|
Heads up, Texas taxpayers: we’ve reviewed the upcoming SAN BENITO CISD agenda and found 9 items that deserve your attention before the gavel falls.
| ALERT (LEVEL 9) |
|
Vote to Award Contract for School-Based Health Clinic
Item 10.2 authorizes the administration to award a contract for ‘Urgent Care Services/Health Clinic’. School-based clinics can create situations where students receive services without full parental knowledge or consent, particularly regarding behavioral or reproductive health.
Response
INVESTIGATE: Open the file ‘Agenda Coversheet CSP-1026-UCSHC 1’ attached to Item 10.2 in the Official Agenda (linked above) to confirm the vendor and services. DEMAND A DELAY: Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘Do not vote on Item 10.2 until the full contract and parental consent policies for the health clinic are made public.’
💰 Impact: Reduced Parental Oversight
|
| ALERT (LEVEL 8) |
|
District Hires Architect for New Pool, Funding Unclear
Item 10.3 is a vote to hire an architectural firm for a new Natatorium/Aquatics Center, a major capital project. The agenda does not state how this will be funded, opening the door for the district to use Certificates of Obligation or other debt that bypasses voter approval.
Response
INVESTIGATE: Open the file ‘Agenda Cover Sheet – RFQ-ASNAT’ for Item 10.3 in the Official Agenda (linked above). DEMAND ANSWERS: Contact the Board: ‘Regarding Item 10.3, what is the total estimated cost and funding source for the new aquatics center? I urge you to commit to putting any new debt for this project on the ballot for voter approval.’
💰 Impact: New Debt (No Voter Approval)
|
| ALERT (LEVEL 8) |
|
$67k for Student Behavior Tracking Vendor Hidden on Consent Agenda
The check register, buried in the consent agenda under Item 8.4, includes a $66,949 payment to Branching Minds, Inc. This company provides a platform to monitor student behavior and implement ‘equitable’ interventions, embedding Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) into the district’s core operations.
Response
DEMAND A RECORDED VOTE: Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘I demand Item 8.4, the Check Disbursements Report, be pulled from the Consent Agenda. Taxpayers deserve a separate discussion and a roll-call vote on the $66,949 payment to the SEL vendor Branching Minds.’
💰 Impact: $66,949
|
| WARNING (LEVEL 7) |
|
Agreements Share Student Data with College for Federal Programs
Items 7.5 and 7.6 approve multi-year agreements for the federal ‘Talent Search’ and ‘Upward Bound’ programs run by Texas State Technical College. These agreements require the district to provide TSTC with sensitive student data, including grades, test scores, English proficiency status, and financial aid information.
Response
PULL FROM CONSENT: Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘Pull Items 7.5 and 7.6 from the consent agenda. Before sharing our students’ private academic and financial data with TSTC, the board must publicly state what specific information is being shared and what privacy protections are in place.’
💰 Impact: Student Data Harvesting
|
| WARNING (LEVEL 6) |
|
Major Spending Items Hidden on Consent Agenda
Items 8.6 (Budget Amendments), 8.7 (Purchases over $50k), and 9.1 (Compensation Plan Revisions) are bundled for a single vote without any supporting documents attached in this packet. This practice hides significant financial decisions from public view and prevents accountability.
Response
INVESTIGATE: Open the files attached in the Official Agenda (linked above) for Items 8.6, 8.7, and 9.1 to confirm whether they contain hidden spending or policy changes. Email the Board: ‘Please postpone the vote on consent items 8.6, 8.7, and 9.1 until the full documentation is made easily accessible to the public.’
💰 Impact: Undisclosed
|
| WATCH (LEVEL 5) |
|
New Bullying Policy Pushes Student Surveillance App
The proposed Bullying Prevention Handbook under Item 7.2 encourages students to use the ‘STOPit App’ for anonymous reporting. These third-party apps can collect sensitive student data, creating privacy risks, while the policy also embeds Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) concepts like ’empathy’ and ‘social and emotional development’.
Response
DEMAND THE DETAILS: Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘Regarding Item 7.2, what data does the STOPit App collect on our students, who has access to it, and for how long is it stored? Parents deserve to know before you approve this policy.’
💰 Impact: Student Data Privacy Risk
|
| WATCH (LEVEL 4) |
|
Massive 53-Page Plan Bundled on Consent Agenda
Item 7.1 asks the board to approve a 53-page Campus Improvement Plan for the entire district in a single vote, preventing any real discussion. The plan is driven by federal ESSA grant requirements and repeatedly calls for ‘social-emotional supports,’ a common vehicle for SEL.
Response
Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘I request that Item 7.1, the Campus Improvement Plans, be removed from the consent agenda. The board should have a public discussion on the federal strings and social-emotional components within this 53-page document before a vote.’
💰 Impact: Reduced Accountability
|
| WATCH (LEVEL 3) |
|
District to Increase Class Sizes for Youngest Students
Item 7.3 is a request to waive the state-mandated 22-to-1 student-teacher ratio for Pre-K, 1st, and 4th-grade classes at four elementary schools. This will result in more crowded classrooms for young learners at Rangerville, Fred Booth, Frank Roberts, and Sullivan elementary schools.
Response
ASK THE QUESTION: Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘Regarding the class size waiver in Item 7.3, what is the district’s long-term plan to hire enough teachers so these waivers for our youngest students are not necessary every year?’
💰 Impact: Larger Class Sizes
|
|
✅ Wins for Taxpayers
Good moves worth showing up to support so they stick.
|
| Major Win (LEVEL 7) |
|
District Follows Law on Library Book Transparency
Item 7.4 shows the district is complying with Texas SB 13 by posting its proposed library book acquisition list online for public review 30 days prior to the board vote. This process gives parents and taxpayers the opportunity to review materials before they are purchased with tax dollars.
How to Lock It In
SECURE AND AMPLIFY: Show up to thank the Board during public comment for following the transparent process required by state law for library books. Get this positive action on the record to set a standard for other districts.
✅ Why It Matters: Increased Transparency
|
|
|
“Freedom, Prosperity &
Opportunity”
TPPF is a conservative think tank whose mission is to promote and defend liberty, personal responsibility, and free enterprise in Texas and the nation.
Contribute to the mission
Powered by Sentinel Engine |