It doesn’t make sense. Time after time, the hardworking taxpayers of Ector County are asked to pay more money for failing schools that are overrun, “overcrowded”, and “underfunded”.
Does this new bond issue resolve those issues? NO. Throwing good money after bad never made bad money better.
In the money pit of ECISD, the current proposal is for roughly $400 MILLION to improve a few of ECISD’s existing facilities and build one brand new high school – the “new Permian” – in the Northeast area of Odessa.
One OAP commenter cited her Christian faith as a reason to provide an education for every student on our soil – regardless of nationality. While her compassion is admirable, at what point do the people of Ector County say “Enough!”?
That time is now. Enough!
Even Jesus tore up the temple over the money changers’ evil ways. The Bible, also, tells us we should be good stewards of our money. ECISD has not been a good steward of this County’s money, and multiple failing campuses across the district demonstrate that fact. With a New Tech High School being used at less than one third of the 1,200-student capacity, ECISD has proven it is not using the talents it has been given.
Ector County is home to three charter schools that are growing rapidly and have long wait lists for admission. Parents want their children out of ECISD for many reasons, and spending more money will not alleviate some of those issues. A federalized curriculum on the strings of education funding, the expansion of Marxist, anti-American teachings in our public schools, and an inability to prepare students for the world ahead have many parents running for the hills of charter and private schools.
Almost half of the total bond amount is earmarked for the new Northeast high school. And who can blame the residents in that area? As crime and poverty permeate the Permian, more affluent Odessa families have moved East into the Midland County portion of the city. Much of their tax dollars (over $1.4 BILLION in added property value 2018-20) go to Midland County and Midland ISD, but they want their children to go to school just down the road from their homes. They want you to pay for it.
Former mayor and Odessans for Education Co-Chair Lorraine Perryman told CBS7 in April that this bond “is a recognition of population growth and with a complete understanding and commitment from our committee that another high school needs to be built in West Odessa”.
Why isn’t that second high school on this bond proposition, then? One reason is that ECISD doesn’t already own the land in West Odessa that it does in Northeast Odessa. Another reason may be that ECISD never actually intends to build that second new high school in West or South Odessa.
Voting matters, and the low voter turnout totals in the March 1st primary election proved that the elected representatives of this community can count on West, Central, and South Ector County to not turn out and vote. One has to wonder if ECISD saw an opportunity to screw over three-fourths of the County with a special bond election now instead of putting these propositions on the November 8th ballot.
ECISD Superintendent Dr. Scott Muri is not a bad person. The District has improved in some areas since he took over. The question isn’t whether Dr. Muri and ECISD can be successful, but whether we need another inflated, unproductive expense.
Inflation is running rampant at a 40 plus-year high. While some economic experts expect inflation to go down at some point, we don’t know when that will be. Supply chain issues, inflated prices for consumer good and building materials, and a flailing economy make for a lot of uncertainty for Permian Basin residents.
The oil rush we have all grown accustomed to – and pray for – may never come again. The boom and bust cycle may be replaced long-term with steady, nominal production growth. That means fewer jobs, fewer people moving to the Basin, and fewer people buying homes that contribute to property tax revenue.
The reported and very sinister plan to extend the Schlemeyer Field runways and bring the constant, heavy flight traffic of a new Amazon distribution center over the newly-built homes, sports and recreation complexes, and schools of Ector County residents under Ector County Judge Dustin Fawcett will likely sour future residents on building in the Northeast. Then, who gets stuck with the bill with for that brand new Northeast high school?
Now is not the time for a rush decision on a massive and largely one-sided school bond issue.
God always has three answers: Yes, No, and Wait, I have a different plan.
Let’s wait on this one. VOTE NO on both bond propositions.
Early voting continues through Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Voting is on Saturday, May 7, 2022.