Ysleta ISD superintendent takes bond plan to teachers

The Ysleta Independent School District’s leadership is working feverishly to drum up support for the $452 million bond issuance going before voters in May.

Superintendent Dr. Xavier de la Torre is visiting all 63 campuses in the district. Friday morning, he spoke to teachers at Ysleta High School.

De la Torre told ABC-7 he wants to show his commitment to the projects that will be paid for with the bond and stress the importance for them to educate themselves on the district’s needs.

De la Torre’s vision involves consolidating or closing some schools. But he said the teachers and most staff members aren’t in danger of losing their jobs.

“You plan ahead … and you set vacancies aside so you make sure that every single person remains gainfully employed by the district,” de la Torre told ABC-7.

During his talk with faculty at Scotsdale Elementary School Thursday, de la Torre said, “I will take care of you (teachers) and our children (students), someone else has to worry about the taxpayers.”

ABC-7 asked him whose has the job to worry about the taxpayers.

He responded, “I think it was taken out of context. What I was trying to share with people was simply because it is expensive, I can’t retreat from it because my obligation is to be a voice for the students in the classroom and for the teachers in the classroom that are at present are trying to instruct in inadequate facilities.”

De la Torre told ABC-7 he hopes those who live in the district but may not have students in classes remember the value of their child’s education and support the district’s push to invest in future students.