In the past the blog exercised an “open to anyone” policy on comments.
Unfortunately the dialogue devolved.
If you want to comment or correspond with us please send an email to brutusep@yahoo.com.
I have a day job. As a result I may not respond to your email, at least not in a timely manner.
Please keep your comments civil and not personal.
Respectfully,
Brutus
elpasospeak 
Well, once again, El Paso did not speak, but they will scream of no representation in government.
This is a great blog, but maybe you change the title to El Paso Mute.
LikeLike
This incident finally made the national news.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/06/border-cavity-search_n_4907225.html
Woman’s Lawsuit Alleges Horrifying Abuse By Border Officers, Including Cavity Searches And Forced Bowel Movements
Visit El Paso; get a free enema.
LikeLike
I thought the Board of Managers (BOM) was put in place to address how students were cheated out of their right to an education?
But how surprised can one be when business folks are appointed to do education? What’s the strategy? Let’s liquidate assets, pretend to get community input by providing 5 minutes of public comment at meetings, rush a decision before anyone can hold us unelected officials (BOM) accountable, since we don’t have any answers ourselves let’s ask for taxpayers to bail us out because we can’t figure this out, then be on our merry BOM way and see what opportunities there are to make a profit when the dust settles. Sounds like good business to me.
An what happened to the idea of improving education, this is a school district right? Not a single idea about how to do that. That’s secondary to a BOM agenda. Again, put folks with no formal educational training in charge but don’t be surprised if they don’t have the first clue about how to do it.
LikeLike
Yep. Read you every day
LikeLike
Went to the El Paso city council meeting this morning. The council is dysfunctional. The council members were so busy defending the raise they gave Mr. Gonzalez that only one item was covered on the agenda. Ms. Niland wasted 35 minutes of everyone’s time reading what has been done in the last year. They need to take a lesson from “The Donald” and stop trying to be so politically correct and just get the job done!
LikeLike
People complain about how slow the city’s 160 projects are coming along….well, common sense tells us that no one took responsibilities on any of those projects which created this mess. Allow the new director overseeing these 160 projects TIME to do damage control. Just like any reorganization process…..she needs time to do things right. I feel badly when she is attacked for trying to correct all this mess.
LikeLike
What ever happened to the Silverback software that EPISD was touting at the beginning of the school year?
Money spent, nothing to show for it. How do we as a people look at the dollar and cents of a bond when things like this software disappear. It seems if you are software money is no object and if we don’t use you will just move on to the next thing with bells and whistles. All at the taxpayers expense. Just venting here but shouldn’t the board be questioning why the software was not used and further look into new purchases of technology? I was just hoping for a board that would keep an eye on returns for their investments.
LikeLike
Renaissance Learning is another example. Thousands and thousands of dollars and yet the company has trouble supplying the district with accurate data.
LikeLike
Mrs. Matthews is the one who got this going in our district rumor has it
LikeLike
+Anonymous,
It’s now August 2017 and another start to a new school year and I am wondering about the same thing you posted over a year ago. Millions of dollars was spent on Silverback…and nothing. What waste! Why hasn’t anyone been held accountable? And yet, all staff needs to take online training at the beginning of each school year on Ethics and Fraud. Now millions more are being spent on a district wide learning system and curriculum.
Let’s see how long that lasts. They’ll go the way of SharpSchool, Silverback, Renaissance, 365 Sharepoint, Eduphoria, and countless other programs that are touted as the “next best thing” only to switch out to something else the next year.
Waste!
LikeLike
I wouldn’t hold my breath getting a straight answer out of EPISD. Nothing they do make sense anymore. Case in point, the dismantling of the once good science department with its leaders who have helped science teachers in the classrooms.
EPISD wants to be a STEAM district but reassigned TIS personnel until a decision was make to allow them to keep their positions. Now the science department and personnel, the SRC resource center, and Live Materials have gotten the ax.
Don’t expect campuses to appropriately use the funds that have previously been used to stock the SRC. It will not be cost effective to purchase science supplies at the campus level. The district was able to purchase in large quantity at a lower price.
Smh. EPISD is going downhill at break neck speed. Too many yahoos in district administrative positions making terrible decisions that do NOT benefit the students. Whoever (TB) is making these horrible decisions should be fired, effective immediately.
