Takis were in ample supply at the PSJA school district earlier this month.
The Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD Board voted Monday to ratify the donation of a shipment of the popular Mexican chips from international trucking company Trancasa worth $53,000 which were distributed earlier this month, although two trustees opposed doing so.
According to board president Dr. Cynthia Gutierrez, Trancasa representatives told her about the truckload of Takis — 20 pallets worth, or 13,260 bags — earlier this month. Shipping delays meant the chips could no longer be delivered before their expiration date and the company offered to donate them, she said.
“So it would have expired there at their warehouse,” Gutierrez said.
The snacks (a sort of wavy potato chip flavor rather than the brand’s chili-lime “Fuego” flavored rolled corn tortilla chips) were primarily given out to middle and high school students as an incentive, Gutierrez said.
She said she’d be open to more donations in foodstuffs, saying they could help children in need.
“So that’s the reality of our area,” she said. “A lot of our kids do not have the luxury of being able to afford snacks. Period. That’s just not the reality. So I see it as a positive.”
Trustees Jorge and Jesse Zambrano — the board’s minority faction since November — both saw the matter differently. They opposed ratifying the donation Monday, seeming concerned over it coming in the form of foodstuffs and about the chips being distributed before the board OKed it.
Is there any regulations as far as us receiving any type of food or goods?
“Trancasa representatives reached out to me and they had this 18-wheeler full of Takis, so I checked with Dr. Elias, he checked with our legal department,” Board President Dr. Cynthia Gutierrez said. “They said it was OK. The reason we accepted the donation first is to avoid any future expiration.”
Gutierrez told The Monitor that the donation offer was made prior to the board’s Feb. 6 meeting, but too late to put it on that agenda. The chips were disbursed shortly afterward, she said, before any expired.
Two pallets of chips — about 1,500 bags worth — did have a relatively close expiration date of Feb. 8, although Gutierrez said they were given out before then.
“Is there any regulations as far as us receiving any type of food or goods?” Jorge Zambrano asked at Monday’s meeting.
Legal counsel said donations of foodstuffs is allowed at the discretion of district leadership.
Food donations do pop up on other Hidalgo County school district board agendas fairly commonly, although an entire truckload of Takis is decidedly less common.
