| UISD's flagship school |
Once again, the news on the local school district front is the millions of dollars that UISD is about to spend. To make things worse, the district has decided to invest these millions, not in their academic programs but their sports facilities instead.
In true Laredo style, parents of some of the UISD schools (namely LBC and United South) have been clamoring for more parity in the schools' sports facilities according to today's Laredo Morning Times. There is absolutely no reason why United (North) or Alexander should have higher quality facilities than the schools to the South. The problem is: why did the district insist on spending so much on the Northside's atheletic budget. I mean really, did the "new" multi-million dollar United High School need two UIL regulation sized basketball courts?
From The Laredo Morning Times
By the start of next school year, UISD’s four high schools will have equal athletic facilities.When you take into cosideration the relatively small number of student-athletes that benefit the most from these huge spending amounts, it is clear that, from an educational point of view, these are really not good investments at all. If Laredo schools were la creme de la creme in academics, then perhaps investing millions in such sports facilities would not seem such a bad idea. As it is, one has to wonder "what are they thinking?"
To make them equal, United Independent School District will spend about $4 million in field houses expansions for Alexander, LBJ and United South.
Alexander will also get an estimated $1 million track and field.
In addition, UISD will spend about $1.2 million to build additional tennis courts at LBJ and United South.
Leyendecker Construction, which UISD contracted to design and build the projects, has proposed to complete them for a guaranteed maximum price of about $7.25 million.
The bulk of the funding would come from the county’s permanent school land fund.
On March 21, UISD trustees are slated to vote to approve the $7.25 million price tag.
Booo athletics! Booo!
ReplyDeleteNomas BOO? Donde estan los torches y pitchforks??
ReplyDeleteLT
They are thinking, well I have this bucket of money for capital improvements and this bucket for operational cost (teachers, staff, etc...).
ReplyDeleteSo like any "good" government agency they exercise the "if youv'e got it, spend it, before they take it away" practice, and spend the money wherever.
If the taxpayers would really cared (less than 10% vote in school board elections, and those voters are usually the teachers and staff who benifit from this spending) they would get rid of these spenders.
But they don't and won't. That is based on 20+ years of watching Laredo politics.