Group files complaint against AISD

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Parents and school volunteers have filed a formal complaint against the Austin Independent School District.

The group, mostly representing East Austin, claims AISD has left the community out of important decisions such as opening IDEA Allan and testing out a GPS tracking program last school year at Eastside Memorial High School.

The group met with district officials Thursday for a grievance hearing.

"We feel ignored. It needs to stop,” said Vincent Tovar, a member of the group. "In the complaint process, I'm speaking on behalf of the whole experience with IDEA and how there was never a community meeting at Allan before IDEA was voted in, not one. [The Campus Advisory Council at Allan didn't approve it. CAC at Eastside didn't approve IDEA.”

He was at Eastside Memorial High School Friday morning when the campus welcomed students from Kealing Middle School and Murchison Middle School.

The goal was to convince them it is where they want to spend the next four years.

"In the community it's been a lot of negativity and we want them to know that there's a lot of good here,” said Assistant Principal Adrienne Williams.

Booths were set up in the gym where students could sign up for a numerous of sports, fine arts programs and student clubs like robotics.

"Eastside is not what you see or what you think it is until you actually come here and have the experience,” said senior Audrey Centno.

"You're not a number here, you're actually a person," said senior Kevin Rayford.

Now that IDEA Allan is not taking over Eastside Memorial, district officials say they are coming up with a plan for the future.

The district has more testimony to hear from those who have filed the formal complaint. Once the hearing is over, the district will have ten day to respond in writing.

If the group is not satisfied with the response they can file an appeal and get a meeting with the school board.