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Hundreds of callers and in-person speakers urge Austin ISD trustees to keep librarians, oppose surplus sales and reconsider Blackshear closure
Summary
At an April 9 information session, dozens of in-person speakers and more than 50 recorded commenters urged Austin ISD trustees not to cut campus librarians for 2026–27, opposed declaring neighborhood schools (notably Becker) surplus property and asked the board to reconsider the planned Blackshear closure amid budget concerns and community history.
Hundreds of public commenters filled the record at an Austin Independent School District information session on April 9, urging trustees to preserve full‑time campus librarians and to avoid selling or designating neighborhood schools as surplus property.
Speakers representing neighborhoods and parent groups — including multiple recorded callers and in‑person remarks — told the board that librarians support early literacy, student safety and school culture and that removing those positions would hurt students, especially in Title I and low‑income campuses. "Librarians are the heartbeat and soul of our school," one parent said during public comment, and a sixth‑grader, Mary Margaret Mason, told trustees the library had been a place of belonging and learning.
Commenters also faulted recent consolidation decisions and criticized a plan that would close or repurpose several campuses. Numerous callers from the Golden Creek neighborhood pressed trustees not to designate Becker Elementary (sometimes referenced as Decker/Becker in remarks) as surplus property, citing donated land and neighborhood green space. Parents and alumni urged the board to reconsider closing Blackshear — described by multiple speakers as a high‑performing, historically significant East Austin school — and to fully align any closure or consolidation plans with broader district boundary and modernization discussions.
Board President Boswell and administration representatives answered questions about the surplus process and community engagement. Administration staff said that declaring a property "surplus" begins an administrative process to explore options (repurchase, lease, monetization or repurposing), but any transaction would require board approval and follow board policy. Trustees requested clearer, consistent communications on what community engagement occurred and asked for updates on specific facilities, including the Yellow Jacket Stadium.
The board did not take formal action on the public comments during the session; presenters noted the Texas Open Meetings Act limits action on non‑agenda items during information sessions and encouraged commenters to submit written materials for future agendas.
