Here’s a story published by KRBC:
“You’ll probably be seeing billboards and signs promoting Abilene Independent School District (AISD) in the coming weeks.
“The district just announced at the school board meeting that a $100,000 marketing plan is already in motion.
“Chief Communications Officer Lance Fleming says this has been a dream of his since he got the position, and it’s all in hopes to boost enrollment, both with those who are already living in city limits as well as those who are moving to the area.
“We’re fighting for kids and we’re fighting for families to stay in Abilene, to stay in AISD, and we want them to be here, we want them to experience one of the new schools. We want them to experience what we have to offer,” Fleming says.
“This is the first time the district has made a big marketing push like this, with the $100,000 being budgeted out at the beginning of the school year.”
Low-hanging political fruit?
Yes, and worthy of condemnation.
To a large extent, Abilene ISD is the government monopoly for free schooling within its boundaries and the idea that $100,000 of the taxpayers’ money needs to be spent to “market” the district is ridiculous – dream of a communications officer or not.
The most important point about this is this: If Abilene ISD provided the educational results and the classroom discipline and safety parents capable of mobility desire for their children, everyone locally would already know it. That they have to counter their reputation with “marketing” is really an admission they are not doing as good of a job as other nearby school districts.
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