SCUCISD hosts business leaders for campus tour on bond vote day
SCUCISD hosted local business leaders at Clemens High School this week as part of a chamber of commerce program called Leadership CORE — and used the visit to build support for the district's $295 million bond referendum.
The four-hour session on Feb. 12, the same day the board voted to call the bond election, included a campus tour, a slide presentation on district finances, and a luncheon prepared and served by Clemens High School culinary arts students — on a school day, in a school building, using district staff and materials.
According to a district article published afterward, tour guides showed the group Clemens' CTE facilities — upgraded with 2016 bond funds — then highlighted "the inequity of CTE and Fine Arts facilities at Byron P. Steele High School, which will be addressed in the 2026 Bond referendum in May."
The framing was not subtle: here's what bond money built at Clemens, here's what Steele doesn't have, and here's the vote that would fix it.
The slides
Photos published in the district's own article show presentation slides used during the visit.
One slide, titled "Lunch Time Reflections," reads: "We are so thankful for past community support for bonds that allowed for these beautiful renovations and additions over time. This bond is about student learning, school to school parity and long range maintenance needs." It then asks: "What did you notice on our tour?"
A second slide, photographed while Superintendent Paige Meloni addressed the group, shows a "Committee Charge" directing attendees to "develop an understanding of SCUC finances, major factors that drive budget decisions, make recommendations that allow SCUC to sustain operational finances long-term."
The quotes
Attendees left with the message.
"Being a part of (Leadership CORE) and understanding how education works, we'll be able to explain it to others and garner support," said Brian Orr, a business banker at United Bank.
Abi Simon of Farmer's Insurance struck a similar tone: "As a parent and member of the community, I need to be better about being informed. My future doctor is probably in school right now. So it should be important to all of us."
Meloni called the program "fantastic" and said she hoped it was "part of that experience we've had holistically."
What Leadership CORE is
Leadership CORE is a program run by the Schertz Chamber of Commerce. It connects area business professionals with local institutions — city government, school districts, military installations — through guided visits and presentations. The program is designed to develop informed community advocates.
The district's participation in Leadership CORE is not unusual. School districts across Texas host similar groups regularly. What's notable is the timing, the content, and what was asked of students.
The resources
The Feb. 12 event used:
- District staff time — Superintendent Meloni and other administrators presented during school hours
- School facilities — the Clemens High School library and campus
- District-produced presentation materials — slides explicitly referencing "this bond"
- Student labor — culinary arts students prepared and served lunch for the attendees
The district published photos and quotes from the event on its official website.
The question
Texas Education Code §11.169 and Election Code §255.003 prohibit school districts from using public resources to advocate for or against a ballot measure. Districts may provide factual information about what a bond would fund. They may not campaign.
A presentation slide that says "this bond is about student learning, school to school parity and long range maintenance needs" is not a neutral statement of fact. It's a framing of what the bond means — the kind of message a campaign produces.
The Texas Attorney General sent enforcement letters to four school districts last October — including neighboring Judson ISD — for using taxpayer resources to advocate for their own tax elections. All four removed their materials and agreed to comply.
