Betsy Russell

Browsing: Betsy Russell

Education

September 5, 2018

$5.9 million budget deficit looms for HCISD

The process of pinching pennies is underway for Hays CISD officials as they aim to…

Sports

January 24, 2018

Hays CISD trustees discuss astroturf, portable restroom for $4.4M complex

An artificial turf playing surface could be a reality at Hays High’s new baseball and…

Lehman Lobos

January 17, 2018

Kirkland takes it to the next level: Lehman head coach headed to University of Incarnate Word

Less than a year into his tenure at Lehman High, Josh Kirkland is taking his…

Community

October 18, 2017

District weighs in on grade levels at new high school

Debate over which grade levels will start out at the district’s new third high school…

Hays Rebels

August 23, 2017

$3.6M fields not ready for new season

Dreams of starting the 2018 baseball and softball season in a new stadium at Hays…

Sports

June 21, 2017

Equity concerns arise in Hays softball, baseball complex talks

Equity among baseball and softball fields at Hays CISD high schools hit the board of…

Recent Opinions

April, 2019

Apr 24 Take Hays Back

Apr 24 Curling into his Fox News cocoon

Apr 24 Well, I never

Apr 17 ‘Stick it to them’ policies that have stuck

Apr 17 Bribing kids’ way into the ‘easy life’ robs them of true happiness
Facebook Recent Comments
- Trace Shelton on Take Hays Back
  26 Apr 2019
  Not sure how you "unpacked" much of that from my comments. I don't have a problem with newcomers to the area. I don't have a problem with anyone with Hispanic heritage or any other heritage being placed in leadership positions. And I never said what you "quoted" me as saying. At least my problems with you, Laurie and the rest of that board were based on fact and policy disagreement and a very specific incident that affected my kids in a major way. You are attempting character assassination based on assumption and hearsay. So who's really being petty and immature?
- Judy Burns on Take Hays Back
  26 Apr 2019
  David, you managed to sum up my thoughts. Having "only" been here 33 years, we are still learning our way around the District.
- David Wiley on Take Hays Back
  26 Apr 2019
  There is a lot to unpack in Mr. Shelton's comments. First, you should know that if you are not "from here", your opinions and views are completely discounted. If you are not from here, then you "don't understand Hays". To set the stage, please know that for years the HCISD was run by a small number of families who were virtually guaranteed lifetime employment with the district. Members of these families are still employed with the district to this day. These people decided who was running for school board, who the next superintendent would be, and other local vagaries that wouldn't be noticed by the average person. As long as athletics (i.e. football) had whatever they wanted and the high performing students had the resources they needed, everyone was happy with how the district was being managed, or so it seemed. As the HCISD began to grow in the late 1990's "outsiders" started moving in and asking questions about district management. They also began securing leadership positions in the community and school district. The first sign the "good ol' boys" were losing control was in 1998 when their handpicked successor to be superintendent was rejected by the "new" school board of outsiders. Until that point, the succession of the superintendency was a foregone conclusion. Instead, the district hired an "outside" Hispanic superintendent. The district also started building schools on the east side of I 35. Until that point, there were only three elementary schools and no secondary schools on the east side. That meant the secondary students in those attendance zones had to get up before their peers on the west side, ride buses across the interstate and railroad tracks, to arrive at school at the same time as other students. The 1999 board also got rid of the Confederate flag logo at Hays High School. Obviously, none of this went over well with the old guard. One of the leaders of the group of forward-thinkers was board member and President Laurie Cromwell (referenced by Mr. Shelton). I was proud to serve with Laurie as a fellow school board member because I saw the countless hours of service she gave to the school district in the face of opposition from the old guard. Please note that the issues noted by Mr. Shelton occurred over 20 years ago thus giving proof to the inability to "let it go." Also, I have been in public education my entire adult life and, until today, never knew there was such a thing as “least favorite school board member.” Most citizens can’t name a single school board member, much less a “least favorite” one. I do know that Mr. Shelton commented in the past during a public forum section of a school board meeting that “not a single teacher in Hays helped any of children.” If the district is that bad, why choose to live here? Perhaps it’s because he is a member of one of those families mentioned earlier? Regardless if you are from “here” or “there” I hope we can come to a basic agreement. There is no more thankless task than serving on a school board. It is easy to sit on the sidelines and take potshots without putting one’s name forward on a ballot. Board members are criticized non-stop, yet receive no compensation for their volunteer efforts. I have major concerns with two current school board members, but I respect their willingness to serve and try to make a difference. At the very least we should be able to agree that we should honor everyone’s commitment to service, even if we disagree with their decisions. To do less is petty and immature.
- Judy Burns on HCISD finds $13M payroll error
  26 Apr 2019
  I thought at least one board member had been on for 17 years. Wouldn't she have had oversight over this "miscalculation."
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