Some Ysleta ISD teachers pull back on support for $451M bond due to “inequity”

Early voting has begun, which means the Ysleta School District community is less than two weeks away from finding out whether their aging schools will be renewed and their classrooms reinvigorated.

But a new survey shows support for the $451 million among teachers is declining.

“The fact that some areas are getting brand new schools, that is what makes it inequitable,” said Ysleta Teacher’s Association President Arlinda Valencia.

The bond will be broken down into seven feeder patterns. Reaping the most tax dollars is Eastwood, which is set to receive $94 million. At the bottom, Parkland getting $11.3 million (Bel Air- $65.7M, Del Valle- $89M, Hanks- $46.8, Riverside- $42.3M, Ysleta- $39.2M)

After Ysleta teachers learned about these numbers, support for the bond dropped.

“I think the main one is Eastwood High school,” Valencia said. “A lot of people are looking at Eastwood and saying why are they getting a brand new high school?”

Valencia conducted two surveys: one prior to the bond’s details coming out, the other after. In the first, 80 percent of teachers polled supported it, but after they learned more details, that number fell to 63 percent.

Their comments show numerous concerns, including the potential tax rate hike, the potential of a school being shut down and displacing their job and equity.

One says: “Equity is the word, giving to brand new schools instead of those who need it the most. Outrageous!!” Another says: “At Bel Air I’ve been informed that we won’t be receiving the appropriate amount of funds, even though our school is one of the worst.”

“Parkland would appear to not be getting the same investment that Eastwood High school learning community is getting, but of the $94 million, $70 million is Eastwood High school,” said Superintendent Dr. Xavier De La Torre. “So if you are to pull Eastwood High school out, you’d find that Parkland get $26 million-$27 million, and the rest of the schools in the Eastwood community share $19 million.

Although she lost 17 percent of her members support in the survey, Valencia said the teacher’s association still supports the bond.

“Why would YTA support the bond?” Valencia said. “My answer to them is why would be not? It supports the best interest of the district.”

The bond would go toward modernizing classrooms, repairing old buildings, even ensuring schools are properly heated and cooled. But the big ticket items are a new Eastwood High school, a new Bel Air Middle and New Thomas Manor Elementary school.