Tanguma: All McAllen ISD’s ESSER monies should go towards its students and staff

Last week, an editorial was published criticizing McAllen ISD for pulling back on partnerships with the Quinta Mazatlán World Birding Center and the International Museum of Art and Science, or IMAS. 

After initially committing $4 million and $2 million to these institutions, MISD’s board of trustees voted 4-2 in January to revisit the use of funds. Now, this editorial mourns the loss of missed “unique educational opportunities.”

As a veteran public school teacher of nearly 24 years, I was strongly against MISD giving these funds to Quinta Mazatlan and IMAS back in 2021 as were many educators, parents and community members. Today, I am strongly in favor of our new school board voting to reallocate those funds as they should have been reallocated back then – to students and staff. The money was Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding, and it was intended to  address learning setbacks from COVID-19 for school districts. 

Even back in 2021, valid criticism was raised about why emergency COVID-19 funding was being put toward adding on to a  nature center and renovating a museum. According to MISD, the funds were meant to help schools safely reopen and meet the needs of students. Allocating a staggering $6 million to the city-owned Quinta Mazatlan and IMAS as “learning facilities” was a reach, especially in the midst of a pandemic.

What’s even more frustrating is that the City of McAllen never needed these partnerships to begin with. They received their own federal emergency funding through the CARES Act. Their $641 million dollar budget for the 2022-2023 fiscal year and $133 million dollar general fund dwarfs McAllen ISD’s $13-14 million deficit.

Sylvia Tanguma

Why doesn’t the City of McAllen help the students, staff and teachers from McAllen ISD that produce its own workforce instead of fussing about not getting a new amphitheater for a well-established, city-owned museum that’s been open for 55 years? Meanwhile, three black box theaters that could have gone to the mariachi and theater arts programs at McAllen High, Memorial and Nikki Rowe High Schools have been cut from the budget. 

From the beginning, these desperately needed ESSER funds absolutely should not have been committed for a nature center and museum. Adding a Discovery Center as part of the Center for Urban Ecology at Quinta Mazatlan for educational opportunities is something you do when a school district has more money than it knows what to do with. It is ludicrous to grieve the loss of these partnerships when McAllen public schools were, and are, barely keeping their heads above the water.

HVAC systems are in need of repair. Staff face reassignments and computer lab closures. Students with behavioral issues are not having their needs met as schools are unable to retain much needed extra support personnel, such as behavioral counselors. Teacher burnout keeps educators from performing at their highest potential and students from achieving above and beyond. Yet we’re still debating $4 million for a birding center now that the decision to reallocate the funds to the museum has been made. Both of which would still charge students for entry.

I am disappointed with the misplaced priorities of our previous district leadership. However, I know they are not entirely to blame. The Texas Legislature hasn’t increased per-pupil funding since 2019. Last year’s state legislative session failed to yield crucial funding for our drowning public schools. Meanwhile, our governor focuses on passing measures that pad the pockets of private school profiteers, and public schools like those in McAllen ISD are left to suffer.

Our McAllen ISD district was certainly not in the position to be giving away this money back in 2021, and still aren’t today. Our only hope is that the board reallocates the money to where it was originally intended – to the students and staff who need it the most. When you’re in trouble, it’s best to ask for help. So will the City of McAllen help the McAllen School District?

Editor’s Note: The above guest column was penned by Sylvia Tanguma, a veteran public school teacher of nearly 24 years, nearly 20 of which were in McAllen ISD. 

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