Parents say AISD not listening

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The future of Allan Elementary is important to Micky Moreno. Her son is in second grade and she says he's doing just fine.

"He reads above his level, way above his level. He does multiplication already and he's only in second grade," Moreno said.

Moreno and other parents are not happy with Austin Independent School District's plan to turn over Allan Elementary and Eastside Memorial High school to a south Texas charter school company known as IDEA .

"Here we are comfortable. We know the teachers. We've been here, we have the history, we know how they teach," Moreno said. "At another school we don't know how their education is going to be."

For seven years Denise Richey has spent most of her time inside the library at Allan. She said since talk started about turning Allan into a charter school, morale amongst teachers has been low and for a good reason.

"It's run like a corporation. It's run like a business and it loses all sight on students," said Richey.

But not everyone is against the idea. Drew Scheberle is with the  Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce and has a 7-year-old soon in the district. He and the chamber believe by changing both Allan and Eastside Memorial into charter schools it will give students more options and help the chronically underperforming Eastside Memorial High School.

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"It's going to give them options on whether or not they want to go to IDEA or a regular school and it's going to help taxpayers because we'll have a more efficient use of facilities," said Scheberle.

But even two former school board presidents, both of whom have served as mayors of Austin, have become critics of IDEA and how AISD has handled this.

"They need to listen to the parents. The parents don't want that program here and that is the most important thing," said Gus Garcia.

"At a minimum they should stop and not make this decision tonight. Get off their dais and get out into the community and listen to all the people," said Carole Keeton Strayhorn.