Want your own electronic copy of the LTISD Student Directory?

Want to save yourself the expense of purchasing a written copy from the LTHS PTA?

The 2009-2010 LTISD Student Directory is available in Acrobat^© (PDF) format, or HTML format.^TPIA

You can also view the directory sorted by campus (Acrobat^© (PDF) format, or HTML format) and/or grade (Acrobat^© (PDF) format, or HTML format).

Did you know that this information is public?

Not many people know that the LTISD gives this directory information away to anyone who asks. See written LTISD Board Policy FL(LEGAL).

Here are but a few examples of requests for student and employee directory information made to the district.

Not only does the LTISD give it away, the LT High School sells this same directory information in printed form!

The LTHS even prints an advertisement thanking and soliciting supporters for the published directory.

“Austin teachers are better compensated than other Central Texas teachers, according to an Austin ISD report to be presented to trustees tonight.

A beginning Austin teacher receives $3,276 more than the average beginning teacher salary in other Central Texas school districts, taking Austin ISD’s 6.2% FICA contribution into account. An Austin teacher with ten years of experience makes $1,404 more than the average ten-year teacher salary in other Central Texas school districts, again, taking the district’s FICA contribution into account.

In fact, Austin teachers at all levels of experience are better compensated than teachers in nearly every other Central Texas school district, when the district’s FICA contribution is taken into account, according to the report. The only teachers who make more are those with 20+ years of experience in Eanes ISD and 15-25 years of experience in Lake Travis ISD.”

Sadly they did not mention the outrageous compensation of the LTISD’s highly overpaid superintendent Rocky Kirk.

Why does the Lake Travis ISD have such a disconnect between those who make the “rubber meet the road,” the district’s teachers, and those who just talk? I seem to  remember Rocky boasting about making the LTISD “the most exemplary school district in Texas!” Yet Rocky “leads” the school district to another year of “Academically Acceptable.”

When was the last time that Rocky Kirk visited one of the district’s campuses?

Speaking of overpaid fools, how about the $10,000 pay raise doled out to the LTISD’s General Counsel, Susan Bohn? Just what has she done for such an unwarranted pay raise, especially in today’s economy? I doubt that merit has anything to do with it. Why does the district keep paying out for all those outside lawyers, doesn’t the district have their own in house  “General Counsel?” Just what does Susan Bohn do?

Do you see a pattern here?

Why aren’t these administrators taking pay cuts? Obviously the LTISD Board of Trustees doesn’t understand the concept of performance based compensation.

Don’t you see lots of opportunity to make significant budget cuts and not impact the quality of education in the district? In fact, the quality of education in the district would most likely improve!

We keep paying more and more in taxes and yet there are some who are laughing all the way to the bank with our money.

“To the editor:

This is the fourth year I have judged at the Austin Energy Regional Science Fair, and the fourth year that schools from the Lake Travis Independent School District were not represented.

For a school district with such a high number of educated and wealthy parents not to have their school district represented at this event is unimaginable. As I interview a 10th grader from Bowie High School who has a project about using electromagnets to dampen the vibration of structures, I wonder why I am not interviewing a student from Lake Travis High School.

I encourage all parents of science minded students to contact the LTISD administration, school principals, and members of the school board and ask why the LTISD does not offer an optional science fair program. We highly support football, basketball, cheerleading, drama, and music programs, why not a science program.

By the way, there are three school board positions to be voted on this year. Before you cast your ballot, ask the candidates if they would support a science program.

The Austin American-Statesman had an article with pictures about the Austin Energy Regional Science Fair 2010 on Feb. 26. The article can be accessed on my web site “HamilCooper.com“. Click on Science Fairs and you will find it and other information.

Hamil Cooper
Lakeway”

Science? What does science have to do with a three time championship football team?

Just how did this happen if the school district had been enforcing their own rules? The 2009-2010 LTHS Student/Parent Handbook & Code of Conduct says:

ELECTRONIC DEVICES CELL PHONES, PAGERS, PDA’S
For safety purposes, the district permits students to possess telecommunications devices, including mobile cell phones; however, these devices must remain turned off during the instructional class time, including during all testing. The use of cell phones in locker rooms or restroom areas at any time while at school is strictly prohibited. A student who uses a telecommunications device during instructional class time shall have the device confiscated. The [student/parent] may pick up the confiscated telecommunications device from the assistant principal’s office for a fee of $15. Confiscated telecommunications devices that are not retrieved by the student or student’s parents will be disposed of after the notice required by law.

According to the news articles about the incident:

“According to a search warrant affidavit, an assistant principal found more than 150 pictures on a cell phone …”

150 pictures?! Now that is a lot of photography. We should also note that the photographs “were of clothed girls.”

A recent comment by someone posted on the Lake Travis View web site makes a very interesting observation:
“This is the dumbest and scariest thing I have ever read! A teenage boy arrested for taking pictures of fully clothed girls. I did not even realize taking photos of people without thier consent was against the law!
Since this is evidently true, I suggest no more photos be taken at football games (like the ones on the right). And for heavens sakes don’t take pictures at a basketball game where you might get an unsuspecting students fully clothed body in the photo! You will get arrested and charged with a felony!”

But to take 150 photographs would mean that the student was obviously using his cell phone a lot, even during “instructional class time?”

In fact the student was caught by another student during “instructional class time” according to the sheriff’s deputies:

“…he photographed a girl from behind during class, according to deputies”

Why does the district even allow students to have phones? They claim its “for safety purposes.” But who’s safety? If you need to communicate with your child, couldn’t you just call the school office? Does this mean that the district doesn’t know where your child is located?

Doesn’t this place another burden on the teachers to simultaneously “police” the use of electronic devices and deliver educational instruction?

Let’s face it, the district is hopelessly inept, the LTISD issued a computer to my son that included photographs of Heidi Gudelman’s (Principal of the Lake Pointe Elementary School) Las Vegas vacation.

Reality tells us that a recent “QuickNews” email from the district about the “inappropriate photography” incident can’t be true.

“The LTHS administration will continue to take all appropriate and necessary measures to safeguard our students and communicate with our parent community.”

If this were true, the district would have enforced their own rules and then this incident would never have happened.

Now if all this isn’t enough, the school district is allowing middle schoolers to use “music playing devices” at school.

My son recently brought home this permission form allowing him to use a music device at school.

Note that the 2009-2010 Middle School Student/Parent Handbook & Code of Conduct says:

Cell Phones, Cameras, and Other Electronic Devices
Students are not permitted to possess such items as, I-pods, CD players, tape recorders, other digital musical players, camcorders, DVD players, cameras, electronic devices or games at school, unless prior permission has been obtained from the principal.  Without such permission, teachers will collect the items and turn them in to the principal’s office.  The principal will determine whether to return items to students at the end of the day or to contact parents to pick up the items.

What brought about this change?

We need to ask the school district some questions:

Why do students need these additional distractions at school?

How does allowing these “music devices” enhance the educational benefit of the students? Does this help to elevate the LTISD above “academically acceptable?” How does this help Rocky Kirk make the LTISD “the most exemplary school district in Texas?”

How does the district think they can control the use of these devices? The district has already demonstrated that they can’t  or won’t enforce their own rules, so what changed? Can the district ensure that these “music devices” which are often “multi-use” devices will not be used to take “improper photos?”

How does this impact the teachers who are already spending time preparing, teaching and disciplining their classrooms?

Joe goes on to say:

“I even posed these numbers to a few groups of administrators and received comments such as: “…it’s the economy,” “…changes in TRS are having impact,”  “…it is because the 907 school districts at or above $1.04 tax rate; they are all at the wall”.

I call this issue the “less green grass theory” – When the grass is not greener on the other side of the fence, there is no reason to go there.”

Interesting. Then Rocky Kirk has truly found his gold mine here and won’t be leaving soon! I doubt anyone else would hire Rocky with his track record of “academically acceptable” ratings.

“For years, “Recognized” and “Exemplary” have been used as bragging rights by school districts across Texas and in Kerr County, but those terms soon will be a thing of the past as the Texas Education Agency re-vamps and simplifies its district rating system.

