From KPRC 2. This is
Houston newsmakers with khambrel Marshall.
Welcome to Houston newsmakers and to dr. Christie Whitbeck, the superintendent
of the Fort, Bend Independent School District. It is good to see you. Always
good to see you.
Same here, thank you. Let’s have a good things to talk about. I want to talk to you about the big
bond election. You have coming up, 1.2 billion dollars
but
first, I want to get this out of the way. There’s a question about one of your teachers in the news
for the wrong reasons. And this case
Kimberly Massey a teacher leonetti, Elementary School arrested and
charged with
aggravated, sexual assault of a child, stemming from 2009
and Brazoria County.
A lot of questions about this one, but
if there were no charges, then what’s a challenge for you as a district
and what is her status now?
Well, her status right now is that she has resigned,
so, she’s no longer an employee
when something like this happens. You know, it’s one of the one of the worst things that you can
think about, is anything happening to one of our kids or to anyone’s child.
And so, the first thing we ask is, was this about our children
and our current situation in Fort Benning. The answer was no,
this
is an employee that was with us. Just the semester in the fall and
a little into
Recently.
And
so, I look into systems.
How did we hire someone
who might have had something like this on their record? So the first thing
I went to was our human resources
and I’m like, I need everything checked fingerprinting
background, check criminal record,
the State Board of certification. Was she certified? And was she on
a do not
Tireless. Because there is one
and all of that checked out fine. No flag, zero
Flags.
Then you go to the principal.
All right. Principles, are required in Fort Bend to call references?
Did she? She did she spoke to an administrator. She was given an
outstanding reference
about what a great writing teacher. She was
the administrators own children. Had even been in the teacher’s class
and so
the reference was strong and the evaluations were strong.
So from a from an important piece that I think parents need reassurance,
Stu is,
do we have systems in place in all districts?
And I can tell you Fort Bend, we absolutely do. So then
we have to look at, are we cooperating with authorities and have we communicated
properly with the parents of the children she had today.
And so we have done all of those things. And I
would also just say, I guess this is a
now a case for the law and,
you know, someone is innocent till proven guilty and
we’ll see what happens but as far as
as far as Fort Bend, I think I can’t have asked my team to have
done more.
It’s just very unfortunate.
Fortunate, it’s one of the worst things that you never want to deal with. I’m sure it is.
Let us talk about the big bond issue. Now, you’re asking for it been voters
to support one point, two billion dollars, why that amount and why now?
Well
this was a, the last bomb was 2018 and it was for
about nine ninety three million
and so it was intended to be in 2021.
But because of covid, it got pushed and pushed.
Then we had a change of leadership as I came in about a year and a half ago.
So now we’re ready and more things need
to be addressed.
We would have done
two years ago, right?
So now it’s up to the 1.2 billion and so what’s included
in that, what kinds of things are you asking voters to say okay this is what
you’re saying, yes to this,
we’re going to use this money and we’re going to use it in the right way. So what are you planning on
using it for
well, over half of it is for current facilities. So
we call it in the business world. We call it life cycle and deficiencies
but to parents it’s
do we need a new roof? Do we need a new Chiller and HVAC system?
New flooring
new furniture, all of those kinds of things.
And so
so over half is about that for our older schools to keep our older
schools up to a high level.
Then what I’m kind of excited about is I think we’re going to be on a new
trajectory in Fort. Bend is D where
we’re going to be looking at rebuilding some very old schools
and so three schools are slight. Slated for rebuilding
that’s Clemens High School
that in particular has Foundation issues. And we need to address
and of course, that’s a big ticket item
and then Briar Gate Elementary and Mission Bend Elementary
Breyer gate for example is
one
Of the worst conditions schools that we have and we have, you know, outside
people who come in and evaluate the condition of our schools.
So I’m excited about that. But we will also have a new Middle School
in the Southeast corner
and another Elementary School up in our northwest corner, Harvest
green area, where there’s a lot of growth.
And so, we have a little bit of combination with new, but mostly it’s rebuild
and take care of the ones
that we already have. So, you are
as a proud peacock type
superintendent because soup
Fort Bend is doing really well. And
In categories.
What’s your selling point to people about some of the things that are going on? I mean
Marshall, I mean, Dallas is doing great.
Talk about some of the things that you’re proud. Well, Dulles just just this past
weekend. I got to join him in San Antonio, Dulles Academic Decathlon,
one state for the seventh year
and
now they’ll represent the state of Texas at Nationals,
that will be coming up in April
a marshal,
boys, basketball and
still in the hunt for state. Are they played tomorrow night out
of the barycenter and
just
Athletics
fine?
An art academics and 94% of our schools are rated A’s
and B’s.
We have a strong academic history
and we will continue
down that path. So, how much more would it mean for if
I if my household says yes it is. How much more is it going to cost? Well,
we’re looking at
a potential Penny
on the tax rate. So our tax rate today has been lowered
and lowered and lowered its it a dollar 13
and all time low.
And so
if that Penny would it be added? Your logical answer would be. Oh that’s
a dollar 14.
It’s a little more complicated because the state now has something called compression.
So it may be that we would have that Penny added on, which is
about two dollars and fifty cents
for a three hundred thousand dollar home. So you can do the math up or
down,
but we don’t expect that that will happen right away.
We think that that it may take a few years before that even happens
at all
and but that would be the cap, that would be the most that a taxpayer
would incur if they voted for this,
of course are 65. And older has are
not affected and
You can’t be 65 and older.
Oh yeah, absolutely no way. Absolutely itís. Another story
for another, that’ll be another show, but yes, absolutely.
Well then you don’t have to worry about unless you put in a new edition or a pool
or something to change the value.
Those days are over
those days. We’re done with that, but thank you so much for that. So people
who want to get more information where can they get information about? They sell
a lot more questions to be asked. And I know you probably have a way to go straight
to the website, the forbid, I see website and there’s a place right there. They can
click on and get a lot of details because this also
Includes technology to also includes
Safety and Security and new bus terminal.
So that our buses aren’t traveling as far to start their routes, which it
long term is cost savings.
But there are actually
three propositions
the big 11.2,
but there’s also a smaller proposition for tech
technology. What we call tool sets
like the computers that the children use
the state has now made that have to be separate,
used to be included, but now, it can’t be.
And then the third one is an auditorium.
We have
one, not ettore.
And we have one practice
ones in the north part of the district ones in the Central. And this would be in the Southeast
and the voters can either choose that as prop see, or they cannot.
So we break those out. A lot of good options for people to go ahead and think about
it. Go to the website and figure out what’s going on,
not for this program. But we’ve been talking about what’s going on
with HISD, rumors of a reporter take over there,
we’re going to,
you’re not hrsd. You can’t really talk about that. But
politics in the state politics and the education,
you can talk about that will have you back because I know that you have some
Strong opinions about that, will talk. Yes,
thank you so much for coming in. Always good to see you. My pleasure. My foot
been independent school district superintendent. You and my kids are long gone
but still, you know, you keep our kids out of trouble. Thank you. Thank
you. Thank you doctor with big. Thank you.