Gordon loses AISD seat

Last night’s election saw a number of upsets, including that of Austin Independent School District’s District 1 rep, Ted Gordon. Parent and elder caregiver LaTisha Anderson beat Gordon with 61 percent of the vote. She will join Kristin Ashy, who was running to fill the open District 4 seat, as a new AISD trustee. The third open seat remains unclaimed. The at-large position vacated by former board President Kendall Pace is headed for a runoff between Carmen Tilton, who won 40 percent of the vote, and Arati Singh, who got 36 percent. Gordon, who has been outspoken about inequalities at AISD during his tenure serving the East Austin district, released a statement following his defeat. It read, in part, “I am proud of the fact that I was able to create a district-wide and community-wide discussion about equity in AISD. Particularly as it relates to the wide academic achievement gaps of low socio-economic status black and brown students. This discussion has gone on for far too long and immediate action is required because all students deserve access to high-quality and equitable education opportunities.” Anderson’s campaign also highlighted the need to address disparities across the district.