SAISD Turns Stewart Into A Charter, Rickhoff Roars

This week in Just This, Rick and I discuss the San Antonio Independent School District board's controversial vote to turn over operations of a chronically failing Southeast side school, Stewart Elementary, to Democracy Prep, a New York-based charter school operator. SAISD trustees said the charter company's record at rehabilitating beleaguered, low-performing schools provided the last, best hope before they shut Stewart's doors for good. But not everyone was happy with the move, especially teachers – who have to reapply for their positions if they want to stay at Stewart – and their union, the San Antonio Alliance for Teachers and Support Personnel. We look at the history of this troubled school, the teachers' association's complaints about the board's process to address Stewart's problems, and what Democracy Prep faces as it begins its arduous work next fall. We also examine an "emergency press conference" called by Bexar County Probate Judge Tom Rickhoff, a Republican running on to unseat Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, and offer a couple other must-reads by our journalists.