This came in from Dan Wever:
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Posted on facebook
While trying to figure out why a Teachers Union would support a bond issue that in my opinion, would cost people jobs and hurt neighborhood school children, I mentioned the term perception and a lot of people got upset with me and said I was attacking someone. When you are in the limelight you need to get used to any kind of difference of opinion.
I have since thought of something else that might account for a Teachers Union wanting to support this bond issue.
I had forgotten that this same Union supported the District of Innovation and I did not understand this either, as this State statute(Sec.12A.004) has in it the option to take away any power the Unions do now have. The District of Innovation which the EPISD has already obtained can ask the Texas Education Commissioner to be exempt from certain education laws that are now on the books. Let’s look at what cannot be done in this area.
Sec. 12A.004. LIMITATION OF PERMISSIBLE EXEMPTIONS. (a) A local innovation plan may not provide for the exemption of a district designated as a district of innovation from the following provisions of this title: (1) a state or federal requirement applicable to an open enrollment charter school operating under Subchapter D, Chapter 12; (2) Subchapters A, C, D, and E, Chapter 11, except that a district may be exempt from Sections 11.1511(b)(5) and (14) and Section 11.162;
11.1511(14) = make decisions relating to terminating the employment of district employees employed under a contract to whichChapter 21 applies, including terminating or not renewing an employment contract to which that chapter applies
Chapter 21 is teacher contracts and certification rules.
In other words the District can hire and fire anyone without worrying about Texas State laws that give employees some protection, thus what is the need for Unions which if anyone would have paid attention was the reason for the creation of the District of Innovation in the first place.
While this is probably a legal question, I do not even think that the district has to ask for this exemption as it is already given in this language but, they might have to ask the Commissioner.
With the is mind I have come to the conclusion that the answer to my question of why is a Union supporting something that will hurt neighborhood children, is because the district holds the HAMMER over them and they are submitting. The Unions will exist at the pleasure of the District or until this law is changed.
elpasospeak 
Two things: Texas is, and has long been, against unions. As long as we remain a Red State (under Republican control), there will be little consideration given to something as fundamental as workers’ rights.
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Finally. Someone is getting to the core of the issue with EPISD.
Control.
It has always been about control. And, the union is (and has been for a while) right there in bed with the admin tucked in tight!
The teacher’s union here has no teeth and no spine to back up even a decent bark. Their leadership hob knobs with the district administration and rubs elbows with all of the “movers and shakers” the superintendent can muster and the other people they bring into this Machiavellian utopia people are still referring to as EPISD.
Read, “The Prince” by Machiavelli. You will find it to be the playbook for the current EPISD administration. There are several passages from “The Communist Manifesto” by Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels that seem to match disturbingly well with their management philosophy as well.
Getting control of the firing process (and being exempt from a few other bothersome state rules) is what the “District of Innovation” thing is all about. It was NEVER about doing anything of actual benefit for the children.
It has all ALWAYS been about obtaining complete control of the people and machinery of the district, conducting the social experiment, and increasing the money flow. Now that they can fire teachers for nearly any reason, the “fun” is about to begin!
And the starting bell?
The Bond. We give them this ridiculously huge amount of money to play with, and a HUGE number of people are going to get their lives hurt (to the sights and sounds of smiles and laughter in the admin).
Any employee not ‘with’ their “program”, anyone who utters a tiny dissident complaint, all who fail to fully demonstrate complete faith and belief in the “New Order” daring to rock the boat will be dumped over the side without hesitation (or fear of reprisal from the state…).
And, the “Union” is backing these people. They are actually supporting the bond!
The Union has sold us all out.
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Here is a takeout of the Keller ISD information about the District of Innovation in Texas.
What areas of flexibility can KISD consider in its District of Innovation journey?
