![]() After several years, the involvement of numerous community organizations, and leaders at all levels of government, Robert E. Lee Road is now Buffalo Soldiers Road. It has taken the State of Texas until 2019 to write that slavery was the central cause of the Civil War in our history curriculum; until 2020, to adopt an African American Studies course, and longer to remove Confederate plaques and monuments honoring the names and actions of slave traders, defenders of slavery, and traitors to our nation. On June 23, El Paso City Council accepted my $1,500 donation dedicated to offset renaming expenses and voted to change the name to Buffalo Soldiers Road. This endeavor joins the efforts of Fort Bliss' Buffalo Soldier Gate and meets the Buffalo Soldier Monument commemorating the 1870 expedition by the all African American 9th Calvary that had a substantial presence on Fort Bliss. As a community, we find ourselves in a pivotal moment where the opportunity to be actively anti-racist and work for equality is before us. We are called to respond, to improve life as we know it today, and leave the world always in a better state than which we found it. As the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “The time is always right to do what is right,” and that time is now. We can all begin by treating people with dignity, courtesy, and respect. Changing this street name to Buffalo Soldiers Road is a small step in the right direction.
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The largest portion of CARES Act Funding (under ESSER) will almost entirely be used to replace some of the funding ISDs would have normally received (which are State funds) in a non-pandemic year. Texas is using ESSER as a piggy bank because state revenue (sales tax) has plunged due to COVID19 as have the the oil and gas taxes. See Q & A #8 (page 11) on this TEA document: Much like FEMA, 75% of additional costs due to Coronavirus expenses (which occurred between March 1 - May 20, 2020) can be reimbursed via CRF. However, there is a maximum reimbursement limit equal to $50,000 or $250 per low-income student (whichever amount is higher). See Q & A #2 (page 12) on this TEA document: The 5% is going to private schools and virtual education vendors. How much is 5% ? Let's assume a local ISD is expecting to recover $10M in CARES funding, 5% of this is $500,000. Based on this guidance from the Texas Education Agency, the ISD hoping to recover $10M, must use $500K - of their CARES funding - to pay for services requested by private non-profit schools within district boundaries. If there are none, ISDs can spend 100% of ESSER funds. See TEA link above p9, Q31 Federal stimulus funding appropriated by Congress to help states and school districts deal with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic could find its way into the coffers of private schools and virtual education vendors. |
AuthorGeorgina C. Pérez Archives
July 2022
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