My Comments to the AISD Task Force

Here's what I said - but you'll have to imagine the tone of voice and inflection I used. I do that to pretty good effect! Of course, both the Tarrytown and Circle C contingents booed me (and a Meridian rep yelled out at me), which certainly spotlighted their maturity, but I obviously touched a nerve or they wouldn't have bothered.

My name is Traci Anderson. As an OHYSA commissioner, I have personally coached children from every single one of the affected schools. But I am also the Mills PTA Treasurer and parent of 7 and 10 year old boys. I am frustrated with the task force, and I am angry at the district. I am angry that instead of being planned to serve the needs of this community, the school was built and now we are being forced to serve its needs.

But, this process has been flawed since the beginning. AISD should never have allowed Circle C such a prominent role in the purchase of the land, a role which has given them a sense of entitlement to attend SWMS to the exclusion of other, much closer communities – my community. This is more than supported by the CCHOA Treasurer’s June 2nd statement posted online that without them, there would not be a new middle school.

I am angry that geographic members of this task force were appointed to represent their schools, but are instead voting in the interests of their HOAs. I am frustrated that AISD refuses to recognize the fact that O’Henry is no longer a viable, neighborhood school, but has become little more than a publicly funded private school, vetting transfer applications to fill almost half of its classrooms. I attend task force meetings and am frustrated that items which are considered CONS on maps keeping Mills together, suddenly become PROS on maps tearing Mills apart. I am angry that while I write letters to the board, walk door to door in my neighborhood, and time impassioned 2 minute speeches, Mr. Silva is giving interviews to KUT stating that Mills will have to split for fear of hurting Small, but conveniently fails to mention the effect losing Kiker will have on Bailey.

I am angry that my child may not attend a school just over a mile from his home, but a hypothetical child in a yet to be built house, can and most likely will. But mostly I am saddened that AISD repeatedly asks for our support for bond issues and propositions, but may fail to support us in this one crucial moment when we are only asking them to do what is right. To them, my son may just be a green dot on a map, but that green dot lives closer to the SWMS than a single one of Kiker’s.