A two-tier “acceptable” or “unacceptable” rating system will replace the current multi-level rating system starting in 2012, after the implementation of new statewide standardized testing.”

Rocky Kirk should be rejoicing! This will mean that starting in 2012 Rocky no longer has to explain why he can’t lead the district to be the “most exemplary school district in Texas.” Rocky Kirk has a long string of “academically acceptable” ratings obtained under his “leadership” and not one “exemplary” rating.

But, those districts who are truly rated “exemplary” and “recognized” will no longer be  identified for their hard earned achievements. Unlike Rocky Kirk, some superintendents believe that their districts should be given credit for their achievements:

“But some local administrators are wary of the new system, which they say fails to acknowledge high performing schools.

“I think it’s about giving credit where credit is due,” said Cody Newcomb, superintendent of Center Point Independent School District. “I have an exemplary elementary school, and I think it deserves that credit.”

Newcomb said that rankings for schools are an important measure of accountability and reflect the broad range of performances.”

But wait a minute, Education Week put out a grade for all of the states in the country and it rated Texas’ Standards, Assessments, & Accountability a “A.” Someone else thinks that Texas has a good accountability system.

Contrast this to the LTISD’s constant complaint that the current system is not fair.

“Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.”

-George Washington

“Fitch Ratings, a global rating agency committed to providing the world’s credit markets with independent and prospective credit opinions, research, and data, has raised its issuer credit rating (ICR) on the Lake Travis Independent School District’s general obligation (GO) debt to ‘AA,’ up from ‘AA-‘ the previous year. The rating is the highest level given by Fitch to any Texas school district.”

An interesting development to say the least. Which did not go unnoticed by Patrick Watson, who wrote in a Letter to the Editor published in the January 28, 2010 issue of the Lake Travis View:

“To the editor:

The January 28 edition of the Lake Travis View reported that Fitch Ratings has raised its score for the bonds of Lake Travis Independent School District to AA, the highest of any school district in the state. Superintendent Dr. Rocky Kirk was quoted attributing this action the the district’s “sound financial management.”

What Dr. Kirk didn’t point out is that only a’ few months ago, LTISD tried to raise property taxes saying that, among other things, the district’s bond rating was in danger at current tax rates. Voting residents overwhelmingly disagreed with the trustees and refused the board’s plea for more tax revenue. Now we learn that, far from being downgraded, the district’s bond rating actually went up!

I only see two possibilities. Either Fitch Ratings is incorrect about LTISD’s “high degree of financial flexibility,” or the LTISD bond rating was, in fact, not in peril back in November and those who said so were flat wrong. In either case, someone made a huge mistake. That’s the real story here.

If I’m misunderstanding this, I invite Dr. Kirk and the trustees who wanted a tax increase to offer the voters a more complete explanation. I’m sure the Lake Travis View will be happy to report the facts.”

- Patrick Watson, Lake Travis View, Letters to the Editor, January 28, 2010

It seems that Patrick Watson is skeptical of what Rocky Kirk, says. And with good reason. Rocky is plagued by an over inflated salary with little to show for it. And to think, the Board keeps giving Rocky more and more money.

We should all remember:

“A lie told often enough becomes the truth.”

-Vladimir Ilyich Lenin

Anyone interested in running for the school board has until March 8 to file. Filing for the school board election requires that you select a campaign finance chairman, fill out the requisite forms (see below) and submit your election filing paperwork with the school district by close of business on March 8.

Appointment of A Campaign Treasurer By A Candidate (Instructions)
Code of Fair Campaign Practices [Optional]

There could be some good news in all of this: Susan Tolles hasn’t filed for re-election, yet! Somehow I doubt that Alex Alexander would be running for Susan Tolles‘ position without Susan’s knowledge and Rocky’s blessing.

UPDATE: According to the Lake Travis View, Susan Tolles will NOT be running for re-election!

As of February 12,  three candidates have filed for the upcoming election (see list below). You may obtain a copy of a candidates election filing form by following the link attached to their name.

Alex Alexander, Position 3 (Susan Tolles position)

Jason Buddin, Position 4

Alan Williams, Position 5

It might be a good time to remind everyone that all three of these candidates, Alex Alexander, Jason Buddin and Alan Williams supported the recently defeated plan by the district to coerce more money out of tax payers.

Isn’t Jason Buddin on the Board of Directors of the Lake Travis Republican Club? I would only assume that would mean that Jason is a Republican? How can a supposed business man and Republican back a tax increase?

I might also remind you that both Jason Buddin and Alan Williams have voted to increase the salary of Rocky Kirk, our overpaid and ineffectual Superintendent. Recently, during a “special called meeting” of the LTISD Board, both Jason Buddin and Alan Williams voted to “re-arrange” Rocky’s compensation. Reading this peculiar “change” to Rocky Kirk’s contract sounds foreboding. Perhaps a way of hiding another of Rocky’s undeserved pay raises? More on this later.

By the way, doesn’t Alan Williams “operate” a Chick-fil-A? Yet the district does not have a record of any conflict of interest documents filed by Alan Williams resulting from his operation of a business which does business with the district (according to the district’s response to my latest public information requests regarding any conflict of interest filings by Alan).  Do you know how much business the district does with Chick-fil-A? Answer: a lot! Just go to your kids cafeteria in any LTISD campus and see for yourself. I would think that Alan Williams would at the very least like to clear the air on this matter. More on this later.

Funny, but the excessive salaries of overpaid superintendent’s such as Rocky Kirk is number one in the top five issues that tax payers have with school districts.

Note that Joe references gleaned his conclusions from comments to a Houston Chronicle article: “School districts still feeling the squeeze.”

Joe says, among other things:

The list below reflects the top 5 comments, based on the number of times the comment was recommended (agreed with), by those who read the Houston Chronicle article, School districts still feeling the squeeze, which we posted Monday.

1.    Fat superintendent salaries (Recommended Thumbs up 78 – Thumbs down 10)
2.    Illegal aliens attending Texas public schools (Thumbs up 68 – Thumbs down 44)
3.    Why can’t schools live within a budget like taxpayers do? ( Thumbs up 63 – Thumbs down 7)
4.    Football stadiums and administration buildings (Thumbs up 51 – Thumbs down 11)
5.    Incompetent teachers with tenure (Thumbs up 48 – Thumbs down 41)

And the LTISD wonders why they lost the recent tax rollback election?

According to the May 25, 2004 Dallas Morning News:

Principal who quoted Bible at meeting quits

Woman says she was defending co-worker who was set to be fired

Author: TIARA M. ELLIS; Staff Writer

Dateline: VAN ALSTYNE

Article Text:

School officials in Grayson County capped a month long investigation Monday by accepting the resignation of an elementary school principal accused of quoting the Bible to her staff, among other violations.

Most of the allegations against Van Alstyne Elementary School principal Sandra Bodak stemmed from an April staff meeting in which she lectured teachers with Bible verses after suggesting that staff gossip led to the firing of the school’s assistant principal.

The assistant principal, Allison Cobb, also spoke at that meeting, referring to some staff members as “adulterers” and “abortionists.”

Ms. Cobb and Ms. Bodak have been on paid administrative leave since early April.

Earlier this month, district Superintendent Bill Lytle recommended to the school board that Ms. Bodak be fired for a litany of violations cited in the investigation: insubordination, unprofessional conduct, undermining the school board by discussing personnel issues, violating state policy regarding religious discussion by a public servant and breaching employees’ civil rights by “preaching to them.”

The board accepted a settlement agreement that pays Ms. Bodak $25,300. Her annual salary was $64,150.

“We believe the best interests of the district are served by approving the agreement with Ms. Bodak. Although the board believes the violations by Ms. Bodak and Ms. Cobb are serious … the board approved the agreement with Ms. Bodak to bring closure to the matter,” Mr. Lytle said, reading part of a written statement released at Monday’s school board meeting.

Neither Ms. Bodak nor Ms. Cobb could be reached for comment Monday.