LikeLike
To whom it may concern, I’m writing to ask for your support by covering the story of a young sweet teenager,Mikaela Reyes, that has been fighting for the past 6 years against a chronic illness. She had been receiving care at El Paso Childrens hospital for the last few years but once she became of age, Ms. Ellen Pitcher CEO (915) 242-8600 or (915) 298-5444 ext 40504 at the Children’s Hospital is continuously denying Mikaela access to medical care at the hospital. See the Children’s Hospital does not have a transition plan for chronic illness or their patients in general. A transitional plan is implemented so that when a child reaches 18 they are successfully transitioned to an adult physician. Although El Paso Children’s Hospital allows treatment at the clinic, they refuse medical care at the hospital even though it may be a complication of the treatment they received, these are the young adults primary care physicians paying no mind to the patients safety. When a patient who is receiving treatment reaches the age of 18 they are no longer able to receive medical care at the hospital. They are sent away with no regards to their safety they are left to fend for themselves. However most specialist (doctors) do not consider these young adults — adults until 21 so these young adults between the ages of 18-21 years of age are or can be without care. Hence Mikaela’s dilemma. I am asking for your help to please call Ms. Pitcher and by covering Mikaela’s story help bring awareness to community of our youth being denied healthcare here in El Paso. This news coverage would let Ms. Pitcher know Mikaela and other young adults need a transitional plan, that they need to be allowed to be treated at the hospital until their is an effective plan in effect, and that they need quality access to care. Let her know that when Mikaela Reyes and others like here in El Paso are too tired to fight they have someone who will fight for her. You! Sincerely, Elisa Chaidez You can contact me at 915-526-1222
LikeLike
Here’s some data that EPISD must be glad came out AFTER the bond election…
http://www.elpasoproud.com/news/local/el-paso-news/tea-releases-list-of-underperforming-schools/619655255
And, this list will just increaseas every dollar poured into everything in the world that has nothing to actually do with learning or teaching continues apace in EPISD. Fully suspect ANYTHING that carries the buzzwords: “21st Century Learning” or “Innovation”…
LikeLike
A teacher at EPHS recently was teaching a stat class and it involved “Jews.” Jewish student went home and spoke about the “incident” to his mother and his mother came to the school to complain. Teacher went out of his way and confronted the mother at school in front of kids yelling at her. Teacher was reassigned for about a week and then was allowed to go back to school.
Where is the justice for the rest of the teachers that have been reassigned for years, months and weeks? Where is the justice for teachers?
LikeLike
It is not clear what you are saying. It “involved Jews”, meaning it was anti-Semitic? If that was the case the teacher should have been fired. Why are teachers allowed to teach hate and intolerance in the guise of progressivism? Being a teacher doesn’t make one part of a protected class, nor does it elevate them above everyone else in society. Teachers are leeches upon society, if you need evidence of this look at how terribly our students rate against just about every other country in the world. Third world countries produce better students than are produced here in the United States. Yet, all we seem to hear is how teachers are underpaid, overworked and deserve more respect. My son went to high school for four years and each year we had to drive to the school one night per semester so HE could tell us his progress and give us his report card. There was a time when teachers would be responsible for that, but I guess they don’t even want to talk to parents any more.
LikeLike
Answers please…..how can our students in EPISD be expected to do good on the STAAR test when it is above 90° in the classrooms. Can we please take out a loan from Cabrerras generous raise to pay for someone to turn on the air conditioners at our schools for our students?
It would be interesting to see which schools already have air conditioning turned on. Could it be Cabrerra”s childrens schools or our board members favorites?? Wake up people….the preferential treatment is worse now than its ever been.
EPISD students deserve BETTER!
LikeLike
how can our students in EPISD be expected to do good on the STAAR test when it is above 90° in the classrooms.
Red pen edit:
How can our students in EPISD be expected to do well on the STAAR test when it is above 90° in the classrooms?
LikeLike
Have you read the El Paso Times Story by the superintendent of SISD today? Could it be that the public schools in our city are getting a little paranoid about the new Public School District that will be coming in 2018? IDEA Public Schools District is strong, if you look up their statistics they are blowing the traditional public schools out of the water in the RGV, Austin and San Antonio. They are branching out to Baton Rouge, El Paso and Dallas. Do parents have a choice? Absolutely, if parents want the best for their children then they have to stand up against these superintendants AKA pseudo politicians who take taxpayers money and put it in their pockets and their interest’s pockets! These new Public Schools will not offer not only afford students a better education but will give taxpayers the best bang for their buck! Their board offers incentives for their staff, including teachers, and custodians, not just Superintendents! Check out IDEA Public Schools stats:
Qhh2O66Rpaf8De0_qiRpCujJ0Lx1EaAqQq8P8HAQ
The three big districts better get ready!
