Email, Gina Hinojosa, president, Austin school board, May 13 and May 26, 2015

6:30 p.m.

May 13, 2015

Gardner, my statement came from information that I received from the District which I verified today.  Reyne Telles who is the District's Director of Communications is prepared to work with you to get you what you need in support of my statement.

4:15 p.m.

May 26, 2015

We have a real problem in this district paying our employees enough.  It's probably our single biggest challenge.

I believe the information that the District has provided you bears that out.  While it becomes less clear cut in comparison to some other central Texas districts when you factor in social security benefits, (I think it still doesn't change the equation when compared against urbans), it is painfully clear when you look at the "pay scale" and where the vast majority of our teachers fall on that scale.  This disparity is unacceptable to me, the District, and many in our community because we all know, first hand, how quickly and drastically the cost of living has gone up in Austin.

I know that the District has worked very hard to get you the information you have needed.  If there was some confusion between last week and this, it's only because we were maybe too eager to get information to you when you needed it.

In all, we have each tried our best to work with you and represent our district in good faith.  While your judgment is supposed to be just about whether I told the truth, the entire district and our community has much at stake here.