Newspapers critical of recent BISD moves, support petition drive

It seems there is a momentum and support to get this on a ballot to have two at-large seats on the board and the Enterprise is critical of the $1 million scoreboard change. The Examiner's editorial supports a change to the board as well and calls for the board to be more open about how the bond money is being spent and stop hiding it.

Unlike what Dr. Thomas likes to think, not everyone thinks things are rosy at BISD.

Beaumont Enterprise Editorial
2 more at-large seats would help improve BISD board - Anything that makes the Beaumont school board more responsive and accountable to taxpayers is welcome. In that regard, voters should support a move to add two at-large seats. Currently, all seven members represent single districts.

But the proposal faces a stiff petition requirement, and it won't be the magic bullet that some taxpayers may be hoping for. The board and administration seem to suffer from deeper problems, from wrong priorities on the bond issue (athletics before academics) to a read the rest of editorial.

Beaumont Enterprise Editorial
Big scoreboard, small problems - If everything works out, the Beaumont school board won't be spending more for a scoreboard at the athletic complex than it budgeted. It set aside $100,000 for the scoreboard and plans to cover the actual cost of $994,625 with advertising revenue that it will generate.

But that's not what voters were told when they were considering the bond issue. Last week's decision continues the drip, drip, drip of confusion and mistrust following the bond issue. The South Park issue remains snarled in the courts, and parents at other campuses are saying they aren't getting what was advertised.

The drive for one of the biggest and best stadium scoreboards also reinforces the impression - a wrong one read the rest of the editorial.

Beaumont Enterprise Column
By Christopher Clausen

BISD needs to show more numbers on bond sooner - Wednesday's meeting in the Jefferson County Jury Impaneling Room should draw a crowd.

The goal of that 3:30 p.m. assembly is a reconfigured Beaumont school board that is more responsive to taxpayers.

The group needs 12,000 signatures on a petition to get an election they must win, and a school board attorney advises, the U.S. Justice Department's approval.

The spark for the petitioners is the delay in the construction of eight elementary schools, as promised in the successful campaign for a $388.6 million school bond.

Thursday's school board read the rest of the column here.

Examiner Editorial
Time for change - A grassroots movement to change the way taxpayers are represented on the Beaumont Independent School Board is the right move for the citizens of the district and should be supported by everyone.

The move comes after years of concern about how the district is being run and how taxpayers' money is being spent. By switching to a system that allows for two at-large positions and five single-member districts rather than seven single-member districts, it will give taxpayers, i.e. voters, a greater say in how their children are educated.

Since taxpayers voted to approve a $389 million bond initiative to improve schools on the heels read the rest of the editorial here (on righthand side).

But again, this must go back to Dr. Thomas saying that the media is perpetuating lies in the community. Right?

What do you think? Is the scoreboard worth spending $1 million on? I suppose it's okay to spend $900,000 extra on a scoreboard, but not "extra" money to get Sallie Curtis built as scheduled as promised to voters. Since neither were in the original proposal to voters, I guess it's only a sign of what is to come.