BRENHAM SCHOOL BOARD MEETS
Two local pastors spoke before the Brenham School Board meeting Monday evening. Billy Southerland, Sr. Pastor at Calvary Baptist, and Tim Webb, Lead Pastor at Champion Fellowship, spoke on behalf of Texas Church Leaders, https://www.texaschurchleaders.org/ a group of local pastors serving Churches in Washington County. They presented the school board with a group of questions which they want answers to before the next School Board election. They also provided a signed copy of the 2018 District’s Legislative Priorities, taken from the District’s website which promotes state-funded support for campus-based mental and behavioral health services, opposes vouchers or any state funding to charter schools, and opposes state funding of private or parochial schools.
Superintendent Dr. Tylor Chaplin responded in the Superintendents Legislative Priorities part of the meeting by saying that they are wanting to avoid the unintended consequences they have experienced in the Texas House Bill 4545, which was passed last session. He opposes the state just giving out money without the checks and balances that are in place at a public school. He is for school competition, but they need to provide a level playing field. He is also in-favor of bringing back the truancy laws that were in effect before COVID hit, and having school funding based on enrollment not on average daily attendance.
The Director of Safety and Security for the District, Jay Huffty, presented the trustees with an update on campus safety. He said the District is steadily improving on safety, as witnessed last week when another intruder audit was attempted. A person posed as an intruder tried several exterior door at Brenham Elementary School, only to find them all locked. He was then directed to sign in at the main entrance. He also said the District is doing well with fencing, approving the RFP with American Fence Company Monday evening. He said that just leaves the High School as the last campus without fencing.
In other action the board:
- Approved the 2021-2022 Financial Audit conducted by Belt Harris Pechacek. The group gave the District its highest level on the audit.
- Approved the annual investment policy.
- Approved the RFP to replace the final chiller at Brenham High School.
- Held an Executive Session to discuss personnel matters, but took no action afterwards.
Dr Chaplin wants a level playing field. He wants a checks and balance so money isn’t just doled out without supervision…like him adding layer after layer of administrators and trying to cram a severely over priced facilities program down the throat of tax payers. The education system in this country hasn’t been level for decades sir!!
Hats off to the pastors for presenting these comments.
What’s really interesting is that Dr Chaplin calls for a “level playing field”, but that’s now how School Board Meetings are run. We get 3 minutes rigidly controlled on a ginormous clock, and somebody yelling a 1 minute warning, then Dr Chaplin gets to speak as long and as often as he likes without any opportunity for rebuttal. I would LOVE to see an actual Town Hall meeting where there was an actual “level playing field”, and both sides got equal time.