06-27-2023 Patron Presentation, Damon Barone
Greetings, Damon Barone, Alief ISD parent, taxpayer, and alumnus.
Disparity goes both ways. During the June 20, 2023 school board meeting Trustee Ann Williams stated that she wanted vendors that look like our students. But what she really was trying to say is that she wanted black vendors, that look like the district’s black students.
First and foremost, Texas state law says that using diversity, equity and inclusion policies in hiring violates federal and state employment laws, and hiring cannot be based upon factors other than merit.
Secondly our student population consist of being:
60% Hispanic
25% African American
10% Asian
3% White
And 2% Other
Thus, if you were truly trying to make things demographically correct to our student population then this school board, the districts leadership, teachers, and staff would be 60% Hispanic, 25% African American, 10% Asian, 3% White, and 2% other.
The school board’s voting record of 7 - 0 approving every proposal and contract submitted by vendors for all of these years, including this school year, does not even support this boards new alleged disparity concerns.
President Darlene Breaux, Trustee Janet Spurlock, and Superintendent Mays, your fraternity brother Martin Luther King Jr. once said he had a dream that his four children would one day live in a nation where they would not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have to question whether or not things here in Alief are truly in good and decent order, or are adult behaviors simply creating policies, procedures, and practices that makes decisions based upon the color of staff and vendors skin and not the content of their character or qualifications for their job duties?
Can the parents and community get an update on the districts STAAR test results, the status of the Superintendents efforts to earn his superintendent certification while he is making long term decisions for our district? Can we get you all to properly respond to public information request, and properly conduct hearings for community and staff grievances?
We need to hear you all talk more about student outcomes, and less talk about procurement and what skin color the districts vendors are. We demand honest and noble leadership, and passion driven staff from the top down who are best qualified.
In 1982 when my mother moved me here to attend Alief ISD schools it was because the district was academically great, and not because of the skin color of the district’s vendors.
Let’s focus on making Alief’s data great again, instead of trying to turn the district into an HBCU, and making hiring and contract decisions based upon you all’s 2023 version of the brown paper bag test.
Damon Barone, Alief ISD parent, taxpayer, and alumnus