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East Austin alumni and community members press AISD for renaming committee, survey release and guardrails for facilities plan
Summary
Alumni and community members called on the Austin ISD board to form a renaming committee for Johnson High School, release family survey results from past school closures, and establish equity-focused guardrails before revising the long-term facilities plan.
During public comment at the Austin Independent School District information session on May 13, 2021, several alumni and East Austin community members asked the board to preserve the Johnson High School name, join a campus renaming committee and increase community participation in the district’s long-term facilities plan process.
"Is there a renaming committee made up of the Esalcon community to rename Johnson? If so, who do we contact to join this process?" asked Rosie So to, identifying herself as Johnson High School class of 1969 and describing the school as "the bridal of East Austin." Larry Amaro, Johnson class of 1970 and a member of the district's 2018 school renaming task force, said alumni want to be part of any committee and asked for a clear process: "If there is a committee to be formed, we would like to know the process on how to be part of this group."
Other speakers asked the district to release prior survey results and to include stronger equity guardrails before signing large contracts to revise the facilities master plan. "Will Superintendent Elizalde please repeat here tonight for the record ... that no schools will be shuttered as a result of any new bond planning..." asked Gloria Verra Bedolla in reference to agenda item 10.1, and she requested the administration publicly release the surveys families completed after prior school closures. April Clark, speaking as a member of Save Austin Schools, urged that "these guardrails must be in place before a contract of this magnitude is entered" and criticized the earlier process used to develop education specifications, saying communities had been left out.
All these remarks were made during the public comment portion of the meeting; the transcript excerpt contains questions and requests but does not record responses from district leadership or any formal board actions. Commenters asked the board to (1) clarify whether a renaming committee will be formed and how to join it, (2) publish the results of family surveys completed after previous school closures, and (3) require equity-focused community participation and updated education specifications before the facilities master plan is revised.
Background: Speakers referenced the district’s 2017 bond and a 2018 renaming task force in describing the history of school changes. They framed their requests as tools to increase transparency and community trust in decisions affecting East Austin schools.
