El Paso ISD parents push back against proposed changes

The El Paso Independent School District held its last community meeting Monday night at Austin High.

It was the smallest of the community meetings. About 50 at Austin high, whereas more than 100 showed up at the other five meetings.

But Susie Cabrera and her family made it out the last meeting.

“It was the last meeting and we didn’t know anything about it,” Cabrera said. “So I called his dad to say we better go.”

She’s the mother of a first grader and Cielo Vista Elementary, a school that may be closed and consolidated with MacArthur K-8. And she has her doubts.

“I don’t like it because what they’re doing now is they’re going to make the classrooms a lot bigger, the teacher is going to have a lot more students,” Cabrera said.

Susie soon found out, she’s not the only one.

“I can only say that Andress is a great school, I have had three children in the school,” said parent Dana Abbott. “And to see that school, that historical school be consolidated with another school which is their rival, is not fair to the children.”

These parents, including EPISD Trustee and Austin Alum Susie Byrd, sat through a short presentation that made it clear, EPISD believes it’s wasting taxpayer money.

“Behind the scenes we’ve spent many many hours pouring through the data, looking for solutions that make sense,” said member of the steering committee, Dori Fenenbock.

These are the facts: There will be 5,000 less students in five years. Twenty-five schools could easily be eliminated right now because of a shortage of students. The district says it can’t compete with Socorro ISD’s teacher salaries, programs or equipment because EPISD has to pour its money to lots of old buildings. SISD, with less schools, doesn’t have to.

“We have a lot to do to rebuild trust, but this is apart of that process,” Fenenbock said. “To be transparent.”

Susie heard it all but is not convinced.

“I think they should look into it a little more,” Cabrera said. “I like the school, I like the fact that it’s small.”

She plans on telling the district what she wants to do with her tax dollars in the online survey.

“I’m going to have to say no,” Susie said.

The steering committee will take the parent feedback as they make their final suggestions to the board of managers in January.