Lancaster ISD board president calls again for bond package

by Brian Allen of Best Southwest Citizen

While Lancaster ISD officials opted not to bring a bond package before voters this year, some haven’t stopped mentioning how badly they believe the district needs one.

At the board’s May 6 meeting it approved reopening the Lancaster Middle School east building to ease overcrowding.

Edwin Kirkland said the move was necessary because of the three bond packages voters defeated overwhelmingly, the last one coming in 2007.

He said a lot of LISD’s financial situation could be eliminated by the passage of a bond. He encouraged taxpayers to “do right by the children.”

“It’s not about Dr. (Larry) Lewis, it’s not about his staff, it’s about the children,” Kirkland said. This brought thunderous applause from some audience members and looks of disgust from others.

Trustee Russ Johnson echoed Kirkland’s sentiments.

“It saddens me as an educator that we have to do that,” he said of the fund juggling he feels is necessitated by the lack of bond monies.

In the budgeting discussion that takes place at every board meeting, Lewis said a bond could have prevented much of the trouble facing the district.

“Some people are not going to like this,” he said. “School districts like Lancaster who have been strapped for money for quite a long time, one of the best things they can do is pass bonds. You can put some things that bonds allow you to do, renovations, buses, those kinds of things. Then you don’t take them out of maintenance and operation, you don’t take it out of those dollars to do Band-Aid roofs and those kinds of things.”

Lewis related a story he said local Edward Jones representative Arnie Knecht told him about moving to Lancaster because of the school district. He said Knecht told him he left because of the city’s “low expectations” for its schools.

“He was in a (driver’s education) class and this guy raised his hand and said 'I’m from Lancaster, the ghetto. It has the worst school district in the country.' And he lived in Lancaster.”

The superintendent said board members, staff and others who live in the system put it down and stop others from moving there.

Kirkland again mentioned the failed bond packages as the board debated its vote on the middle school measure. There was again mixed reaction including some groans and one audience member headed for the exits.

While Kirkland is adamant all district issues do not revolve around its controversial superintendent, many voters disagree. The 2007 election saw all six bond proposals fail and then board president Nannette Vick lose her seat to Dr. Marjorie King. Several of Lewis’ critics think all those decisions by voters amount to a referendum on the superintendent’s policies. Kirkland acknowledged as much when he asked voters to think of the children.

Vick was one of Lewis’ and the district’s staunchest defenders. In contrast, King has repeatedly questioned Lewis on district finances. Now it’s District 5 incumbent Sheila Stanmore’s turn to face a discontented constituency.

Her opponent Joe Kana has presented himself as someone who wants to tighten the LISD’s purse strings, a message sure to resonate with some voters. But Stanmore has a long history in the district as a PTA volunteer and many supporters of her own.

Irene Mejia and Cheryl Wright are unopposed as incumbents Sue Mendoza and Russ Johnson opted not to run for re-election.