October 15, 2023
GREATER HOUSTON EDITION
Vol. 28, Issue 39
FREE
African-American News&Issues
“Addressing Current & Historical Realities Affecting Our Community”
Aldine ISD Board DIVISION
BY: Rachel Thompson
Voters are being asked to demonstrate through their ballot, just how much they value diversity in education and among their School Board Trustees. According to the Texas Education Agency’s 202122 Texas Academic Performance Report, Aldine ISD’s two largest student populations are Hispanic (74%) and African American (21.5%), yet one possible outcome of the upcoming November 7th School Board election could result in African American representation missing completely or Hispanic representation reduced to two Trustees. Positions I, 2, 6 and 7 are up for grabs. Listing current Trustees first, Position 1 features Randy Bates versus Jill Metcalfe. Position 2 is Paul Shanklin versus Zaheer Malik. Position 6 is Dr. Kimberly Booker versus Araceli Ramos. Position 7 features Viola Garcia versus Mikela Levi. The candidates seem to have aligned themselves, as evidenced by their flyers. A joint fundraising campaign was held for Bates, Shanklin, and Booker. According to the Araceli Ramos for Aldine ISD Facebook post, Jill Metcalfe, Zaheer
Malik, Araceli Ramos, and Viola Garcia are a selfidentified “dream team”. That’s right. Viola Garcia has joined forces with the opponents campaigning against the incumbents. Mikela Levi appears to be campaigning alone. Looking at the current School Board members, there are three African American, three Hispanic, and one White Trustee. There are also three men and four women among them, making this a relatively balanced School Board with the majority of student groups represented. However, this is subject to change. Voters must ask themselves a series of questions: What is the benefit to the candidates themselves by aligning this way? If all the African American Trustees are removed, who will advocate for African American students? If all the African American Trustees are removed, how will the dynamic change between the School Board and the Superintendent? Ideally, the School Board and the Superintendent should operate as a “Team of Eight.”
It is evident that there is not a “Team of Eight” since Viola Garcia, who is currently on the Aldine ISD Board of Trustees, has formed her ‘dream team’ to get the three African American trustees and the current superintendent, Dr. LaTonya Goffney, packing and out the Aldine ISD door. For the ‘dream team ‘candidates, is this campaign all about revenge and a plot to get a Board without African American representation? Is this campaign about race and a plot and scheme to get what Viola Garcia has wanted for years, a Hispanic superintendent? Is this campaign about trickery, strife, hatred, bitterness, and political gimmicks to work against the Aldine ISD district and school board? Community members must also remember this is not new behavior from Viola Garcia. She co-signed a letter to President Joe Biden and U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland comparing parents protesting school policies to “domestic terrorism”.
Aldine on pg. 3