Ms. Cobb, who was employed under a one-year temporary contract as are all district employees, was given notice at the April 5 school board meeting that she would be fired at the end of the school year, according to the meeting minutes. Officials would not release the reason for Ms. Cobb’s firing, saying it was a personnel issue.

Ms. Bodak, who had openly opposed Ms. Cobb’s dismissal, called a mandatory staff meeting the next day to announce the firing and told district officials that the meeting was going to have a positive tone, according to a district memo.

According to the investigation, Ms. Bodak said that the meeting’s purpose was to “nip this in the bud,” but that Van Alstyne is a “gossipy, traditional” place and that she regrets the meeting’s outcome. At the meeting, Ms. Bodak said that rumors among the staff about Ms. Cobb’s marital status had contributed to her firing. Ms. Bodak pointed to laws and school policy prohibiting the discussion of personnel issues. Then she stressed the importance of forgiveness and moving forward, according to the investigation documents.

Ms. Bodak concluded her comments by reading I Corinthians 13:4-8 to stress “love endures all circumstance” and then handed her Bible to Ms. Cobb, the investigation report said. Ms. Cobb then quoted a few Scriptures and clarified her marital status – divorced. She said none of the staff members had room to judge her, because some of them were “adulterers” and “abortionists” and had remarried. And she said she had chosen the high road over others in that room, according to multiple e-mails to district officials.

Harold Jones, a Dallas attorney, interviewed 18 people during the investigation, including the principals.

Ms. Cobb told Mr. Jones that the point of meeting with the staff was to clarify that she was in the right. “I have done nothing wrong. I have no regrets. It’s a deeply [ingrained] truth I’m fighting for. It would be like denying Christ to give up. I can’t. I won’t deny my beliefs.”

PTA board president Lisa Hundt said parents received a message at the end of April about Ms. Cobb and Ms. Bodak being placed on administrative leave.

“This has been very frustrating … that nothing was publicly stated about this,” said Ms. Hundt, who has one child at the elementary school and another who will begin school there next year.

Throughout the investigation Mr. Lytle has stressed that classes have continued as normal with retired middle school principal Kent Whitehead acting as principal through Wednesday, the last day of the school year.

Mr. Jones, who was paid about $11,000 for his services, reported his findings on April 16, Mr. Lytle said.

He made no recommendations but finished his report with the point that at least 11 employees said they did not think Ms. Bodak could lead the school.

Ms. Bodak met with Mr. Lytle and Assistant Superintendent Pam Parmley on April 22 and was offered the chance to resign. According to a memo of the notes from that meeting, Mr. Lytle told Ms. Bodak that he would “allow her a gracious exit” and suggested she seek legal counsel.

Ms. Bodak and Ms. Cobb will remain on paid administrative leave and continue to be employed by the district through June 30.

With Ms. Bodak’s resignation, the district will begin its search for a new principal and assistant principal.

“We can never guarantee this won’t happen again. What we do is hire the best possible people” to educate the students, Mr. Lytle said.

Ms. Bodak was principal at Van Alstyne for six years.

E-mail tellis@dallasnews.com

I bet Allison Cobb has never met LTISD Board member Mayo Davidson. She probably would have some more harsh words regarding how many times Mayo has been married.

Could this be the same “principal Allison Cobb” that Marco Alvarado (LTISD Director or Communications, Media & Community Relations) wrote about in the November 4, 2009 issue of the Lake Travis View?

“Just ask school principal Allison Cobb whose unique vision for professional development is resulting in a different kind of widespread fever among her staff. Call it the “motivation virus”

-”Special services teacher is first to obtain multiple certification,” Marco Alvarado, Lake Travis View, November 4, 2009

 

Marco must have known about Allison’s “motivational lecture” on April 6, 2004.  Talk about your “motivational virus!”

But let’s look at more evidence obtained from the Val Alstyne ISD^TPIA. You can read a lot more about the incident in which Allison Cobb was allegedly involved. Interesting reading, including many more news articles on the matter.

You can even read Allison Cobb’s LTISD job application which looks like it was FAXed to the district on April 6, 2004 at 12:04 A.M.^TPIA

Does Allison still believe “It’s a deeply [ingrained] truth I’m fighting for?”

LTISD official wrong to blame voters

To the editor:

Following the crushing defeat of the LTISD attempt to raise taxes, board chair Susan ToIles said “As a result, our district is now faced with a budget deficit of more than $1.7 million.”

This is not correct. LTISD faces a budget deficit because the board approved a budget that was $1.7 million too high. The trustees knew full well that they were spending more money than they had available. That’s why we had an election. They assumed voters would’ rubber-stamp a tax increase to cover the shortfall — a bad assumption, obviously.

Maybe instead of blaming voters, Ms. Tolles and the other trustees should try listening to them. The message is clear: You don’t have a blank check. Stop whining about Robin Hood and stop spending money you don’t have. Will this mean tough .decisions? Of course, but you all asked for the job. If you don’t want to do it, you should resign.

Patrick W. Watson
Hamilton Pool Road

-Letters to the Editor, Lake Travis View, November 19, 2009

Patrick hits the nail on the head when he says:

“You don’t have a blank check. Stop whining about Robin Hood and stop spending money you don’t have.”

We are all sick and tired of hearing the whining of overpaid Superintendents such as Rocky Kirk telling us that we are tossing our money into into another black hole rather than into the local abyss, the local abyss that keeps on giving Rocky Kirk pay raises with little to show for it.

Rocky Kirk should spend more time telling us more about when we will start seeing some results from his boasts  of making “the LTISD the most exemplary school district in Texas.” I don’t think that’s working out to well for Rocky.

Of course, Patrick’s insight must be challenged and who better than Lisa Lawrence to counter with her Letter to the Editor on November 26, 2009:

Tolles comment on LTISD election taken out of context

To the editor:

In his letter to the Lake Travis View on Nov. 19, Mr. [Patrick] Watson made some assumptions that were incorrect.

Mrs. [Susan] Tolles never blamed the voters. Her words were that she was disappointed. Her statement was factual, and not for the reason he claims.

How can he claim that the board was spending more money than they had available? Did he look at last year’s budget figures? Did he note that administrative costs were practically flat in this year’s budget (the overall budget for expenditures rose just .33 percent over the 2008-09 budget)? Is he aware the district is making do with a fixed income allotted by the state that doesn’t take inflation, rising fuel and insurance costs, etc., into account? Is he aware that over 80 percent of the budget is for staffing?

Parents and prospective parents move to and remain in this district because of our schools, our teachers, our programs, our student-to-teacher ratios, our special programs, etc. People in our district expect a quality education and high performance for our kids.

The 2 cent referendum, had it passed, would have been used for maintenance and operation. Does Mr. Watson even know what that stands for? That money would NOT have been subject to recapture. It means 85 percent of it would have been used for teacher compensation, teacher raises, rising teacher insurance benefits, maintaining small class ratios… Seriously, Mr. Watson? You’ve heard the trustees whine? I’ve heard matter of fact information regarding Robin Hood presented, but never in a whining tone.

If the 2 cent referendum had passed, it would have helped us in maintaining our A++, bond rating at AA+, which depends on many things, including the state of our fund balances. This A++ rating enables LTISD to issue bonds on much more favorable terms, which — reduces the district’s costs!

“Blank check?”

It is mind numbing to try to comprehend how hard the board and Mr. [Bob] Hart worked to help us earn this superior rating that the District is now working to maintain.

It is disappointing that more people in our district didn’t take the time to educate themselves, read the information provided, attend the meetings that were held, and then get out and vote. And it is sad that so many do not understand the negative impact that not passing the 2 cents has upon our schools.

Lisa Lawrence
Lakeway

-Letters to the Editor, Lake Travis View, November 26, 2009

Lisa Lawrence urges Patrick Watson and the rest of the district’s tax payers to become better educated. Interesting to hear this from someone who is ignorant of the facts regarding the school district’s spending and revenue. I doubt that Lisa Lawrence posses anything more than anecdotal evidence based on quotes from the district’s administration and the Board.

