DR. DAVID VELASQUEZ KATY ISD SB CAMPAIGN 2017

ABOUT

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AS KATY RESIDENTS FOR THE LAST DECADE OR SO, MY WIFE AND CHILDREN HAVE ENJOYED AND CHERISHED A RELATIVELY QUIET AND PRIVATE LIFE.  HOWEVER, AS TAXPAYERS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY AS PARENTS, WE HAVE RECENTLY REACHED THE CONCLUSION THAT SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO CHANGE THE REPRESSIVE SCHOOL CULTURE THAT THE PRESENT AND PAST KATY ISD SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERSHIP HAS CULTIVATED WITHIN AND THROUGHOUT OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT.  DERELICT IN THEIR DUTIES, THE CURRENT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERSHIP HAS ABSOLUTELY IGNORED THE WILL OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS BY EXCLUDING THEM FROM THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS ON IMPORTANT ISSUES HIGHLY IMPACTING THE LIVES AND FUTURES OF THEIR CHILDREN. 

AS MOST OF US WHO HAVE BEEN NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY KATY ISD’S ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY CHANGES INTIMATELY KNOW, THE DISTRICT HAS ACTED WITH ABSOLUTE INDIFFERENCE AND DISRESPECT TO THE PERSPECTIVES THAT WE AS PARENTS HOLD.  AS RESPONSIBLE PARENTS, WE TRY TO NAVIGATE AND CHART THE BEST COURSE FOR OUR CHILDREN SO THAT THEY CAN GROW UP TO BECOME PRODUCTIVE CITIZENS AND ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS WITHIN OUR CHERISHED DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY.  HOWEVER, WHEN ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TAKE IT UPON THEMSELVES TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF OUR CHILDREN’S FUTURE ON A WHIM AND WITH RECKLESS ABANDON BY FAILING TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE PARENTS’ PERSPECTIVES, THEN THAT BECOMES THE LAST STRAW.  WHEN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT LEADERSHIP BLATANTLY IGNORES AND FAILS TO EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE OR RESPOND TO PARENTAL CONCERNS AND INPUT WHEN ONE REACHES OUT TO THEM ON IMPORTANT ISSUES SUCH AS BOUNDARY CHANGES, THEN IT BECOMES TIME FOR PARENTS TO TAKE MORE OWNERSHIP OF THEIR CHILDREN’S EDUCATION AND BECOME CHANGE AGENTS TO PUT A STOP TO SUCH UNRESPONSIVE AND DESPOTIC CULTURE THAT THE CURRENT BOARD MEMBERSHIP HAS CULTIVATED OVER THE YEARS.  WHEN SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS FLAT OUT IGNORE THE WILL OF THE VERY PEOPLE THAT THEY WERE ELECTED TO SERVE BY WASTING VALUABLE TAXPAYER MONEY ON A $70 MILLION HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL STADIUM BY SACRIFICING MUCH NEEDED SCHOOLS FOR OUR CHILDREN IN THE FACE OF STUDENT OVERCROWDING, AND IN THE FACE OF THE PEOPLE’S CLEARLY EXPRESSED OPPOSITION, THEN IT’S HIGH TIME TO HOLD SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS’ FEET TO THE FIRE. 

IT’S MY ABSOLUTE DISDAIN FOR SUCH NAKED ABUSE OF AUTHORITY AND TOTAL DISREGARD FOR COMMUNITY INPUT THAT HAS BROUGHT ME FROM THE COMFORTS OF PRIVATE LIFE AND UNTO MY FIRST FORAY INTO POLITICS, A RATHER STRANGE UNDERTAKING FOR A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL LIKE MYSELF.  AS A SCHOOL BOARD TRUSTEE CANDIDATE FOR POSITION 3, I THEREFORE ASK FOR YOUR VOTE AND FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AS YOUR FIRM VOICE AND FAITHFUL ADVOCATE WITHIN THE KATY ISD SCHOOL BOARD.  LET US ALL PUT A STOP TO ALL THESE SHENANIGANS ONCE AND FOR ALL.  LET’S GIVE VOICE BACK TO THE PEOPLE. 

