Friday, June 27, 2014

Request for an Opinion of the Texas Attorney General regarding the Dallas ISD District Advisory Committee (DAC) appointments to the Home Rule School District Charter Commission

On Thursday, June 26, 2014, a request for assistance in obtaining an Opinion of the Texas Attorney General was sent to the state Commissioner of Education, Michael Williams.

The question asked:

"Whether Dallas ISD may appoint members to a Home Rule Charter 
Commission who were chosen by a District Advisory Committee that 
"included a "significant number of professional educator members who 
were not elected" and thus the District Advisory Committee (DAC)  "was 
indeed, unlawfully constituted?"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Subject: Request for Attorney General's Opinion regarding Home Rule School District Charter Commission
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2014 16:33:20 -0500
From: Carla Ranger

To: Michael Williams <commissioner@tea.state.tx.us>, David A. Anderson <tealegal@tea.state.tx.us>

Hon. Michael Williams
Commissioner of Education
State of Texas
1701 N. Congress Avenue
Austin, Texas 78701

Subject: Request for Attorney General's Opinion regarding Home Rule 
School District Charter Commission

Dear Commissioner Williams:

I was elected Dallas ISD Trustee in  2006. Currently, I am Second Vice 
President of the Board of Trustees.

This is to request  your assistance in obtaining an Opinion of the Texas 
Attorney General to determine the application of  the Texas Education 
Code - Section 11.251-Planning and Decision-Making Process (e) providing 
the following:

     "(e) The board shall adopt a procedure, consistent with Section 
21.407(a), for the professional staff in the district to nominate and 
elect the professional staff representatives who shall meet with the 
board or the board designee as required under this section."

On June 13, 2014, in the 193rd Judicial District Court, in Cause No. 
DC-14-06281, Alliance AFT, Plaintiff v. Dallas Independent School 
District, Defendant, the Court entered a Temporary Restraining Order 
stating:

     "It IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED that Dallas Independent School District, 
Defendant in this cause, be and hereby is, enjoined and commanded 
forwith to desist and refrain from appointing the teachers selected by 
the Defendant's district-level advisory committee on or about June 4, 
2014 (whose names were published on June 6, 2014) to the home-rule 
school district charter commission from the date of entry of this order 
until June 27, 2014, or until further order of this Court."

In its final order denying the request for a temporary injunction, the 
Court stated:

     "Based on the evidence presented, the Court finds & concludes that 
a significant number of the DAC's professional educator members were, 
contrary to statute, not elected, and thus the DAC was indeed, 
unlawfully constituted."

     The District Court also stated:

     "The Court agrees with Plaintiff that the harm involved is not 
merely the end product. The Home-Rule Charter process may potentially 
result in a wholesale restructuring of the School District and 
significant prejudice to the rights of Plaintiff's members. The failure 
to have adequate representation on the Commission, and theattendant 
lack of an advocate's voice,can itself be a harm. Plaintiff's potential 
harm can be summed up in the adage, "If you do not have a seat at the 
table, you are likely to be on the menu."

On last Thursday, June 19, 2014, Dallas ISD Trustees unanimously 
appointed 15 members to the Home-Rule Charter Commission, including 
members chosen by the same District Advisory Committee about which the 
Court stated:  "a significant number of the DAC's professional educator 
members were, contrary to statute, not elected, and thus the DAC was 
indeed, unlawfully constituted."

The Question:

"Whether Dallas ISD may appoint members to a Home Rule Charter 
Commission that were chosen by a District Advisory Committee that 
"included a "significant number of professional educator members who 
were not elected" and thus the District Advisory Committee (DAC)  "was 
indeed, unlawfully constituted?"

In light of the importance and time sensitivity of this matter, your 
assistance in requesting an expedited Attorney General Opinion would be 
greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your assistance.

Carla Ranger
Second Vice President &
District 6 Trustee
Dallas ISD

cc: David A. Anderson - General Counsel - TEA

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Congratulations to newly elected Dallas ISD District 6 Trustee Joyce Foreman

Congratulations to newly elected District 6 Trustee Joyce Foreman who will be officially sworn in during the monthly Board Meeting on next Thursday, June 26, 2014.

Joyce has been devoted to improving public education for many years.

Best wishes for many more years of successful service.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Judge Carl Ginsberg states Dallas ISD November ballot for home rule school district charter is "inconsistent with reality"

Based on the AFT court hearing on Wednesday, it appears that Judge Carl Ginsberg is likely to issue a temporary injunction against Dallas ISD on Thursday. 

Even if he doesn't, it is clear that civil court Judge Ginsberg has found clear violations of state law requiring members of the District Advisory Committee (DAC) to be elected. 

Judge Ginsberg also pointed out that the notion of rushing a November election is "inconsistent with reality."  Judge Ginsberg was kind.

In other words, a November vote makes no sense at all.

Dallas ISD Trustees are obligated to uphold the state laws and policies of the District.

Since state law was violated, Dallas ISD Trustees should require that the District Advisory Committee election be held in the Fall and make no other appointments until that required process is completed.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dallas judge calls November home-rule vote unrealistic-Click Here-June 18, 2014-Click Here

"Dallas civil court Judge Carl Ginsberg called the November target date for a district-wide election “inconsistent with reality” given all the deadlines and timetables that must be met.
 "While he has yet to issue a formal ruling, Ginsberg agreed after four hours of testimony Wednesday, saying the evidence “clearly shows that the District-wide Advisory Committee was not assembled according to the law."
"Ginsburg indicated that if he rules in favor of the teachers union, the DISD District-wide Advisory Committee could meet again at the beginning of the fall semester and select its four representatives to the home-rule constitution committee in accordance with state law.
 "The judge agreed, saying some members were there illegally.
"Any hopes to get the Dallas ISD home-rule charter initiative on the ballot for November may have been dashed Wednesday afternoon."
http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Dallas-Judge-calls-November-home-rule-vote-unrealistic-263730091.html
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dallas judge calls November home-rule vote unrealistic-June 18, 2014 at 7:41 PM

District judge agrees with big finding by Alliance-AFT in home-rule case against Dallas ISD; decision expected Thursday

Court Hearing Could Delay DISD’s Home Rule June 18, 2014 5:56 AM

Judge to rule Thursday in Alliance AFT home-rule case Posted: Jun 18, 2014 8:51 PM CST

Teachers Group Seeks Temporary Injunction Against Home Rule in DISD 

Esteemed attorney in past Dallas ISD desegregation case is co-counsel for teachers group in home-rule lawsuit