First off, Lisa claims:

“Parents and prospective parents move to and remain in this district because of our schools, our teachers, our programs, our student-to-teacher ratios, our special programs, etc. People in our district expect a quality education and high performance for our kids.”

Then why was the LTISD rated “Academically Acceptable” by the TEA, again? The LTISD has been rated “Academically Acceptable” 3 of the last 4 years, far from the “most exemplary school district in the state of Texas!”

Secondly, Lisa also claims:

“It is disappointing that more people in our district didn’t take the time to educate themselves, read the information provided, attend the meetings that were held, and then get out and vote.”

Lisa should “take the time to educate” herself about the facts regarding the election turnout on November 2009:

Does Lisa know that 3,253 votes were cast in the recent Rollback Election?

Does Lisa know that this was a turnout of about 15% of the registered voters in the district?

Does Lisa know that this was one of the highest voter turnouts for an election in the LTISD?

Does Lisa know that the state wide turnout was only about 8% for the November 2009 election?

So, once the facts are sought out and not based on anecdotal quips from the likes of  Susan Tolles² who said: “we are disappointed with the overall lack of voter turnout in this important local election” we find that the voters actually did “take the time to educate themselves” and they did turn out to vote. Lisa Lawrence and Susan Tolles just don’t get it.

Perhaps Lisa’s arguments would be better served by providing references to the “facts” that she uses so that we can verify them?   I would suggest that Lisa start by looking at the great wealth of data available on line from the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

I have found some interesting data that anyone else can review and (here’s the important part) then VERIFY against published sources.

I will be updating some of my already published data, but readers can review just some of the interesting facts that I have extracted from published sources with references:

1. Did you realize the difference in the salary and pay increases between the LTISD Superintendent and teachers in the district?

2. Did you know that instructional spending has not kept pace with inflation?

3. Did you know that Rocky Kirk’s salary is now $252,799.00/year?

4. Did you know about “LTISD hopes to get 2 cents worth?”

5. Did you know how the “academically acceptable” LTISD spends tax payers money, per student, compared to “recognized” districts?

6. Did you wonder just how the LTISD compares to a “high growth” school district?

Finally, on December 3, 2009, Patrick Watson responds to Lisa Lawrence’s question: “Does Mr. Watson even know what that stands for?” Mr. Watson wrote:

Standing ground on LTISD

To the editor:

Regarding the response by Lisa Lawrence to my criticism of the LTISD board on this page: I stand by everything

I said. The full Nov. 3 quote by Susan Tolles was printed in that week’s Lake Travis View. People can read in context for themselves and decide whether she was blaming voters for the district’s financial woes. When she says the deficit came “as a result” of the election, I find it hard to reach any other conclusion.

I repeat: it was the school board, not the voters, who decided to spend more money than current tax rates would cover. If Ms. Tolles would like to dispute my interpretation or clarify her remarks, I’m sure the View will be glad to give her an opportunity.

The same issue of the View that carried the letter from Ms. Lawrence also reported that the trustees have now reduced the budget by $1.5 million. Apparently it wasn’t so hard after all. Why didn’t they cut this spending in the first place? That would have saved the expense of an election and we would be no worse off than we are now.

On the other points Ms. Lawrence raised:

1. The LTISD bond rating is relevant only to the extent the district needs to issue more bonds. Since the 2004 and 2006 bond proposals supposedly covered all necessary capital projects for the foreseeable future, there should be no such need.

2. Yes, the board should consider inflation when making its budget, but we are currently in a deflationary economy with the price of most goods and services going down rather than up. Inflation (as measured by the Consumer Price Index) fell -0.2% in the twelve months ending October 2009. This is why Social Security recipients won’t get a cost-of-living adjustment in January. If our senior citizens can get by on the same income or less, so can LTISD.

3. I am not at all surprised if the LTISD administrative budget rose only fractionally from the prior year, given that we already have some of the best-paid administrators in the state. There was no need to spend even more. Kudos to the board members if they have finally realized this. Your next step should be to spend less money on lawyers and lobbyists.

4. My definition of “whining” is “complaining about things that are not going to change.” I don’t like the Robin Hood situation either, but it is a fact of life. The legislature is obviously paralyzed on this issue. Anything they do might not survive court challenges anyway, so hoping for legislative relief is not a wise strategy. Far better to adapt to the new reality.

The voters obviously want the school district to balance its budget without raising taxes. This is not an unreasonable request. More than a few businesses in our area (bankruptcy lawyers being the main exception) are coping with sharply lower revenues. There is no reason LTISD can’t do likewise.

Patrick Watson
Hamilton Pool Road

-Letters to the Editor, Lake Travis View, December 3, 2009

You can verify the inflation rate information used by Patrick Watson from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Indexes.

1Rocky Kirk is paid $252,799/year for an “Academically Acceptable” school district of 6,536 students. The LTISD has been rated “Academically Acceptable” 3 of the last 4 years.

²Susan Tolles is also identified by Rocky Kirk as the individual for the district’s failure to “ensure the protection of confidentiality of any personally identifiable data, information, and records collected or maintained by the LEA in accordance with required procedures.”

The “Two Penny PAC” was formed by citizens who don’t believe that they already pay enough taxes and not only do they want to pay more taxes, but want you to pay more taxes as well.

“Salgo teamed up with six other parents over the last few months who called themselves the ‘Two Penny PAC.’”

-”Voters reject school district tax hike,” Erin Cargile, KXAN, November 4, 2009

The supporters of the “Two Penny PAC” want the rest of the district’s tax payers to continually dole out more money to the district’s outrageously overpaid Superintendent Rocky Kirk, squandering even more money than the $252,799/year he is given to manage an “Academically Acceptable” school district of only about 6,500 students. Let’s not forget to mention the $10,000 pay raise dolled out to the district’s General Counsel, Susan Bohn, who while being paid $140,000/year doesn’t seem to do anything other than farm out the district’s legal matters to outside law firms at tax payer expense.

Stay tuned for an upcoming post comparing tax rates, Superintendent salaries and dollars spent per pupil in LTISD and other district’s in Texas.

Fortunately the tax payers were outraged by the district’s request for even more money. Why can’t the school district tighten it’s belt in these economic times just like everyone else?

Makes you wonder why Robert Salgo wants to flush more of his and our money down drain at the LTISD. What’s his agenda?

“‘Right now people are just not willing to endure the tax increase,’ said Salgo.”

-”Voters reject school district tax hike,” Erin Cargile, KXAN, November 4, 2009

“Fordham Law’s Center on Law and Information Privacy released a study that found state educational databases across the country ignore key privacy protections for the nation’s K – 12 children.”

We already know that the LTISD violates the privacy of students.

Unfortunately it all starts at the top of the LTISD. Susan Tolles, the President of the LTISD Board of Trustees was blamed by Rocky in a letter responding to a TEA finding that the LTISD violated student privacy.

You can read about a just a few of them for yourself:

1. Did the LTISD violate confidentiality again?

2. Did you know that the TEA found that the LTISD violated student confidentiality? Yet Again!

3. Did you know what a recent LTISD purchased report says about the district?

4. Did you know that the LTISD violated confidentiality AGAIN?

5. Did you know that the LTISD violated student confidentiality on a GRAND scale?

6. Did she or didn’t she? She did! Did you know that Susan Tolles is the ONLY Board member to take confidentiality training and sign an oath of confidentiality?

7. Did she or didn’t she? She did! Did you know that Susan Tolles is the ONLY Board member to take confidentiality training and sign an oath of confidentiality?

8. Did you know that the attorneys for the LTISD sent out unredacted information, again?

9. Did you know that the district is supposed to remove any offensive, confidential, or proprietary information from computers before assigning them to students?

10. Did you know that the LTISD cannot maintain custody of confidential records?

11. Did you know that the LTISD was found to have violated student confidentiality?

How can you maintain privacy of educational records when you loose them?!