A District of Innovation may adopt a plan that includes exemptions from most of the same state laws that are not applicable to open enrollment school districts. These laws could include:
Uniform school start date
Class size ratio
Minimum minutes of instruction
The 90 percent attendance rule (but compulsory attendance still applies)
Student discipline provisions (with some key exceptions, like the requirement to have a code of conduct and restrictions on restraint and seclusion)
Teacher appraisal system
Teacher certification (except as required by federal law)
Teacher contracts
Teacher benefits
Site-based decision making processes (to the extent required by state law)
Not all of these possibilities will be right for Keller ISD. It us up to the DOI committee to determine what laws to exempt ourselves from and which to leave in place.
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Looking at lists of committee and group membership and what members have in common turns the spotlight on big money and back room deals.
Who benefits from EPISD Bond: Here is a video of the Westside Community Coalition Meeting.
Cabrera and Fenenbock talk about where vacant properties will go when schools consolidate.
Cabrera clearly says property swapping, leasing options for shopping centers – especially Morehead which is near the Montecito and Alamo Drafthouse, selling to housing developers and other uses:
http://www.elpasotimes.com/videos/news/local/2016/08/17/88929056/
Who are the biggest EPISD Bond beneficiaries:
Real Estate Developers and Home Builders
Shopping and Retail Developers
Construction Firms
Legal Firms
Construction Material Firms
Some members of Texans for Education Reform (Now Aspire Texas):
Woody Hunt Hunt Industries , Donor to Fenenbock and Velarde Campaigns
Jennifer Koppel IDEA Charter Schools
Dee Margo EP Mayoral Candidate
Michael Williams Former Commissioner of Education. Named EPISD Board of Managers
Michael Morath Current Commissioner of Education.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:GlA_6cnfUVoJ:www.tsta.org/grading-texas/category/el-paso-isd+&cd=7&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
http://thelionstarblog.blogspot.com/2012/10/margo-education-townhall-shameless.html
EPISD Appointed Board of Managers
Dee Margo – President Rain Maker and candidate for EP Mayor
Ed Archuleta CREEED, requested Facilities Study used for Bond Measure
Carmen Arrieta-Candelaria Deputy Superintendent of Finance EPISD,
Blanca Enriquez Community En Accion
Judy Castleberry Working at Direction of Commissioner Michael Williams
EPISD Facilities Advisory Committee members with conflict of interest:
Marci Bain Coronado PTA
Gerald Cichon Housing Authority Cabrera says he would like to trade land with City of El Paso and Housing Authority
Ed Escudero CREEED and Kids First PAC
Carlos Gallinar Former Planner with City of El Paso. Now Executive Director of Innovative School Construction
Mari Van Pelt Co-chair of El Paso Rising, Coronado Parent
Jennifer Erlich Coronado PTA – Director of Marketing EP Chamber of Commerce
EPISD Employees and Retired Employees on committee = 25 people or more than ¼ of the committee. 5 were promoted to high positions
El Paso Rising PAC Leaders:
Jaime Barceleau Also on District of Innovation Committee, Running for City Council
Nolita Garcia Coronado parent
Mari Van Pelt On EPISD Facilities Advisory Committee
Dori Fenenbock EPISD Board President
Barbara Esparza Director of Finance, Child Crisis Center (Executive Director is EPISD Board Member Al Velarde)
Some El Paso Rising Donors:
Western Refining Paul Foster
KIDS FIRST PAC
TCG Group Holdings These are the administrators for EPISD Insurance Health Spending Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts – Formerly Known as JEM
Jobe Materials Concrete and other Construction Materials
Kirk Robison Burger King and others
Meyers Group Looks like Dori Fenenbock’s son
River Oaks Property Builds Shopping Centers
Woody Hunt Residential Dwelling Developer
Jim Cardwell CFO of Petro Stopping Centers
Dee Margo Former President of EPISD Board of Managers, Contributed to Fenenbock Campaign
Michael Apodaca Treasurer of the EP Democratic Party
Santi Dwellings (Owns The Montecillo on Mesa)
MIMCO (Retail Property Owner across El Paso)
