Senator Eliot Shapleigh - El Paso, Texas

State Sen. Eliot Shapleigh opposes a tax increase for the El Paso Independent School District, saying its leadership is inefficient, central administration salaries are bloated, and Bowie High School has violated the civil rights of students.

District leaders, students, and parents gathered at Coronado High School to respond to the allegations that Senator Eliot Shapleigh has made of the El Paso Independent School District.

Senator Shapleigh has accused the district of telling some students to stay home on standardized test days to boost the district's scores. But on Thursday, supporters of the district said this is not true.

"EPISD is one of our key institutions, perhaps as important as UTEP. For EPISD to move up, Garcia & Co. need to move on. Several years ago, Socorro ISD teachers and taxpayers rejected a bond election, and then ejected the Superintendent and her whole team. That’s what needs to happen now at EPISD. For months, "priority division directors" have threatened teachers who told the truth with retaliation. Do you now want these directors to have the right to fire courageous, hard-working teachers who stood up for kids? How can a handful that crafted a "plan" that was voted down by 70% of voters, now get to do the reduction plan to fix it? Don’t double the trouble by leaving Garcia’s team in charge.”

Un Abrazo Fuerte!

In our family, public service is the highest calling. Way back in 1846, on Christmas Day, our great, great grandfather fought here near the Rio Grande so that Texas might join the Union, not secede from America. His dreams then are yours and mine now—a more just society for all Texans; great public schools to educate all our children; strong Texas universities to make us proud; super highways to move commerce and create jobs; and fundamentally, government of the people, by the people and for the people, not just the privileged few.

In February, 2009, Barack Obama rolled out an $800 billion stimulus package. His goal was to spur consumer demand and keep jobs. Rick Perry joined South Carolina’s Governor Mark Sandford on a national tour to condemn Barack’s Bailout, telling all of Texas that the stimulus moved America “toward a “bailout mentality” where we look to government rather than ourselves for solutions.” So, why then does he maintain his own $5.7 billion bailout back in Texas?