Just ask Susan Bohn, the district’s spectacular lawyer (she received a $10,000 pay raise this last year) once again deferred to an outside law firm to do her job. Susan wasted our tax dollars to have an outside law firm tell me why the district was not able to come up educational records in their custody and control.

The reason that the district was unable to provide a copy of my son’s educational records was: “… was not provided for the simple reason that the District cannot find his form.” Yes, you read it right, they lost it!

Oh how typical. Just look at the postings listed above.

Another question would be: Why couldn’t Susan Bohn do her job (she gets paid $140,000/year) rather than pay to have an outside law firm do it for her? Just what does Susan Bohn do for $140,000/year? Not much it seems.

Bottom line is that the district has a documented record of confidentiality and privacy screw ups.

It was the usual pathetic attempt by Rocky Kirk to say that the ratings were “not reflective of the exceptionally-high academic performance which  speaks volumes about the achievement and commitment of our students, staff, and parents.”

OK, now all we need is for Rocky to tell us just how he, as “The Superintendent shall be the educational leader and chief executive
officer of the District.” [LTISD Written Board Policy BJA(LEGAL), Texas Education Code 11.201(a)], will direct the improvements?

What is Rocky Kirk’s plan for the improving the district? Rocky fails to address any plan in this press release because I would assume he has no clue.

Instead Rocky let Myra Pettit explain that the district really didn’t understand the TEA process?

“We now have a better understanding of the processes used by TEA to determine longitudinal completion rates and annual dropout rates.”

How can that be?

Why did it take the district this long to “have a better understanding of the process?”

Have you read the district’s appeal of their 2009 rating?

Have you read the district’s  second appeal of their 2009 rating? (Note that this second desperate appeal letter by Rocky was submitted to the TEA well after the appeals deadline).

Isn’t Rocky still responsible for the district?

Is this Rocky’s usual process of trying to distance and insulate himself from his lack of leadership and management skills? I guess this explains why Rocky let someone else speak about topics he should have addressed.

We already know that since 2003 Rocky Kirk’s pay has skyrocketed. Rocky Kirk’s pay has increased over 60% to the current $252,799/year.

But how has Rocky Kirk’s outrageous pay increases “improved” the district? You couldn’t tell by the district’s TEA ratings which were relaxed this year accounting for the number of districts who’s rating improved, excepting of course, the LTISD which slid backwards.

So much for Rocky Kirk’s boast about making the LTISD “the most exemplary school district in Texas.”

Finally, why didn’t the Board of Trustees comment on the rating?

Do you think they even know or care? Note how Susan Tolles, the Board President comments about the recent loss of the recent tax increase but she remains silent on the district’s mediocre rating in this press release?

“Academically Acceptable” is certainly a mediocre rating for the amount of money we are being taxed!

“Lake Travis ISD becomes the first chapter 41 district where voters denied a TRE request to add 2 additional pennies to the tax rate. The fact that the two pennies would not be recaptured makes this decision by the voters a difficult one to understand…Maybe they didn’t understand.”

- “Election Observations,” Joe F. Smith, TexasISD.com, November 5, 2009

Joe, we understand perfectly! That is why the district lost their audacious attempt to fleece the tax payers of more of our money.

Joe, and the district should know that “recaptured” or not, the tax payers are tired of paying more taxes to an “Academically Acceptable” school district of 6,536 students, an overpaid superintendent who makes $252,799/year, an overpaid General Counsel who makes $140,000/year who got a $10,000 raise this last year, and …

Hope that this helps Joe and the others who don’t understand that the tax payers are getting tired of doling out more money only to see it wasted!

“Accountability appeals changed the ratings of 19 school districts and 64 campuses, final results released today show.

After appeals, six campuses moved up to an Exemplary rating and 19 campuses and five districts moved up to a Recognized rating, while 18 campuses and 14 districts managed to upgrade their Academically Unacceptable rating. However, ratings remained unchanged for most districts and campuses. Overall, 81 of the 234 district or campus appeals were granted.”

- Texas Education Agency

Despite Rocky Kirk’s two appeals to the TEA regarding the LTISD’s 2009 “Academically Acceptable” rating, the TEA affirmed their determination that the district only met the standard of “Academically Acceptable.”

Just how did the LTISD slip back to “Academically Acceptable” again?

How can other districts achieve higher ratings?

The LTISD constantly complains about how unfair the rating system is, but how do other districts achieve higher ratings, even with less money?

The better question is: How do other larger districts with lower tax rates achieve “Recognized” and “Exemplary” ratings while the LTISD can only manage “Academically Acceptable?”

It doesn’t make sense that the LTISD with 6,536 students, one of the highest tax rates in the state and an outrageously overpaid superintendent can’t do better than “Academically Acceptable.”

And the district Board and administration wonder why the tax payers of the district said no more to their latest tax increase.

The answer is pretty obvious, the tax payers are not being served by the enormous amounts of our tax dollars that the district spends.

How can Rocky Kirk justify his $252,799/year salary?

How can Rocky Kirk  justify any more pay raises?

How can the LTISD Board of Trustees just keep doling out more money without demanding results proportional to the amount of our tax dollars spent?

“Majority of ISD tax increases passed Tuesday” goes on to say:

“Oh, now, come on, people! At least Lake Travis ISD voters rejected their tax increase. 26 districts passed tax increases yesterday – roughly 63% of school district tax increases that were on Tuesday’s ballot. Which, admittedly, is down from a high of 93% in 2006. But with voter turnout so low everywhere, you have to think that apathy prevented more tax increase rejections.”

- “Majority of ISD tax increases passed Tuesday,” Blue Dot Blues, November 4, 2009

The article goes on to add:

“Until school districts learn to reign in their spending, voters should not approve tax increases, at least not without taking a hard look at where the money is going. I have to commend once again the voters in Lake Travis ISD and Canutillo ISD, and in the 13 other districts where people said “no” to tax increases during rough and uncertain economic times. At the same time, you have to wonder – if they had just said “no” a little earlier, to huge bonded debt, and demanded fiscal responsibility, would the districts have had to ask for tax increases now?”

- “Majority of ISD tax increases passed Tuesday,” Blue Dot Blues, November 4, 2009

Did you know that of the 24,751 eligible voters in the district, 3,693 people voted? That is a turn out of 15% which is very good for an LTISD election. So much for Susan Tolles statement: “we are disappointed with the overall lack of voter turnout in this important local election.”

Apparently 41 school districts sought a tax rollback on Tuesday’s ballot. Of those 41 districts, the LTISD was among the 15 districts who were denied their tax increase. At least there were tax payers in fourteen other districts who were also fed up with their spendthrift school districts.

I bet none of these 41 other districts have an outrageously paid superintendent who makes $252,799/year like Rocky Kirk.

In the article Susan Tolles blames the low turn out (15% turn out in fact) on the loss.

Unfortunately, a 15% is a good turn out for an LTISD election, but Susan Tolles has to blame the resounding defeat on something other than the tax payer contempt for the district’s administration and Board.

Considering the facts that the district is “academically acceptable” again, the district has an outrageously overpaid superintendent, Rocky Kirk, who makes $252,799/year, the district’s charity extends to a General Counsel Susan Bohn, who received a $10,000/year pay raise this last year making her current salary $140,000/year, and …

Yet Susan Tolles questions the district’s defeat?!

[See post to watch Flash video]

The district is planning to build a transportation and distribution facility on Highway 71:

“The new depot is located opposite the entrance to Falconhead West at Vale Divide in the far west of the City, and on the south side of 71. The land may also be the site of one of the three new schools proposed by the District in the next 10 years.”

- “LTISD Transportation and Distribution Hub gets City go ahead,” Bee Cave Bee, October 28, 2009

The Lake Travis View article goes on to confirm a recently published post on this site about another facility (leaked by the Canyons of Sweetwater development web page) to be located in the Sweetwater development.

“The second high school is proposed as the second phase of the project on the same tract of land in Sweetwater Ranch.”

- “Bee Cave council signs off on school transportation center,” Lake Travis View, November 4, 2009

The only question is do we believe the district’s growth projections?

