tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-334926422024-02-28T00:35:29.511-06:00Carla Ranger - Dallas ISD Education BlogWelcome to the Education Blog of Carla Ranger - Former District 6 Trustee - Dallas Independent School District - DISDCarla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comBlogger716125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-43453666984124401842015-01-20T23:30:00.000-06:002015-01-24T23:26:08.734-06:00Dallas ISD Home-Rule School District Charter Commission votes 10-5 not to develop or adopt a proposed Charter<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The <b>Dallas ISD Home-Rule School District Charter Commission</b> was appointed by the <b>Dallas ISD Board of Trustees</b> on June 19, 2014<b><span style="color: blue;"> </span><span style="color: #990000;">"<u>to consider the need for and to develop a new charter to be considered by the residents of the District and to complete its work within one year as provided by law</u>."</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Resolution of the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees stated that <b><u><span style="color: blue;">"the Commission has the sole discretion and authority to determine that no Home-Rule School District Charter need be adopted."</span></u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This evening the <b>Dallas ISD Home-Rule School District Charter Commission</b> voted <b>10-5</b> <u><span style="color: #990000;"><b>not to develop or adopt</b></span></u> a proposed Home-Rule School District Charter for the Dallas Independent School District.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<b style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><u>Voting "Yes" in favor of the Resolution not to adopt a Home-Rule School District Charter:</u></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Member-At-Large -</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b> </b></span>Bob Weiss - Commission Chair</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Member-At-Large -</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b> </b></span>Stephanie Elizalde</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">District 1 - </span></span>Kevin Malonson</span> </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">District 3 - </span>Jeff Veasey </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">District 6 - </span></span>D. Marcus Ranger</span> </b></span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">District 7 - </span>Jerome Garza</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">District 9 - </span>Shirley Ison-Newsome</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Districtwide Advisory Committee (DAC) - </span>Issac Freeman</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Districtwide Advisory Committee (DAC) - </span>Ron Oliver</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Districtwide Advisory Committee (DAC) - </span>Bonita Reese</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Voting "No" against the Resolution not to adopt a Home-Rule School District Charter:</u></b></span><br />
<div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">District 2 - </span></span>Edwin Flores.</span> </span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">District 4 - </span>Ricardo Mendez</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">District 5 - </span>Lew Blackburn, Jr.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">District 8 - </span>Danae Gutierrez</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Districtwide Advisory Committee (DAC) - </span>Julie Sandel</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Dallas ISD</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Home-Rule School District Charter Commission Resolution</b></span></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>WHEREAS, the Texas Education Code, Section 12. 011 authorizes a school district to adopt a home-rule school district charter under which the district will operate; and</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>WHEREAS, the Texas Education Code. Section 12.011 states, "The board of trustees shall appoint a charter commission to frame a home-rule school district charter if: (1) the board receives a petition requesting the appointment of a charter commission to frame a home-rule school district charter signed by at least five percent of the registered voters of the district;" and</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>WHEREAS, on June 19, 2014, the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees nominated and appointed 15 residents of the district to serve on the Dallas ISD Home-Rule School District Charter Commission in accordance with the Texas Education Code, Section 12.015; and </b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>WHEREAS, the Dallas ISD Home-Rule School District Charter Commission has conducted public hearings throughout the geographic area of the Dallas ISD, including at least one hearing in each Trustee district; and </b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>WHEREAS, the Dallas ISD Home-Rule School District Charter Commission has received presentations and information from five (5) of the nine (9) elected Trustees and provided an opportunity for all Trustees to provide information to the Commission; and</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>WHEREAS, the Dallas ISD Home-Rule School District Charter Commission received a presentation from Superintendent of Schools, Mike Miles; and</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>WHEREAS, the Dallas ISD Home-Rule School District Charter Commission has received presentations from community groups and organizations, including Support Our Public Schools (SOPS), Our Community Our Schools, Dallas Friends of Public Education, Stop The Takeover, Dallas NAACP, League of Women Voters, Dallas Achieves, Dallas School Administrators Association (DSAA), Alliance AFT, NEA-Dallas, Association of Hispanic School Administrations (AHSA), Dallas Regional National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE), CASE; and</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>WHEREAS, the Dallas ISD Home-Rule School District Charter Commission has the sole discretion and authority to determine that no Home-Rule School District Charter need be adopted; </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That the Dallas ISD Home-Rule School District Charter Commission determines not to develop or adopt a proposed Home-Rule School District Charter.