WE DESERVE BETTER! The current Longview Independent School District Superintendent, James Wilcox, needs to go!

Our students, teachers, staff, parents, community and LISD taxpayers deserve a full-time leader who puts them first. The teachers and staff deserve a trustworthy leader who has their best interests as his main focus. Unfortunately, Dr. Wilcox has abused his power as superintendent by pushing his Multi-Level-Marketing business in faculty meetings throughout the district on numerous occasions. He has sold insurance policies, set up retirement investments and recruited Longview ISD employees to join his MLM company. From his point of view, this was all perfectly ethical behavior. He would have continued these practices if the 2015 LISD Board Members had not stepped in.

Longview ISD Superintendent earning 75k a year from Primerica

Longview ISD Superintendent's Business Banned and Rehired Part-time. 

WE DESERVE BETTER!  CHANGE BEGINS WITH YOUR SIGNATURE.

Our Teachers are not provided the opportunity to approach Dr. Wilcox and discuss educational concerns. They are not allowed to call him or email him without fear of reprimands from their immediate supervisors. Dr. Wilcox has made the statement that teachers who leave our district are afraid to work hard. He has said, “Well, some people, quite frankly, just don’t want to do the extra work. They don’t want to change the way they’ve been teaching or don’t want to learn a new way to deliver instruction, and if that’s the way you feel, then Longview’s not the right place for you.” What Dr. Wilcox doesn’t understand is that most teachers leave LISD because of the hostile environment and lack of support from the administration. The average teacher turnover rate for the state in the last 10 years is 16.13%, but LISD's turnover rate is 20.8%. LISD has had a consistent 2%-8% teacher turnover rate HIGHER than the state average since Dr. Wilcox became LISD'S superintendent. Before he was hired in 2007, LISD teacher turnover rate was within 1% compared to the state averages. Data for 2021-2022 is not yet available.

Longview ISD Lost a Quarter of It's Teachers

A Serious Look at Teacher Attrition Rates Is In Order For Longview ISD

WE DESERVE BETTER!  CHANGE BEGINS WITH YOUR SIGNATURE.

LISD taxpayers deserve a superintendent who respects their voices. The taxpayers voted against the $230 million bond that Dr. Wilcox and the Board pushed in May of 2022. Instead of accepting the votes of the people, James Wilcox and Board President, Michael Tubb, decided to move forward with the land acquisition. Dr. Wilcox presented the purchase on Monday, June 22, during a special meeting, and LISD Board of Trustees voted to purchase 62 acres of land, partially in a flood zone and city plans to build a road through the property to connect Judson Road to Fourth Street. The land has no designated purpose at this time. The $5,634,997 was paid from the General Operating Fund. These funds are utilized for maintenance, staff members and for classroom supplies, as stated by the district during KETK-Fox51 interview. Place 2 trustee Brett Miller was the only board member to vote in opposition of the purchase.

Longview ISD Superintendent Addresses Concerns Over $5,634,997 Property Purchase

Local Election- $230 Million in Longview ISD Bond Fail

WE DESERVE BETTER!  CHANGE BEGINS WITH YOUR SIGNATURE.

The LISD students, especially the most vulnerable, non-verbal special needs students, deserve a leader who protects and defends them. When a parent expresses concern of neglect and child abuse, the superintendent should step up and investigate those concerns immediately. Instead, Dr. Wilcox approved reassignment of teachers and aides and put some staff on paid leave. He also provided Dr. Cynthia Wise, former CEO of ETAA- East Texas Advanced Academies, one of the charter schools within LISD, a $350,000 resignation/contract payout. Dr. Wilcox and Board also provided Dr. Wise with a complimentary recommendation which helped her secure a position in another Texas city working with more vulnerable children. His actions continue to cast a negative light on Longview ISD. In July 2022, several brave LISD parents hired a legal team to represent their children. These concerned parents could not get answers from our LISD leaders. The superintendent took minimal responsibility for the actions of the abusive employees even though he received prior knowledge in the fall of 2021 and the spring of 2022. We now have at least six, possibly more, LISD employees being investigated for abuse.  There were camera recordings of the alleged abuse, but there has to be more oversight to prevent abuse than cameras alone. Dr. Wilcox has not provided these safety measures. Thanks to concerned parents and their hired legal team, current cameras provided enough evidence to arrest six former employees and prove a systematic failure of safety for students. Not only is our district’s reputation tainted by the abuse allegations, but it is also under investigation for testing violations. Dr. Wilcox and the Board of Trustees continue to hide behind closed doors. They refuse to address questions posed by parents and tax-payers.

CEO of East Texas Advanced Academies which oversees six LISD-campuses resigns with $350,000042-11ec-8c45-9b866e222d80.html

State Investigating Abuse Neglect Allegations within Longview ISD Charter School System

LISD Testing Violations Alleged at East Texas Advanced Academies as More Details Emerge of Child Abuse Investigation

Fifth and Sixth Longview ISD Educators Arrested In Abuse Probe

WE DESERVE BETTER!  CHANGE BEGINS WITH YOUR SIGNATURE.

We must stand up for our great and valuable teachers! How can we have exemplary instruction by teachers who are overworked, unsupported and scared to do their jobs because they know they will not be defended by the superintendent and his administration? Is it impossible to have safe environments on our campuses when our elementary campuses have 600+ students (over 1,000 at ETMPA) students, but only one Principal per campus? Did you know, one Principal, per campus, is expected to monitor curriculum, faculty, discipline, special programs and special-needs students? A decade with a part-time leader has been detrimental to our students, teachers, staff and community.

State Teachers Association Sues Longview ISD Claims for Charter Enrollment Limit Exceeded

WE DESERVE BETTER!  CHANGE BEGINS WITH YOUR SIGNATURE.

The current LISD Mission Statement states: Believing in the excellence for all, the district will guarantee the highest level of academic achievement and character development of each learner by providing challenging curriculum and exemplary instruction within a safe environment.

Ask yourself, has our part-time LISD Superintendent Dr. Wilcox provided excellence for all, guaranteed the highest level of education, without state testing investigations? Have all our students received character development, challenging curriculum with exemplary instruction on each LISD campus? What about a safe environment? Most schools, including LISD are concerned about intruders harming our children. Who knew LISD would be faced with allegations of our children were being harmed from within.

Dr. Wilcox has forgotten he works for the taxpayers of LISD. We elect a board to oversee the LISD Mission. Ask yourself, is our elected LISD Board holding our hired part-time superintendent to the mission, concerns, needs of our students, teachers, staff, community and LISD taxpayers?

Is Dr. James Wilcox the leader we deserve?

Changes need to be made and must start by replacing James Wilcox with a trustworthy, ethical, full-time superintendent.

WE DESERVE BETTER!  CHANGE BEGINS WITH YOUR SIGNATURE.