“Property tax rate hike rejected

Voters on Tuesday rejected a 2-cent property tax increase in the Lake Travis school district, with 59 percent voting against the measure and 41 percent voting for it.”

- “Early voters reject tax increase in Lake Travis ISD,” Austin American-Statesman, Wednesday, November 4, 2009

The election results are posted on the Travis County Clerk Elections Division web page.

The district even conceeded defeat in their “Quicknews” propoganda sent out last night at 11:02 PM.

Again the district is spreading fear, uncertainty and doubt. Rocky even talks about more lobbying.

That’s all we need, spending our tax dollars on lobbyists rather than the intended purpose of educating our children. And we wonder why our district is “academically acceptable.”

Could the Board pay another Superintendent any more to get so little in return?

Isn’t it about time for Rocky Kirk to leave before he “helps” the district any more? Surely, Rocky Kirk has made the LTISD the “most exemplary school district in Texas” or has he? Hmmh…

That’s right, Two cents makes NO sense!

• No matter how much the district’s faithful cadre party members spend to try and convince us otherwise.
• The tax payers of the LTISD have determined that they are no longer willing to pay for Rocky Kirk’s continued pay raises.
• The tax payers of the LTISD are no longer willing to spend pay more for an “academically acceptable” school district with one of the highest tax rates in the state.
• The tax payers of the LTISD no longer buy the doom and gloom projections of an overpaid Superintendent.
• The tax payers ponder Board member Mayo Davidson and the taxes he has not paid.

Interestingly the Two Penny PAC’s filing does not show any payments for the signs they purchased supplies for, nor does is show any payments for the robot phone call that Robert Salgo put out last week. I guess we will have to see their final filing.

You know the “Two Penny PAC,” the district’s supporters who are more than happy to spend their own money to advocate sending not only more of their own money, but more of YOUR money to the district, only to be flushed down the toilet.

Who wants to bet that the same cast of characters re-appears next year when the district again seeks more of your taxes to pay Rocky Kirk even more money for the “academically acceptable” LTISD.

[See post to watch Flash video]

Better yet, they will probably come out to ask us for even more money in a bond election!

Who in their right mind would want to pay more taxes? Certainly not Mayo Davidson!

Who in their right mind would want to pay Rocky Kirk more money? Isn’t Rocky making enough money, $252,799/year, for an “academically acceptable” school district of less than 7000 students?

Why has the LTISD been silent?

Do you think that the LTISD’s rating appeal has been turned down?

The TEA will announce the final decisions on November 4th, the day after the Rollback Election, you know, the election where the LTISD and their minions are seeking more of our money for Rocky Kirk’s outrageous pay and an overpaid General Counsel and another year of “Academically Acceptable” under Rocky’s reign, and …

Apparently very few districts were successful in their appeals. They should not have been since the TEA relaxed their standards this year already.

“Only a handful of North Texas schools were successful in appealing their state accountability ratings, despite an uptick in the number of disgruntled districts protesting their rankings.”

The Texas Education Agency notified superintendents last week but will not release results publicly until Thursday.

Appeals more than doubled this year, largely because of stricter dropout rules that affected completion rates and left schools scrambling to recount their students. In most cases, schools were too late.

- “TEA to announce results of ratings appeals this week,” Jessica Meyers, The Dallas Morning News, November 2, 2009

Hopefully the rollback election will be defeated and we won’t have to flush more of our hard earned money into the LTISD toilet.

It makes you wonder if it was Rocky who said:

“One superintendent of a 4A school district responded, “Man this is important.   The board has cut everything they were willing to cut before we called the election.  If the TRE fails we are going to have a $600,000 budget deficit tomorrow evening.  With the required salary increases in 10/11 we are projecting starting the budget that provides the same level of services with a 1.8 million deficit – If this TRE fails we will cut programs and call another TRE next year.””

- Supers Have Election Day Jitters,” Joe Smith, TexasISD.com, November 3, 2009

In this article, the district’s overpaid superintendent Rocky Kirk (salary $252,799 for only 6000 plus students) said:

“I went fishing last summer and spent a lot of time thinking about how to explain this to our residents,” Kirk said. “I understand these are challenging fiscal times and the last thing a lot of people want is any kind of tax increase.”

Rocky forgot to tell you was that since 2003, his salary has increased over 60%, while the district has fallen to “Academically Acceptable,” again. So much for Rocky’s “challenging fiscal times.”

How can we believe anything that Rocky Kirk says?

Let’s challenge Rocky Kirk and some of his “Rocky Facts:”

1. Which demographics study says: “LTISD’s demographer predicts the number of students could top 20,000 within 20 years?”

The last LTISD demographics study that I know of, from November 2008, only predicts out to 2017^TPIA, hardly 20 years from now, which would be 2029 wouldn’t it? By the way, the district’s 2006 demographics study only projects to 2016^TPIA.

Since we can’t verify Rocky’s data with publicly available material, Rocky should tell us where he got his information and just what it says.

I cannot find that any of the district’s demographics studies on the district’s web site anymore. How convenient.

Come on Rocky, give us references to your “facts.”

“A lie told often enough becomes the truth.”

-Vladimir Lenin

2. Where did the numbers come from to produce the chart in the article?

“Kirk made reference to a chart [above] that showed the district that without the 2 cents, the district will be in the red with no fund balance whatsoever by 2013. With the 2 cents, the district could stave off the problem for a bit longer.”

Was the chart based on Rocky Kirk’s projected pay raises? Now that I could believe.

3. Why didn’t Rocky mention that the top 10 paid employees of the district are paid $1,394,074.00/year?

If you add up the total payroll from the salary data provided by by the district, you will arrive at a number of $35,819,377.00/year. That means that the top 10 employees out of 911 from the list or 1.1%  district’s employees make 3.8% of the total payroll!

Now Rocky is resorting to “scare” tactics threatening to cut teachers if the rollback is not approved:

“Kirk said 86 percent of the school district’s budget is tied up in payroll — teachers, administrators and support staff. He said that under the circumstances, without help from voters, the district would be forced to cut its staff — including teachers.”

Rocky forgot to mention that while his salary increased 63.5% since he started, teacher salaries have only increased about 20% over the same time frame, just slightly higher than inflation.

The district should tell us about all of the administrative staff that Rocky has added such as a lawyer, a PR man, … Yet the district is willing to keep them instead of teachers? Just what are their priorities?

More doom and gloom scenarios, Rocky Kirk goes on to say:

“When you cut the staff, you kill programs,” he said. “When you kill programs, you hurt kids. That’s the bottom line. I believe that this community understands that we have invested a lot to make a good district and we should try to hang on to what we have as long as we can.”

We should ask Rocky just how an “academically acceptable” school district is a “good district?”

We should ask Rocky just how an “academically acceptable” school district fits in with a boast that the LTISD would be “the most exemplary school district in Texas!”

What if the district killed Rocky Kirk’s pay program?

How many teachers could the district buy for $252,799/year?

4. Rocky Kirk should also tell us where he gets his data regarding the district’s credit rating and he should also share that data with us if it exists.

Rocky said: “In Lake Travis, we have a bond rating of AA+. Let me put that into perspective of what it means to our school district and its underlying financial integrity. There are 1,050 school districts in the State of Texas. We are one of seven districts in the state to have a AA+ bond rating. That is the highest rating Standard and Poor gives to school districts.”

How much of this supposed AA+ rating is still based on the any of the district’s debt that is still covered by the Texas Permanent School Fund?

Rocky should reference the document, if it exists, and show us the ratings of all school districts in Texas. What would that look like?

Finally, one should ask the question why anyone, let along the Chamber of Commerce, would endorse ANY tax increase?

“The district has picked up a number of critical endorsements for the 2 cents, including a nod from the Lake Travis Chamber of Commerce.”

The “Two-Penny PAC” has filed a Form SPAC which describes the PAC as:

“Support for LTISD’s request for $0.02/$100 valuation tax increase”

The “Two-Penny PAC’s” treasurer is Robert Salgo and has received $600 in support as of 9/4/2009.