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Adopted on this 20th day of January, 2015.</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>DALLAS ISD</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>HOME-RULE SCHOOL DISTRICT CHARTER COMMISSION</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>By________________________________</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b> Bob Weiss </b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b> Commission Chair</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>ATTEST</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>By________________________________</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b> Shirley Ison-Newsome</b></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b> Commission Secretary</b></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-14206935748526724592014-10-16T12:00:00.000-05:002014-10-19T05:01:39.255-05:00Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles use of school police to remove an elected Trustee from a public middle school violates the Texas Education Code<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Texas Education Code</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Section 11.151(c)</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"<u>All rights and titles to the school property of the district</u>, whether real or personal, <u>shall be vested in the trustees</u> and their successors in office..."</span></b></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Under the Texas Education Code, elected Trustees are the owners of all school property, not Superintendent Mike Miles. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Superintendent is an employee of the Board of Trustees and has no superior right to remove any Trustee from any public school property.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It does not matter what the Superintendent was doing in the facility. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">An elected Trustee has a right to access all school property and cannot be removed from the school property by Superintendent Miles, the school police or any school employee if the facility is being used for any school meeting or activity.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The police removal of a Trustee violates the property ownership rights of Trustees clearly stated in the <b><span style="color: blue;">Texas Education Code (Section 11.151(c)</span></b> and <b><span style="color: blue;">Board Policy BAA (LEGAL)</span></b>. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is a very serious abuse of the Superintendent's authority as an employee of the democratically elected Board of Trustees and provides <b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> "good cause"</span></b> for termination.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.dallasisd.org/cms/lib/TX01001475/Centricity/Domain/1/MMiles_Contract.pdf" target="_blank">Dallas Independent School District</a></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.dallasisd.org/cms/lib/TX01001475/Centricity/Domain/1/MMiles_Contract.pdf" target="_blank">Superintendent's Employment Contract</a></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">V. Termination of Employment Contract:</span></b> The Board may dismiss the Superintendent for <b><span style="color: blue;">good cause</span></b> as that term is applied to term contract employees under Texas Law...Examples of <b><span style="color: blue;">"good cause"</span></b> <b><span style="color: blue;">include, but are not limited to</span></b>: c. Insubordination... t. failure to take steps to maintain an effective working relationship, or maintain good rapport with parents, the community, staff, or the Board.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">W. Any other reason constituting <b><span style="color: blue;">"good cause"</span></b> under Texas law as it applies to term contract employees, <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>as determined by the Board</u>.</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><br /></b></span></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Dallas ISD</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Board Policy</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>BAA(LEGAL)</b></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #e06666;">"District Property</span> </b>- The Board may acquire and hold real and personal property in the name of the district. <b><span style="color: blue;"><u>All rights and titles to the school property of the District</u></span></b>, whether real or personal, <span style="color: blue; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">shall be vested in the trustees</span> <b><span style="color: blue;">and their successors in office. </span></b>education Code 11.151(a),(c) [See CHG]"</span></blockquote>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