Some Kids First PAC Donors:
Richard Castro CREEED
Ed Escudero CREEED and EPISD Facilities Committee
Woody Hunt Hunt Industries, El Paso Rising Donor
John Karlshruer CSA Constructors
Thad Steele Construction
Carlos Ornelas Transport and Trucking
Venegas Engineering Management and Construction (VEMAC)
Some CREEED Members:
Richard Castro Kids First PAC Donor
Woody Hunt El Paso Rising PAC and Kids First PAC Donors
Ed Archuleta Appointed Board of Managers,
Ed Escudero EPISD Facilities Advisory Committee
Amy O’Rourke El Paso Leadership Academy
Oscar Venegas CEO VEMAC
Known to Associate with Forma Group (group paid by Kids First PAC):
Mark Smith
Woody Hunt
Dee Margo
Marisa Marquez
http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/education/episd/2016/09/01/pac-decides-not-hire-lobbyist-episd-bond/89731960/
El Paso Group that Traveled to Rio Grande Valley to formulate El Paso partnership with IDEA Charter Schools:
Deb Zuolaga
Tania Schwartz
Ed Escudero CREEED, EPISD Facilities Committee
Karen Blaine Former El Paso Leadership Academy admin. Now EPISD Chief of Innovation
Juan Sanchez El Paso Chamber of Commerce
Omar Yanar El Paso Leadership Academy
Amy O’Rourke CREEED, El Paso Leadership Academy, Helped to créate La Fe Prep incorporating former EPISD Campus Roosevelt Elementary School
http://www.ideapublicschools.org/news-events/idea-public-schools-is-coming-to-el-paso
Community En Accion Board in common with above lists:
Richard Castro CREEED, Kids First PAC Donor
Blanca Enriquez Former Member of EPISD Board of Managers
Ed Escudero CREEED, EPISD Facilities Committee
Jaime Barceleau Candidate for City Council
Dori Fenenbock Campaign Contributors
El Paso Federation of Teachers
Woody Hunt
Oscar Leeser
Western Refining Paul Foster
Dee Margo
Al Velarde Campaign Contributors
Western Refining Paul Foster
Woody Hunt
El Paso Federation of Teachers
Veronica Escobar Campaign
http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/local/2015/05/01/episd-candidates-continue-raise-big-bucks/31239385/
Examples of EPISD District of Innovation Committee (got rid of employee contract protections):
Ivonne Durant EPISD Facilities Advisory Committee, Deputy Superintendent
Karen Blaine Former El Paso Leadership Academy Charter, EPISD Chief of Innovation
Jaime Barceleau El Paso Rising PAC Chairman, Community en Accion
Dana Hamilton Borderplex REIT Chair
Ross Moore EPISD Facilities Advisory Committee, Federation of Teacher President
Norma De La Rosa EPISD Facilities Advisory Committee, EPTA President
Michael Devine EPISD Facilities Advisory Committee
Amy O’Rourke CREEED, El Paso Leadership Academy
Lynn Gill EPISD Facilities Advisory Committee
Debbie Trexler EPISD Facilities Advisory Committee
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All the salivating dogs. Obviously no one who is interested in kids.
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Waiting for Deputy Dawg’s sarcasm here. Facts make it difficult for the blog’s official Cabrera/Fenenbock apologist.
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I would like someone to ask Mr. Cabrerra why he has failed to show up to ANY Northeast bond meetings. He sends his cronies with excuses after excuses…. but he shows up to bond meetings on the Westside. Why was he spotted out to dinner at the same time as one of the bond meetings? The short answer can be found in his speech to principals last week. Not only did he tell us he wouldn’t be around to see the bond projects through, but he also told us when closures happened that he alone would decide who would be principal and who would be demoted. No say for the schools, or fair and judicious process for the best candidate… the same unilateral decisions made that show why this district is hurting. He talks about treating employees with respect but his do as I say attitude and not as I do has resulted in a climate of fear and distrust. Many of us have nevery even had a personal conversaroom with our so called leader. He is only looking out for himself. Oh…. and while you are at it, could you ask him why he is glued to Dori Feninbock’s side? She answer all the questions and does all the speaking. Who is in charge of who?
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