Why on earth would anyone in their right mind want to pay more taxes?

Perhaps the supporters of the rollback election will pay for our tax increase since they are so anxious to pay more taxes!

State Propositions 2, 3 and 5 Protect Texas Homeowners Against Property Tax Appraisal Abuse

AUSTIN – Americans for Prosperity is encouraging Texas voters to support State Constitution Amendment Propositions 2, 3 and 5 on Election Day, Nov. 3.

“Texas taxpayers need protection against property tax appraisal abuses,” said AFP State Director Peggy Venable. “The property tax appraisal process is confusing. Anyone who protested the value of their home knows the deck is stacked against the property taxpayer.”

AFP pushed for State Propositions 2, 3 and 5 during the 81st Texas Legislature. These three reforms resulted from legislative interim studies of property tax appraisal reform.

“We participated in hearings held across the state and, along with residential and business property owners alike, asked for these needed reforms,” Venable said. “Propositions 2, 3 and 5 will benefit property taxpayers. These three propositions will protect against runaway residential appraisals, ensure appraisal equity statewide, and streamline appraisal district appeal operations.”

AFP recently uncovered an e-mail chain letter spreading misinformation about what these amendments will actually do. The e-mail claims that the propositions will create a state property tax. But the Texas Constitution states in Article 8, Section 1-e that “no State ad valorem taxes shall be levied upon any property within this State.”

Facts about the proposed Constitutional amendments:

Proposition 2 requires the property tax of a residence homestead be solely based on the property’s value as a residence homestead ‐ regardless of what it might be worth if purchased for a different use, such as an office or business. This proposal is a response to residence homesteads being appraised based on what a person’s homestead would be worth if it were converted to commercial property. It applies only to residential homesteads and not to second homes or investment properties.

Proposition 3 provides for uniform property tax appraisal standards and procedures to be used by County Appraisal Districts. Currently, property tax appraisal practices and procedures vary widely across the state. This proposition will provide for the equitable treatment of all property owners by ensuring that taxable property is appraised in the same manner no matter where it is located in the state.

Proposition 5 makes it easier to form appraisal review boards for protest hearings. This proposition will allow two or more adjoining county property tax appraisal districts, if they so choose, to consolidate appraisal review board functions. The voluntary ability to consolidate smaller county appraisal review boards will help resolve property tax appraisal protests more quickly and make protesting appraisals more convenient for property owners, especially in lesser-populated areas of Texas.

“As taxpayer advocate for 15 years, I believe these are the most significant reforms for property taxpayers in 30 years. Texans need these new protections against property tax appraisal abuse,” Venable said. “we want taxpayers to know the facts, and we support Propositions 2, 3 and 5.”

-American’s for Posperity

While your at it, remember to vote for Proposition 11 which will add some degree of protection to property owners from the government’s abuse of Eminent Domain:

Proposition 11
(HJR 14 – #1)

HJR 14 would amend the constitution to provide that the taking of private property for public use (“eminent domain”) is authorized only if it is for the ownership, use, and enjoyment of the property by the State, its political subdivisions, the public at large, or by entities granted the power of eminent domain, or for the removal of urban blight. The amendment would prohibit the taking of private property for transfer to a private entity for the purpose of economic development or to increase tax revenues. The amendment would also limit the legislature’s authority to grant the power of eminent domain in the future unless it is approved by a two-thirds vote of all the members elected to each house.

The proposed amendment would appear on the ballot as follows: “The constitutional amendment to prohibit the taking, damaging, or destroying of private property for public use unless the action is for the ownership, use, and enjoyment of the property by the State, a political subdivision of the State, the public at large, or entities granted the power of eminent domain under law or for the elimination of urban blight on a particular parcel of property, but not for certain economic development or enhancement of tax revenue purposes, and to limit the legislature ’s authority to grant the power of eminent domain to an entity.”

It won’t help those who are fighting against the LTISD in instances such as the Grumbel’s Eminent Domain fiasco, but it will be a step in the right direction.

Wasn’t Susan Bohn so helpful to the district in the district’s last Eminent Domain fiasco?

Just what has Rocky Kirk done for the district?

So much for Rocky Kirk’s impudent claim to make the LTISD “the most exemplary school district in Texas!” How’s that working out for you Rocky?

Other than Rocky Kirk’s failure to make the district better than “academically acceptable,” I would say that the Board has financially rewarded Rocky Kirk for reasons alien to the tax payers of the district.

Let’s see, Rocky Kirk started working for the district on July 1, 2002 for $154,600/year and a mere 7 years has seen his annual salary increase by $98,199 to $252,799/year, a 63.5% pay raise! In the meantime the district only grew from 4,652 students to 6,139 students, an increase of only 32%!

Who else has seen the incredible salary windfall like the one Rocky Kirk has seen in just 7 years?

Something is out of sync here and yet the district has the audacity to ask for more or our tax dollars to feed the outrageous pay increases of Rocky Kirk and Susan Bohn and …

Why do we keep giving them more money every time they ask for it?

Just what is the Board thinking? Are they thinking at all?

They have the audacity to be asking for more of our money on November 3.

[See post to watch Flash video]

How does the Board justify giving (charity that is) Susan Bohn such an outrageous pay raise, especially after all that she had done for the district?

Let’s see, Susan Bohn started working for the district for $96,124/year in November 2006 which was quickly bumped up to $125,000/year by July 2007!

Wow, $30,000 in just a few months! Why?

Now that Susan Bohn is getting paid $140,000/year she has seen a pay raise of 45.6% since she was hired in November 2006!

And the Board has the audacity to ask us to give them more of our hard earned money to throw down the toilet!

Don’t even get me started on Rocky Kirk’s pay increases. Rocky Kirk started working for the LTISD in 2003 at $154,600/year and now Rocky is making $252,799/year. That is a pay raise of 63.5% in just 6 years!

All this and yet Susan Bohn looks so unhappy!

Note that the TEA did not redact the first appeal letter as much as the LTISD did in the copy that they provided to me^TPIA. You can read about the district’s first appeal to the TEA in a previous post on this site.

Just what was the the district trying to hide by their over zealous redactions? Susan Bohn probably did the redactions for the district. We all know her track record when handling public information requests.

Well, Rocky couldn’t just make one appeal to the TEA, he had to make a second appeal, via hand delivery no less.

Note that the deadline for appeals had already passed when the second appeal letter was “hand delivered” to the TEA.

Rocky even says so in his plea for reconsideration:

“The District met the Agency’s deadline for appeal when it submitted its letter on August 11, 2009. However, The District recognizes that the Agency may be reluctant to accept additional information, subsequent to the deadline. The District respectfully asserts that the information presented at this time, although not referenced in its August 11, 2009 letter, is compelling and deserving of the Agency’s consideration.”

Rocky goes on to say that:

“Specifically, the District is requesting that the Agency expeditiously include In its review and contemplation of its appeal, the fact that the 2009 Accountability contains prescriptive  guidance regarding cohort assignment of transfer students that clearly supports the District’s position in its original appeal.”

What?!

If you were the TEA and a district that was already rated “Academically Acceptable” told you that they screwed up their appeal, wouldn’t you just think that they obviously deserved what they got?

The LTISD can’t be looking very credible in the eyes of the TEA right now.

What were you thinking Rocky? Isn’t this too little, too late?

Why did Rocky Kirk think that a second letter was necessary?

Do you think that Rocky Kirk is concerned that the TEA is not going to reconsider the district’s rating?

Isn’t Rocky Kirk responsible for leading the district and ultimately responsible for the district’s rating?

Just how much does Rocky Kirk’s salary of $252,799 a year buy the LTISD? Apparently not much.

“Engagement of Spivey & Grigg, L.L.P.”

Come to find out, Spivey & Grigg, L.L.P. is another law firm!

Just how many lawyers does the LTISD need to hire?!

What happened to Susan Bohn? She is a lawyer isn’t she? Granted not very good, but she has supposedly passed the bar exam, hasn’t she?

Just what has Susan done for the district, in a positive sense that is?