V. Termination of Employment Contract: The Board may dismiss the Superintendent for good cause as that term is applied to term contract employees under Texas Law...Examples of "good cause" include, but are not limited to: c. Insubordination... t. failure to take steps to maintain and effective working relationship, or maintain good rapport with parents, the community, staff, or the Board</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
http://www.dallasisd.org/cms/lib/TX01001475/Centricity/Domain/1/MMiles_Contract.pdf</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
V. Termination of Employment Contract: The Board may dismiss the Superintendent for good cause as that term is applied to term contract employees under Texas Law...Examples of "good cause" include, but are not limited to: c. Insubordination... t. failure to take steps to maintain and effective working relationship, or maintain good rapport with parents, the community, staff, or the Board</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;">
http://www.dallasisd.org/cms/lib/TX01001475/Centricity/Domain/1/MMiles_Contract.pdf</div>
</div>
Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-16062272393566809842014-10-16T11:02:00.001-05:002015-01-22T14:54:01.607-06:00Los Angeles Broad Superintendents Academy trained Superintentendent John Deasy expected to resign<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Los Angeles Unified School District John Deasy, a 2006 graduate of the consistently destructive Broad Superintendents Academy, is expected to resign.</span></h3>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Behind the public spin on the reason for his departure is a very simple political explanation. <span style="color: blue;">He no longer controls a majority of the Board of Trustees.</span></span></h3>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Apparently, school board elections prevailed to end the Broad Superintendents Academy based tenure of Los Angeles Superintendent John Deasy.</span></h3>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Broad trained superintendents generally are cut from the same ideology.</span></h3>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">They are authoritarians who believe that urban city Mayors should have dictatorial authority over public school districts. They work to undermine the oversight of public school boards.</span></h3>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The result is usually the same - pain and disruption of public education. They are eventually forced out, and the wealthy foundation financed reform network assists them to find another position.</span></h3>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Eventually that is likely to happen in Dallas ISD. </span></h3>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><u><i><b>"More broadly, critics have faulted Deasy for what they
call an autocratic, punitive leadership style that they say has
demoralized teachers and other employees."</b></i></u></span></h3>
</blockquote>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is an exact description of 2011 Broad Superintendents Academy graduate Mike Miles' <i><u><span style="color: blue;">"autocratic, punitive leadership style."</span></u></i></span></h3>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">The Broad corporate reform virus is infecting Dallas ISD. </span></span></span></h3>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The final result could likely be the same.</span></h3>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- </span></span></span></h3>
<a href="http://cloakinginequity.com/2013/10/04/the-broad-foundation-and-broadies-kings-of-distruptive-and-unreasonable-trickle-down-reform" target="_blank"><span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>October 4, 2013 - The Broad Foundation and Broadies: Kings of "Disruptive" and Unreasonable" Trickle-Down Reform</b></span> -<b> Click Here</b></span></a><br />
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: black;">-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></span></span></h3>
<b>Printed in its entirety from Los Angeles Times</b><br />
<b>http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-1016-deasy-resigns-20141016-story.html</b> <br />
<div class="trb_article_articleHeader_head">
<div class="trb_article_title">
<h1 class="trb_article_title_text" itemprop="headline">
<span style="color: blue;">LAUSD Supt. John Deasy expected to resign</span></h1>
</div>
<div class="trb_article_leadart">
<aside class="trb_embed " data-content-id="81692899" data-content-size="leadart" data-content-subtype="photo" data-content-type="image" data-role="socialshare_item imgsize_ratiosizecontainer " data-state=" "><div class="trb_embed_media ">
<br />
<figure class="trb_embed_imageContainer_figure" data-role="imgsize_item"><img alt="John Deasy" class="trb_embed_imageContainer_img" data-baseurl="http://www.trbimg.com/img-543f436d/turbine/lat-deasyhp-la0020338202-20140826" data-content-naturalheight="1365" data-content-naturalwidth="2048" data-height="450" src="http://www.trbimg.com/img-543f436d/turbine/lat-deasyhp-la0020338202-20140826/750/750x422" data-ratio="16x9" data-width="750" height="225" itemprop="image" title="John Deasy" width="400" /></figure><br />
<div class="trb_embed_related" data-role="lightbox_metadata">
<div class="trb_embed_related_credit_and_caption">
LAUSD Supt. John Deasy at a board meeting in August. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)</div>
</div>
</div>
</aside></div>
<div class="trb_bylines">
<span class="trb_bylines_name_primary"> <span class="trb_bylines_name_author" itemprop="author"><span class="trb_bylines_name_author_by">By </span><a class="trb_bylines_name_author_a" href="http://www.latimes.com/la-bio-howard-blume-staff.html">Howard Blume</a></span> </span> <a class="trb_bylines_contactLink" data-role="emailwriter_socialemail" href="mailto:howard.blume@latimes.com?subject=Regarding%20LAUSD%20Supt.%20John%20Deasy%20expected%20to%20resign">contact the reporter</a></div>
