SUGAR LAND, Texas – Who doesn’t love blue jeans?”
“Jeans are like teachers favorite things,” said Dr. Christie Whitbeck, the Superintendent of Fort Bend Independent School District.
She’s not alone. Politicians love them too.
“I’ve been a Levi’s guy for as long as I can remember,” said State Senator Paul Bettencourt.
What Bettencourt says he doesn’t love is how FBISD was incentivizing teachers with a “jeans day” if they go to the polls.
“A school district can’t offer a jeans day for employees to go vote. Everybody knows this, because next you’ll offer a $20 bill and then you’re into real trouble,” said Bettencourt to KPRC 2 Investigates.
Whitbeck admits the offer is no longer being offered but remained upbeat about it.
“We had some jeans incentives, to us that is no big deal,” said Whitbeck.
But why was it offered in the first place?
Whitbeck says it was to encourage teachers in Fort Bend to vote no matter what county they live in. However, in Fort Bend there is significant proposition at the polls this election, Proposition A.
The specific proposition focuses around two topics that have been discussed heavily by parents.
“It’s really for two things, it’s for teacher and staff raises and armed security guards at our elementary schools,” said Whitbeck.
Currently there are 50 FBISD schools that can’t meet the state law passed earlier this year mandating one armed officer on every campus because as Whitbeck puts it, “The state mandated it and they gave us a little bit of money but not near enough.”
However, there is one thing Bettencourt and Whitbeck do agree on and that is changing the way propositions are presented to parents.
In the language at the polls nowhere does it state the proposition has to do with giving teachers and school staffs raises or having better security in schools.
“Absolutely right, it should be written in a more simple manner so people know what they are getting for their tax increase,” said Bettencourt.
Whitbeck adds there is essentially no tax increase, because of the amount of money legislators saved homeowners in property taxes during this last legislative session. The difference is significant enough that Fort Bend residents can vote for these school measures and their property taxes will still be lower than last year.