PLATFORM

BUILD A RESPONSIVE AND COLLABORATIVE SCHOOL DISTRICT

WE NEED TO WORK AND STRIVE TOWARDS CREATING A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT IS MORE INCLUSIVE AND COLLABORATIVE WITH THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES.EDUCATORS SHOULD OPERATE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE THAT SCHOOLS BELONG TO THE COMMUNITY AND NOT TO THE PEOPLE WHO RUN THEM.

WE NEED TO PROMOTE A SCHOOL CULTURE THAT IS NOT ONLY WELCOMING, BUT ALSO ONE WHICH VALUES AND ENCOURAGES INPUT FROM PARENTS AND THE ENTIRE STAKEHOLDER COMMUNITY.WE ALL HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN EDUCATING AND PRODUCING STUDENTS THAT WILL GROW UP TO BECOME PRODUCTIVE AND ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN OUR GREAT AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.SCHOOLS CANNOT ACHIEVE THIS IN ISOLATION, BUT THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY THEY SERVE.

WE NEED TO PROMOTE MORE COLLABORATION AND RESPECT BETWEEN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND THE COMMUNITY.IT SHOULD NEVER BE AN “US” AGAINST “THEM” MENTALITY AS WAS UNFORTUNATELY MADE EVIDENT DURING THE LAST BOND ELECTION.

DEMAND FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP

WE NEED TO DEMAND AND ADVOCATE FOR MORE RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT’S RESOURCES BY ENSURING THAT OUR LIMITED RESOURCES ARE APPROPRIATELY TARGETED AND PRIORITIZED WITHIN AN PERSPECTIVE.

WE NEED TO INVITE AND ENCOURAGE MORE PUBLIC INPUT, AS WELL AS TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE WISHES AND CONCERNS OF OUR COMMUNITY, IN ORDER TO EFFECT A DECISION-MAKING PROCESS THAT IS FAIR AND RESPECTFUL OF THE STAKEHOLDER COMMUNITY.

WE NEED TO MAXIMIZE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT’S RESOURCES BY IDENTIFYING WASTE AND REDIRECTING VALUABLE RESOURCES TOWARDS TARGETED INSTRUCTIONAL NEEDS.

DEMAND TRANSPARENCY

WE NEED A SCHOOL BOARD THAT RESPECTS THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES BY DEMANDING THAT IT TRANSACT SCHOOL BUSINESS IN THE LIGHT OF DAY RATHER IN THE SHADE OF DARK, SMOKE-FILLED ROOMS.

WE NEED TO CHANGE KATY ISD’S SCHOOL BOARD’S ONE VOICE POLICY TO THE EXTENT THAT IT NO LONGER OPERATES TO SILENCE THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS THAT THE COMMUNITY ELECTED TO SERVE AS THEIR VOICE AND STEWARDS.

WE NEED TO ADVOCATE AND ENCOURAGE DISTRICT SCHOOLS TO PERIODICALLY (ANNUALLY) UTILIZE ANONYMOUS CAMPUS SURVEYS AS PERFORMANCE MATRICES FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS IN ORDER TO GAUGE ADMINISTRATORS’ ABILITY TO ESTABLISH, MAINTAIN AND PERPETUATE A POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE THAT PROMOTES GROWTH FOR STUDENTS, TEACHERS, STAFF AND ITS LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS.WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF ARE TREATED FAIRLY, WITH DIGNITY, AND EQUIPPED WITH THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO DO THEIR JOBS.ALL OF OUR TEACHERS DESERVE TO WORK IN NON-TOXIC SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS SO THEY CAN EXCEL IN WHAT THEY DO BEST – TEACH OUR STUDENTS.