Former BISD board president Woodrow Reece Jr., who was leading the board when the state took control of the district in 2014, has filed paperwork to run for District 3 in the May election.
The seat is currently held by Thomas Sigee, who served as president of the board until the last board meeting. Sigee also has filed paperwork for re-election and told The Enterprise that he “isn’t going anywhere.”
Reece said Thursday that he wants more action in coping with the coronavirus pandemic.
“The main thing is we need is to get our school district vaccinated,” he said. “And our kids need to be back in school.”
“The pandemic is affecting everyone’s lives,” Reece added. “It has just taken it apart, especially when the kids need to be in an educated environment and it is hard on the parents.”
His son, Kevin, also serves on the board. His District 4 seat is not on the ballot this May.
“I asked him to run,” Kevin Reece told The Enterprise Thursday. “Zenobia (Bush) is stepping out, and dealing with how the state got us back in didn’t allow for a lot of cohesion.”
The state takeover of BISD came after a series of scandals, such as the mismanagement of a $388 million bond issue, personal embezzlement by top administrators and other financial shortfalls that left the district in a “budget emergency.”
A board of managers was appointed to replace the elected trustees.
In 2018, Education Commissioner Mike Morath sent a letter to the district beginning the transition to local control, two trustees at a time with the last two being seated a year ago.
“There is a lot of confusion over what the board does, and what the administration does,” Kevin Reece said. “I talk, but I am younger than them, so I think they will listen more to one of their peers.”
Woodrow Reece said he will outline more of his priorities going forward.
In 2014, Woodrow Reece chastised the state for opting to take over the district. He voted to appeal the Texas Education Agency takeover.
“The commissioner is wrong,” he was quoted as saying in an Enterprise story at the time. “He’s wrong.”
Friday is the deadline for candidates to file to run in the May 1 election.
So far District 3 is the only contested race.
Tillie Hickman and Sigee are the only two incumbents to file for re-election. Joe Evans and Stacey Lewis Jr. are running uncontested in the races for Districts 1 and 2.
isaac.windes@hearstnp.com
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