Some Tensions Boil Over at Meeting About LGISD Bond

Taxpayers for Responsible Schools, the political action committee opposed to the proposed $90 million bond for La Grange ISD, held a public meeting last Thursday at the Fayette County Ag Building.

About 40 people were in attendance, and many more watched a livestream of the meeting on the Fayette County Record’s Facebook Page.

The crowd in attendance included both supporters and opponents of the bond. The meeting was mostly cordial with a few moments of tension.

Bond critic Jeff Parker was one of the main speakers at the meeting. Parker argued that the bond spends too much money on projects that don’t seem to be focused on improving the school’s “C” rating by the Texas Education Agency.

He noted that La Grange ISD ranks fourth out of the five public school districts in Fayette County.

“I heard one trustee at one of the meetings just talking about going to play sports at another district, and it’s really nice, some of these facilities they have,” Parker said. “So it’s almost a little bit of facility envy.”

Parker questioned the proposed renovations of the 1923 high school building. If voters approve the bond, that building would be used for administration offices, board room, training room, DAEP, and other district educational programs.

“I’m not sure how wide the perception is that we’ve got to preserve this historic jewel at any cost,” Parker said. “I know folks who went to that school. I will quote my own wife. She said, ‘It’s not the building I remember from that time, it’s the people I met.”

“There are a lot of people who do not want a $90 million bond to build glitzy playing fields, but they would support a bond for more money to improve the educational process,” Parker said later in the meeting.

Retired local educator Sarah Mabry spoke about the often-cited struggle La Grange ISD faces with recruiting and retaining quality teachers. Mabry, who has served on the advisory council of Texas A&M University’s College of Education and Human Development, suggested setting up a joint venture with nearby universities to recruit young teachers. She mentioned a program that could reduce or eliminate student debt for recent college graduates if the work as public school teachers for a certain number of years.

Tina Huenefeld, who works in the HR department at La Grange ISD, responded to Mabry’s remarks about teacher recruitment. Huenefeld said that La Grange ISD works closely with universities and attends job fairs at nearby university education departments.

“We have an issue with anybody even wanting to come here,” Huenefeld said. “And these are the big main issues that we face. Number one, there’s nothing for kids to do here. So if they’re young people with young children or they’re looking to start a family, there’s nothing for them to do here. There’s also no daycare around.”

During the meeting, district voter Patsy Parker questioned Huenefeld’s assessment. As a member of the Fayette County Republican Women, Parker said she has visited Flatonia ISD as part of that group’s service project to distribute dictionaries to all 3rd grade students. Parker said that Flatonia has much less to offer young families than La Grange even though it’s school district ranks higher in state education ratings.

“They’re Blue Ribbon Elementary or something like that, and those students were thriving and excited,” she said.

La Grange school board president Gary Drab and board member Anthony Wessels were in attendance. After the exchange between Huenefeld and Parker, Drab accused Parker of “attacking” Huenefeld.

“Tina does not need to be attacked like she was just attacked, Mrs. Parker,” Drab said. “I’m just going to let you know that I felt that Tina was attacked.”

Later in the meeting, Sarah Mabry’s husband, Dr. Mike Mabry, asked Drab and Wessels how the bond will improve education outcomes at La Grange ISD.

“Could you tell me which items on this list here is going to have a direct effect on bringing La Grange Independent School District back to number one, even just in this county?” Dr. Mabry asked. “Which of these items would do that? It doesn’t appear, to me, any of them.”

Wessels responded with the plan to move sixth grade from the elementary campus to the middle school.

“That’s going to increase the academics?” Dr. Mabry asked.

“Absolutely, it’s going to move them away from elementary,” Wessels said.

“You’re going to move the sixth grade down to the eighth grade?” Dr. Mabry said. “In my opinion, these girls are maturing a whole lot younger, and I believe you’re going the wrong way on that.”

Others in the audience spoke about the impact the tax increase will make on rental properties. While homeowners can take advantage of the homestead exemption to limit the impact of school taxes, and those over 65 may not see any increase at all, rental properties will be subject to much higher taxes. Michael Schlabach, who owns several rental house, said he will be forced to raise the rent on his properties.

Charles Jobb, who works for the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, raised a similar concern.

“I see a lot of families in the job that I do and how they live, and how those kids live, and they’re paycheck to paycheck, and some of them are less than that,” Jobb said. “What I want to know is, how are these people going to stay here and go to school here and survive here when they’re not going to be able to afford to live here? Do y’all do student visits? Do y’all know the economic status of these families before y’all make these decisions?”

The meeting included much more than can be covered here. Watch the livestream on our Facebook page at https://www. facebook.com/fcr.news or on YouTube at https://youtu.be/Uy-2Cidb8kSk.