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Teachers, students and zoo board members urge Brownsville ISD to support sale of Cummings property for Gladys Porter Zoo expansion
Summary
More than a dozen speakers told trustees that Gladys Porter Zoo requires land to maintain accreditation and called for a sale or transfer of Cummings, stressing community, education and tourism benefits.
During the Aug. 21 public comment period, teachers, alumni, zoo board members and students appealed to the Brownsville ISD Board to support a transfer of the Cummings property to Gladys Porter Zoo, citing accreditation risks and the zoo’s educational role.
"Gladys Porter Zoo is a staple to our community, with 450,000 visitors a year," said Linda Macias, who urged trustees to consider the zoo’s accreditation challenges and reported that the city had offered $16 million for the property. Reba Cardenas McNair, who said she sits on the zoo board, called the zoo a "several‑acre school room" used annually by local students and said a sale would not force immediate relocation of CTE programs.
Several speakers framed the issue as an intergenerational concern. Michael Grow, a junior at Veterans Memorial High School, told trustees, "Are we really going to prioritize the convenience of not selling this land over the protection of our zoo at the expense of our future generations?" Former students and alumni recalled Cummings' long history and urged trustees to preserve the zoo for future children.
Speakers asked the Board to balance the zoo’s immediate need for acreage with protections for district programs and students; the Board later authorized negotiations. The public comments framed the potential transfer as both a conservation and community‑economic priority, emphasizing field trips, education programs and tourism.
