "Therefore, I am asking the board to uphold the level two decision and deny Mr. Zuniga's grievance to have the book removed from all Lubbock ISD libraries." Trustee Board Vice President Ryan Curry said he believes LISD administration has followed the policies in place. However, he said the board might need to revisit the policy, expedite the grievance policy, and take some of the burden off the parents to approve which books their child should and shouldn't read. "What it boils down to me is that if I don't think it should be read out loud in a group setting, how then can I be OK with it being in the library," Curry said. Trustee Board President Beth Bridges also said that she has heartburn about the policy, but it's the policy currently in place. "We are structured by our policy," Bridges said. "If we start just throwing it out the window and not adhering to that, then what's the point? Policy is policy." Bridges sided with Curry in saying the board could look at updating the policy at a later date. Trustee John Weddige said there is a potential for the district to better communicate its policy on parents' rights in deciding what their children can or cannot read at the school library. "To my fellow trustees' points, that in this case, policy was followed," Weddige said. "Whether what's in the book is inappropriate or offensive is a matter of opinion." The board voted 4-1 to uphold the district's determination and deny Zuniga's grievance. Trustee Jason Ratliff was in attendance at the meeting, and Trustee Lala Chavez recused herself due to an unsaid conflict of interest. This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: LISD Trustees decline to remove book after parent concern over content
