Leaders debate segregation and closures at bond forum
School and community leaders Wednesday night debated whether the Austin school district’s $1.1 billion bond measure would benefit students equally across the district, and raised issues such as the bond’s tax impact, segregation in the schools and how to address underenrolled schools.
Trustee Ted Gordon said that while he has concerns with aspects of the bond, its failure would leave the school district in a dire financial situation.
He said that voting for the bond does not equate to voting for the closure of underenrolled schools, an argument some opponents have made. Campus closures and consolidations might be on the table regardless of whether the bond passes, he said.
“I’m not in favor of closing down any schools,” Gordon said. “I would rather have $25 million in the bond in case the decision is made to close the schools so that we can build something better on one of those sites.”
Wednesday’s forum, hosted by the East Austin Coalition for Quality Education at Austin’s Huston-Tillotson University, came about two weeks before early voting will start on the bond. Election Day is Nov. 7. Proponents say the bond, which aims to construct new or rebuild schools and make hundreds of improvements, is needed to help maintain, and even boost, the district’s dwindling enrollment.
But a recently formed political action group, among other opponents, says it will worsen segre-