Susan Bohn does get paid $140,000/year (she is the third highest paid employee of the district) and for what, more outside lawyers to help bail her out?

Yet the district needs to hire MORE lawyers?

Why?

And the district has the audacity to ask us for more tax dollars?!

Perhaps the Board would be better served by better skilled and discerning administrators who would better manage the district?

I read from the Spivey & Grigg, L.L.P. web page that they specialize in “legal malpractice.”

Does this mean that the Board has some issues with some attorneys who work for the district? Perhaps Susan Bohn? I wouldn’t be surprised.

Spivey & Grigg, L.L.P. also say on their web site that they specialize in “contract disputes.”

Does this mean that the Board thinks that Rocky Kirk is getting paid too much ($252,799/year) in return for “Academically Acceptable,” again among other things?

“Any written document in which the signer swears under oath before a notary public or someone authorized to take oaths (like a county clerk) that the statements in the document are true. In many states, a declaration under penalty of perjury, which does not require taking an oath, is the equivalent of an affidavit.”

Interesting. It would seem that the LTISD has some affidavits which are shaky at best.

Let’s also note that affidavits are NOT supposed to be based on “hearsay.“

“Hearsay” is defined as:

“Testimony given by a witness who is not telling what he or she knows personally, but what others have said.”

How can you attest to alleged facts in an affidavit if they are based on hearsay?

Just ask Lisa McBride of the Thompson & Horton law firm. Apparently Lisa McBride doesn’t seem to know about “hearsay,” but then again, let’s not ask Lisa about the truth either.

Let’s delve into some recent affidavits made by employees of the LTISD in the recent Meadows v. Lake Travis Independent School District case.

Here we have an excerpt from an affidavit signed by Allison Cobb, Principal of Serene Hills Elementary School:

“I have spoken with Serene Hills receptionist, Ms. Patty Noble, and have learned that she asked Mr. Lovelace for his driver’s license, and he refused to give it to her. She then asked him to show it to her. He again refused. Finally, he let her see the license. Ms. Noble asked to see his license because he was asking to take a student from campus.”

Seems that Allison’s statement is based on “hearsay.” Would Patty Noble have given a different story? Why wasn’t Patty Noble asked to provide an affidavit?

I would hope that Allison was confused about what Patty Noble told her, because it was not true, but that is not what Allison swore in her affidavit. That’s the problem with “hearsay.”

Why did Lisa McBride submit Allison Cobb’s affidavit when it attests to events in which she did not have first hand knowledge?

Another affidavit comes from Debra Aceves, Principal of Hudson Bend Middle School who swears that:

“On April 3, 2009, David Lovelace came to HBMS to attend an event in one of his son’s classes. On that clay, the class was presenting math games that they had created, and had invited parents, While he was in the front office, Mr. Lovelace did not provide his driver’s license to Ms. Margarita Plymire, the HBMS Receptionist. Ms. Plymire entered Mr. Lovelace’s name into the Raptor System, and the system printed a sticker name tag for Mr. Lovelace, Because Mr. Lovelace’s driver’s license had been scanned into the Raptor System before, the information was stored, so the name tag generated by the system contained a scanned version of his driver’s license photo and his name.”

(Note: My driver’s license has only been scanned at the Lake Pointe Elementary School some years earlier and it has not been scanned since, nor has it been scanned at any other district campus.)

Debra Aceves goes on to say (as does Allison Cobb and Heidi Gudelman) that:

“For parents whose driver’s licenses have already been scanned into the Raptor System. I do not require that their licenses be scanned again, because their information is stored in the system. Instead, the parent’s name is manually typed into the Raptor System, and the system generated a sticker name tag that displays the person’s name and photograph. The parent is required to wear the name tag while on campus.”

Was Debra Aceves confused about what was printed on my badge?

Funny thing, I kept my badge that was issued to me on April 3, 2009 and low and behold I have a copy of it here:

Interesting, but my driver’s license picture was NOT on the badge issued to me on April 3, 2009!

What does this mean that Debra Aceves affidavit was not true? Sure would seem so, but then again, Debra’s affidavit statements were based on “hearsay.”

I would hope that Debra Aceves got Margarita Plymire’s story confused, but nonetheless, she swore to the truthfulness of the story. Is it possible that if Margarita Plymire had signed a sworn affidavit, she would have sworn to something different, something along the lines of what really happened?

Again, why didn’t Lisa McBride have Margarita Plymire swear to an affidavit about events that Margarita allegedly took part?

Why did Lisa McBride submit Debra Aceves’ affidavit when it attests to events in which she did not have first hand knowledge?

Hey, this gets even better.

I visited Hudson Bend Middle School on October 13, 2009 and see my visitor badge:

Look! I now have a picture! How did that happen?!

Why didn’t my April 3, 2009 badge have a picture like Debra Aceves says it did, but now my badge includes a picture?

Unfortunately for the district, I kept my April 3, 2009 visitor badge which makes it look like someone went back and changed things after the fact. How else could this have happened?

Now if that weren’t interesting enough, you need to know about my visit to Serene Hills, two days after my visit to Hudson Bend.

I went to Serene Hills to have lunch with my son on October 15th. I even tried to enter my name into the Raptor System and guess what? My name was not in the district’s Raptor system?!

So much for Allison Cobb’s sworn affidavit stating “For parents whose driver’s licenses have already been scanned into the Raptor System. I do not require that their licenses be scanned again …”

So much for anyone at the district really knowing anything about Raptor and how it works, but that doesn’t seem to stop them from swearing to things that aren’t playing out like they swear they do. Perhaps the stories they told “weren’t true in reality?”

The best affidavit of the lot has to be from Heidi “it was not true in reality” Gudelman, Principal of the Lake Pointe Elementary School:

“On a day after he had had his licensed scanned and had gone through the Raptor System sign-in process, Mr. Lovelace came to the campus for a meeting with campus staff, which he attended. He did not enter the building through the front door, and he did not sign-in through the Raptor system. Each and every outside door to the building other than the front doors were locked that day.”

Just one question Heidi, did I walk through a wall to get in?

Was I just a figment of Heidi’s imagination that day?

Perhaps Heidi Gudelman’s sworn affidavit was “not true in reality?”

Did Rocky appoint Heidi Gudelman to be principal of an elementary school?

Let’s face it, Allison and Debra were swearing to hearsay and got their stories wrong, but Heidi’s sworn affidavit is really out there, way out there.

Remember it was Heidi Gudelman who left her Las Vegas vacation pictures on the computer that the district assigned to my son.

By the way, Heidi Gudelman did say in sworn testimony during a due process hearing: “it was not true in reality.”

So, what does Lisa McBride say about all this?

Do you think Lisa McBride would quibble about what “what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is?“

No, but Lisa does say:

“Much of your clients’ concern with the affidavits of Cobb, Aceves, and Gudelman appears to derive from conclusions your clients have reached concerning the intent and/or meaning behind the witnesses’ statements, not the content of the statements themselves.”

What?!

I would like to ask Lisa McBride: Aren’t affidavits supposed to contain TRUE statements or in the case of Heidi Gudelman’s affidavit, a plausible story?

Note the affidavits of Allison Cobb, Debra Aceves and Heidi Gudelman that Lisa McBride filed with the court all contain this sentence:

“I have personal knowledge or every statement made in this affidavit, all of which are true and correct”

Having read the affidavits and the definition of “hearsay” wouldn’t you say that the sworn statement of Allison Cobb and Debra Aceves: “I have personal knowledge or every statement made in this affidavit” is not true?

“What is truth?”

-Pontius Pilate

Isn’t it considered “perjury” when an affidavit contains false information?

Nevertheless Lisa McBride says:

“The District stands behind the veracity of the affidavit testimony of Allison Cobb, Debra Aceves, and Heidi Gudelman, as well as the affidavit testimony of the District’s other witnesses.”

And they say that the captain of the Titanic went down with the ship!

For all that it’s worth, Lisa McBride does have a great sense of humor, just read the motions she filed with the court in case of Meadows v. Lake Travis Independent School District.