LikeLike
Can you do anything about this finance report discrepancy?
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Og4rnY0cpZ-IhJZHOTG5h7orEgcsQz7gX-3_F2WPiFA/edit?usp=sharing
LikeLike
I don’t know if you will have a post on the topic but I just heard about Juan Cabrera being on KVIA last night explaining that he needs to fly first class because of an injury to his leg and that he may need amputation. He wants to pull that in a military town!?! With veterans that are in worse shape than he is!?! What gall. He needs to go.
LikeLike
Why was Brio going through Carousel Drive towards Confetti on
12/26/2017 at 5:30 p.m.? It was traveling very fast. Are they supposed to travel thru neighborhoods?
LikeLike
HEY Brutus… The Sign of Zorro (not Zero) has not posted in long long time;
Que Pasa?
LikeLike
Hey Brutus….”elptaxguardians.wordpress.com seems to have input from “insiders” has not posted for a long time
LikeLike
Yes,
We leave it up because of the map. Some people don’t know what area will be affected.
LikeLike
I’m just wondering how EPISD’s Cabrera can ‘consult’ for another educational institution that would compete for students. Isn’t that a conflict of interest? Also, why doesn’t he use that time to be a Superintendent for EPISD? Try doing some good for the institution that is paying you.
LikeLike
Guess tomorrow 10/29, City Council will discuss the greater evil between announcing to run for mayor and rescinding it or spousal abuse.
LikeLike
Watched the 11/26/2019 City Council meeting and found out that if you add in the unused bond money from 2012 then the City and Council has a total of $473.25 Million dollars to use with the safety bond that was passed in November. So instead of $413 Million bond for safety it is really $473.25 Million that will be spent.
LikeLike
f you check the Dec. 9 special agenda item #5 you will notice that the city is going to ask for $46,026,015.50 in another Certificate of Obligation. It says it is to match the Montana RTS project grant money. But that is not the case because if you look at the accompanying chart it doesn’t show that amount in there. And if you check out the Nov. 12 budget update you will see where the city is using debt to get around the 3.5% on the property tax. Because the cap is only on the O&M and not on the debt side. So by raising the debt level they can go beyond the 3.5% rate cap. Also you will see where they are also going to restructure the debt management policy.
LikeLike
I just got through reading an article in The Texas Tribune about the homeless in Texas. In there it said and I don’t know how they came up with the number. But, it says El Paso has 809 homeless people. I look at all the Bonds, COs, GOs and Nontaxable Bonds which have to be paid through property taxes that the city is releasing all the time and I thought what would the homeless rate be in El Paso in the next 5 or 6 years or even the number who will have to leave El Paso because they can’t afford to live here. But then I thought about the low income housing that the city wants to build and I said we have no worries we can move to low income housing and let El Paso taxpayers support us.
LikeLike
Well, people seem to be more interested in their own little social gatherings and get-togethers, than to wake up another day! Seriously!! Barcelona, Spain WAS the epicenter of all this craziness, and now El Paso?!? Wow!! Unfortunately, My spouse and I have been self-isolating for 8 months, now! I know it’s a headache, but better safe than sorry! And please, close our borders!!!! All of them! We’re not seeing any resolvement of anything!! More and more deaths. More and more restrictions!! This is all a headache when You’ve been following rules all this time, just to get infected by someone who’s more entitled than Everyone else!! No Way! More strict rules for aliens and people crossing our border EVERY DAY!! All this travel is NOT helping Anyone!! Not You, not your kids, not Your family, No one!!!!!! I get it! You live in Juarez but You have to work here! But Everyone else?!? El Paso didn’t have ANY Covid-19 cases or deaths at all! All I’m saying is ‘Mask Up’!! Take care of yourself and those around You! And may God Bless those who have fallen sick or have lost loved ones, or possibly may have perished. And may God hold responsible, these scoundrels who have created this virus, solely for the purpose that it is being used for right now!!!! These ‘higher-ups’ in the world, who have ruled this planet since I can remember!!! Stealing from the peasants! (I.R.S., SOCIAL SECURITY, FEDERAL RESERVE, Etc.,) We have to ban together and take extra precautions right now! Our lives depend on it!! God Bless…..
LikeLike