Local News
Archives
| Arts & Entertainment
| Audio/Video
| Business
| Classifieds
| Columns
| Food
| Forums
| Health & Fitness
| News
| Obits
| Opinions
| People
| Politics
| Science/Technology
| Search
| Sports
| Subscribe
| Travel
| Weather
Published
by the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. CLICK FOR NEWSPAPER DELIVERY
Tuesday, November 6, 2001
CCISD trustees review redistricting suggestions
Representatives of community groups speak in favor of plans
By Tim Eaton
Caller-Times
The trustees of the Corpus Christi Independent School District reviewed seven plans Monday that could redefine the areas of the four single-member school board districts.
Public input was nonexistent at the first meeting, but several community groups voiced their preferences Monday, the second public meeting to focus on redistricting.
"What we need to do is come up with a plan that has a community of interest within those boundaries," said Trustee Manuel Flores. "I'd like to have a high school in each district."
Flores and Dr. Rene Vela voted identically for Draft Plans Six, Seven and Eight. Each plan extends Vela's District Three to the northwest and picks up more Hispanic voting precincts.
Trustee Dot Adkins and Board President Vicki Rothschild both chose Draft Plans Four, Five and Seven, which kept Rothschild's District Four almost evenly balanced racially.
Trustees Mark Lincecum and the Rev. Harry Williams picked differently, but each chose Draft Plan Eight that allowed Vela's district to snake across the district.
Trustee Lucy Rubio was not present because of illness.
The school board hired Robert Bezdek, a political science professor at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, to present maps of possible new districts to the board of trustees.
All the drafts attempt to balance the districts without allowing one race to be overly represented, as mandated by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The League of United Latin American Citizens Council 4444 endorsed Draft Plan Eight that they said protected incumbents, added more political representation to Moody and Miller High Schools and created another minority district.
"We think Hispanics need more representation," said Rene Saenz, political analyst of LULAC Council 4444 to the mixed-race board.
Susie Luna-Saldaña of the GI Forum agreed that Draft Plan Eight was the best option and endorsed it on behalf of her organization. She said the option was the most reasonable choice.
"If we're going to have single member districts, it's the most fair for Hispanics and Anglos," Luna-Saldaña said. "It gives the black population more too."
Buck Sosa also endorsed Draft Plan Eight for the Coastal Bend Tejano Democrats.
The only dissenting vote from a community group came from Ben Ramos, the chairman of the education committee for LULAC Council One. He chose Draft Plan Nine.
"It provides another minority district," he said. "And the breakdown for Districts 1 and 2 is closest to the actual ethnic breakdown districtwide."
Members will vote on a final redrawn map on Nov. 12. Then the Justice Department will take up to 90 days to approve or reject the proposal.
All seven draft plans can be viewed on the Caller-Times Web site at www.caller.com.
Click here to view Draft plan 9
Click here to view Draft plan 10
Contact Tim Eaton at 886-3794 or eatont@caller.com
| Talk
about this story | Next Story
| Home |
© 2001,
a Scripps Howard newspaper. All rights reserved.
|
 |
 |
|
