bisd

Justice department defies Beaumont voters’ intent

The U.S. Department of Justice has denied the Beaumont Independent School District voters who elected to change the trustee make-up of the school board from seven single member districts to five single member districts with two at large representative seats (a 5/2 plan) when called to the polls in May 2011. According to the decision letter penned by Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez, the reason for the DOJ decision is due to the retrogressive effect of instituting the change and in his opinion, racist motivations that potentially led to the change proposal in the first place.

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Worker ‘walk-out’ at Beaumont ISD campus

West Brook decay

Several employees working on the West Brook High School field house and auditorium have walked off the job, saying the Beaumont Independent School District has failed to pay them for work rendered. 

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Electrician allowed to keep BISD contract

Although U.S. Attorney Special Prosecutor Bob Rawls attempted to make Beaumont Independent School District contract electrician Calvin Walker forfeit employment with the school district, federal judge Ron Clark refused to make the stipulation part of Walker’s plea agreement with the court Dec. 12. 

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U.S. Attorney’s Office amends Walker plea agreement

Beaumont Independent School District (BISD) electrical contractor Calvin Walker must again report before a federal judge to answer allegations he bilked the school district and the federal government out of millions of dollars. He is scheduled to appear in Beaumont’s federal courthouse Dec. 12. Walker is expected to take a plea deal, but paperwork filed at the court earlier this week changes the scope of the deal.

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Mother worries for missing teen, 14, after school sends child away

UPDATE: Marchelle Washington, 14, is reported safe at home with her family as of Friday morning, Nov. 30.

Twenty-four hours is a long time when you don’t where your child is.

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Trustees prepare to fight BISD for information

Beaumont Independent School District trustees met with their attorneys behind closed doors six months ago to discuss how the group could be collectively unaware of a stipulation in new superintendent Dr. Timothy Chargois’ contract allowing a mandatory base salary percentage increase for the $215,000-a-year administrator. The increase, according to the contract signed May 1 by Chargois and BISD officials, is required to be greater than or equal to the same percentage raise given to teachers in the district.

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BISD super says he’d rather concentrate on students

Beaumont Independent School District Superintendent Timothy Chargois repeatedly called on the Board of Trustees to focus its attention on student success during the group’s most recent meeting held Nov. 8, but taxpayers are urging the elected leaders to investigate allegations of race-baiting and theft occurring on district grounds and facilitated by public funding.

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BISD board forgoes Walker funds

Beaumont Independent School District (BISD) trustees voted 4-2 to forego any right to roughly $2 million forfeited by district electrical contractor Calvin Walker, who admitted to falsifying invoices submitted to the school district for payment. The decision to not seek the funds came Oct. 18, a day after an attempt by BISD board president Woodrow Reece and Melody Chappell to claim attorney’s fees from the Walker money was denied by a federal court.

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BISD’s candidate coin-flip to bypass voters

The Texas Attorney General has been asked to decide whether Beaumont Independent School District (BISD) trustees can legally appoint a currently-seated minority member to an additional two-year term, bypassing a public vote. The appointment would be the result of a lottery between trustees Zenobia Bush and Terry Williams, whose terms are scheduled to end in 2015. The “loser” would fill a newly districted at-large trustee seat starting in 2013 and ending in 2017.

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BISD's opening motion for Walker money rejected

A U.S. federal court has rejected a motion from Beaumont Independent School District (BISD) attorney Melody Chappell seeking recovery of attorney fees, along with other fees, that the district incurred when asked to provide testimony and documentation in the case of the United States v. Calvin Walker of Walker’s Electric Company, the district’s electrical contractor of record.

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