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Ronald Cots urges Alief ISD not to adopt proposed prayer-period policy, calls for broader staff reductions
Summary
At the Feb. 17 Alief ISD board meeting, public commenter Ronald Cots opposed a proposed policy to establish a prayer period that would include reading religious text and urged the district to consider staff reductions across upper administration as well as schools.
Ronald Cots told the Alief ISD Board of Trustees during public comment on Feb. 17 that he opposes a proposed policy to create a formal prayer period that would include the reading of religious text. "Faith is a personal matter and best left up to the discretion of the individual student and their family," Cots said.
Cots — the first registered speaker for agenda item 11.6 — said he also reviewed board retreat materials and raised concerns about a staffing-reduction proposal. While acknowledging that districts statewide face declining enrollment and shrinking funding, he told trustees it would be "odd" to reduce schoolhouse staff without also considering reductions in upper administration and associated costs.
He urged the board to make decisions on reductions promptly so impacted employees could pursue other opportunities. "Please make decisions as soon as possible so that the impacted parties can take advantage of other school districts' recruiting efforts," Cots said.
The board did not deliberate or respond during the public-comment period; Alief ISD policy limits board response to matters not on the posted agenda. The meeting then proceeded to scheduled recognitions and presentations.
Agenda item 11.6 was the topic Cots identified for his comment; the transcript does not record a board action on that item during the public-comment portion of the meeting.
