Midland trustees approve six out-of-state student trips; student asks support for national debate, parents request graduation-policy change

Midland Independent Board of Trustees members on May 27 approved requests for six out-of-state student trips and heard a public comment asking the board to change its graduation policy after the Texas Education Agency held test scores that affected some students' ability to walk at graduation.

Lauren Ramos, a rising senior at the Young Women's Leadership Academy, told trustees she earned one of three district spots to compete in Lincoln-Douglas debate at the National Speech and Debate Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa. "Speech and debate is an an extremely powerful educational tool," Ramos said, adding that the activity has taught her "how to communicate clearly, listen carefully, and advocate for the things that I believe in with logic and confidence." She said the trip would allow her to "be surrounded by some of the greatest minds in the country and the globe."

During public comment, Reagan Inoho spoke on behalf of parents from Coleman High School whose students did not get to walk the stage. Inoho criticized the timing of the Texas Education Agency's decision to hold test scores and asked trustees to amend board policy so course completers may participate in graduation when the state releases scores after commencement. "You let down the graduates from Coleman High School and allow Austin to ruin the opportunity to walk on the stage with their friends," Inoho said. She asked the board "to amend their policy to state that course completers be able to walk the stage if the state releases test scores after the date of graduation."

Assistant or staff member Miss Piles told the board the district sought approval to comply with new local policy FMG (local) and listed the six trips: LHS "Bridal" Speech and Debate to Des Moines, Iowa; "Taffy" to Orlando, Florida; Legacy High School FFA barbecue team to Kansas City; Veil robotics to Long Beach, California; Midland High Orchestra to New York; and the Young Women's Leadership Academy delegation to Des Moines. "We have 6 organizations traveling over the next few weeks that we are asking for approval for those trips to be approved," Miss Piles said.

A motion to approve the out-of-state travel was moved and seconded; the board voted unanimously to approve the request. The transcript records the board chair saying the vote was unanimous but does not list individual trustee votes.

The approval was a formal board action; the request from parents to change graduation policy was raised during public comment and received no formal motion or vote during this meeting. The transcript includes a reference to the district's compliance with updated board policy FMG (local) and a public comment that the state "does allow course completers to walk the stage," but it does not record any board direction to change the policy at this meeting.

Trustees closed the meeting after the approval. The transcript does not specify funding sources for the trips, exact trip dates, or the number of board members voting; those details were not provided in the recorded remarks.