‘It’s a load of crap’: Financial Documents Reveal SAISD Superintendent’s Substantial Spending on Trips
San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) Superintendent, Jaime Aquino, has reportedly spent over $21,000 on 22 business trips since the fall of 2022. This revelation has triggered a wave of criticisms and questions about resource allocation within the district, especially amid recent school closures implemented as part of a “rightsizing” plan.
Examining Superintendent Aquino’s Travel Records
Detailed examination of travel worksheets, Uber receipts, airline invoices, and emails reveals that Aquino visited many districts across the country to research their approaches towards school closures. These trips form part of the 62.5 days he spent out of town attending conferences and trips related to district business, costing the district $22,447.89. The expenses reported far exceed those of superintendents from nearby districts, such as Northside and Judson ISD, where the respective superintendents spent around $7,000 and just over $476 during the same period.
Local Reactions to the Findings
These findings have not been well received by the taxpayers who fund these trips. Melissa Vasquez, a local resident, expressed indignation on the issue, saying, “It’s a load of crap. It’s just not right.” Meanwhile, Neil Gabrielson, whose daughters had to change schools due to SAISD’s rightsizing initiative, questioned, “How critical is it really for him to go to all of these conferences?”
Aquino’s extensive travel expense also caught the attention of James Quintero, a policy director for the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Quintero remarked, “As the old saying goes, a fish rots from the head down. When it comes to public school spending, it’s clear that top administrators lead the way in abuse of taxpayer practices.”
Aquino’s Defense and Recap of His Travel
Superintendent Aquino has defended his travel schedule, explaining that a major part of it was related to his participation in the Holdworth Center Superintendent Program. This program provides support, mentorship, and assistance to meet certification requirements for new superintendents. Despite this defense, only three of the trips correlated with the Austin-based program according to records.
In addition to this, Aquino attended an education summit in Puerto Rico, a retreat for Latino administrators in Chicago, and also visited New York City and San Diego for different conferences. The superintendent asserts that these engagements contributed to his knowledge of rightsizing, leadership, supporting multilingual learners, and potentially reducing the number of out-of-school suspensions.
Despite his defense, many local taxpayers, including families affected by the rightsizing scheme, continue to voice concerns regarding Aquino’s accountability and demand for a more tangible demonstration of the benefits derived from his conference attendances and trips.
