Mizell-Flint Running for SAISD Board, Says ‘Conversation Is the Key’

SAN ANGELO, TX — Ami Mizell-Flint, who currently represents single-member District 4 on the San Angelo ISD Board of Trustees, is seeking re-election after more than 12 years of service.

She recently recalled when she was first appointed to the position.

“So about 12-and-a-half years ago, the only female member of the board was stepping down and was asking for another female to take her place,” Mizell-Flint said. “At the time, it was kind of a different way of doing things back then, but they appointed me to the board at the time, and then I ran for election.

“So then fast forward, you know, 12 years, I’m running for re-election. (My) toddler is now a freshman in high school. My other three have graduated and are either in college or graduated from college and doing great things in the world.”

Asked about the importance of diverse representation, she said, “I think it’s important to have perspectives of all kinds on the board. … A woman’s perspective gives the opportunity for … that other point of view that … a group of men might not have.”

Mizell-Flint also addressed calls for transparency from the public.

“If people don’t believe the board is transparent, then obviously there’s an issue,” she said. “I think, personally, I’m out in social media and out in the community a lot. … I would love to see us be out in the community at more events.”

She noted that she recently started hosting “coffee and conversations” on Saturdays at the Bearded Barista.

“Conversation is the key, and communication is the key,” she said. “If you don’t communicate, then you don’t know what you think about somebody or something.”

Discussing the upcoming school bond, Mizell-Flint said, “There are only so many ways that you can fund things for schools. … The mechanism that the state gives school districts to allow them to make bigger purchases is essentially a bond, which is essentially like another mortgage.”

“You can’t build a school without a bond,” she said, pointing to the proposed construction of a new Glenn Middle School and updates to Central and Lake View high schools. “In 2025, where there are so many different security issues and different things we need to do … it’s not a good model for us now, and so that needs to change.”

Mizell-Flint emphasized the importance of the bond in addressing unfunded or underfunded state safety mandates. “Without a bond, then we have to pull from other areas, and that always makes things difficult,” she said. “We want our kids to be safe.”

Mizell-Flint is running against Samantha Ann Schwartz for the District 4 seat on the San Angelo ISD Board of Trustees.

CANDIDATES WHO HAVE FILED FOR THE MAY 2025 ELECTION:

Single-member District 1:
Bill Dendle

Single-member District 2:
Geneva Rodriguez
Karla Cardenas

Single-member District 3:
A. Taylor Kingman

Single-member District 4:
Ami Mizell-Flint
Samantha Ann Schwartz