After being defeated by LaTisha Anderson in his bid for re-election to the Austin Independent School District Board of Trustees, Trustee Ted Gordon delivered a statement about his thoughts on the future of the district. In recent months, Gordon has led a coalition of activists calling on the district to take major steps to reduce racial and economic segregation between schools by redrawing boundary lines. In contrast to fellow departing Trustee Julie Cowan, who delivered a statement lauding the district, Gordon called AISD a “fine school district” but said it was failing to live up to its duty to help low-income and minority students succeed. “Austin has a problem. Despite thinking of itself as liberal, it’s one of the worst communities in the country in terms of the upward mobility for poor children,” he said, highlighting the “particularly dire” outcomes for African-American children. Though leaving the board, Gordon promised that he would continue his advocacy for desegregation.
In final remarks, Gordon bemoans AISD segregation