</div>
<div class="trb_article_relatedTopics">
<div class="trb_article_relatedTopics_list">
<a class="trb_article_relatedTopics_a" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/education/john-deasy-PEBSL001704-topic.html" title="John Deasy">John Deasy</a><a class="trb_article_relatedTopics_a" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/education/schools/los-angeles-unified-school-district-ORGOV000940-topic.html" title="Los Angeles Unified School District">Los Angeles Unified School District</a><a class="trb_article_relatedTopics_a" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/services-shopping/apple-ipad-PRDCES000000029-topic.html" title="Apple iPad">Apple iPad</a></div>
</div>
<div class="trb_sharelines">
<div class="trb_sharelines_list" data-role="socialshare_item">
</div>
<div class="trb_sharelines_list" data-role="socialshare_item">
<span class="trb_sharelines_text" data-role="socialshare_sharetext">L.A. Unified Supt. John Deasy has reached a settlement with the school board to step down, sources say</span> </div>
<div class="trb_sharelines_list" data-role="socialshare_item">
</div>
<div class="trb_sharelines_list" data-role="socialshare_item">
<span style="color: blue;"><b>Beleaguered
L.A. schools Supt. John Deasy is expected to step down </b></span>after reaching a
settlement with the school board, several sources familiar with the
negotiations said late Wednesday.</div>
</div>
<br />
The L.A. Unified school board
could name an interim superintendent as early as 10 a.m. Thursday,
according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because it
involved a personnel matter and confidential negotiations.<br />
<br />
One source said the board was likely to select former Supt. Ramon Cortines to run the district on an interim basis.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<aside class="trb_embed " data-content-id="81670341" data-content-size="small" data-content-subtype="story" data-content-type="story" data-role="socialshare_item imgsize_ratiosizecontainer " data-state=" "><div class="trb_embed_media ">
<div class="trb_embed_related" data-role="lightbox_metadata">
<a class="trb_embed_media_link" href="http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-lausd-report-20141014-story.html"> </a></div>
</div>
</aside>As
part of the departure agreement, <b><span style="color: blue;">Deasy is expected to receive about 60
days' pay, or roughly $60,000, the sources said. His contract, which was
to run through June 2016, requires a severance payment of only 30 days.</span></b><br />
<br />
During
his 31/2 years at the helm, Deasy, 53, oversaw a continued rise in
student performance during a period of financial cuts. But he could not
overcome election day setbacks, poor relations with teachers and two
back-to-back technology debacles.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<aside class="trb_panelmod_container" data-load-type="noop" data-panelmod-type="relatedContent" data-role="panelmod_container imgsize_ratiosizecontainer"><div class="trb_panelmod_body">
<a class="trb_panelmod_title" data-role="panelmod_opener" href="http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-1016-deasy-resigns-20141016-story.html#"><span class="trb_iconfont trb_panelmod_title_ico"></span><br /></a></div>
</aside> His
supporters credited him for gains in test scores, graduation rates and
improved results for students learning English. They also applauded his
push for more rigorous evaluations of teachers and principals, for
reducing the number of student suspensions and for providing breakfast
to students in the classroom.<br />
<br />
But Deasy has faced strong criticism
over the troubled rollout of a $1.3-billion effort to provide iPads to
every student, teacher and campus administrator. Amid growing questions
about how the iPad program was run, Deasy announced in August that he
was suspending new purchases under the iPad contract.<br />
<br />
Another technology project, a new student records system, malfunctioned this fall.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<aside class="trb_embed " data-content-id="81607368" data-content-size="small" data-content-subtype="story" data-content-type="story" data-load-method="innerHtml" data-load-type="comment" data-role="socialshare_item imgsize_ratiosizecontainer"> <div class="trb_embed_media ">
<a class="trb_embed_media_link" data-content-media-present="true" href="http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-lausd-deasy-20141007-story.html"></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<figure class="trb_embed_imageContainer_figure" data-role="imgsize_item"><a class="trb_embed_media_link" data-content-media-present="true" href="http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-lausd-deasy-20141007-story.html"><img alt="Related: L.A. school board, Deasy again at odds over involvement in lawsuit" class="trb_embed_imageContainer_img" data-baseurl="http://www.trbimg.com/img-54341410/turbine/la-me-lausd-deasy-20141007" data-content-naturalheight="1605" data-content-naturalwidth="2048" data-height="150" src="http://www.trbimg.com/img-54341410/turbine/la-me-lausd-deasy-20141007/300/300x169" data-ratio="16x9" data-width="300" itemprop="image" title="Related: L.A. school board, Deasy again at odds over involvement in lawsuit" /></a></figure><br />
<div class="trb_embed_related" data-role="lightbox_metadata">
<a class="trb_embed_media_link" href="http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-lausd-deasy-20141007-story.html"><span class="trb_embed_related_title">Related: L.A. school board, Deasy again at odds over involvement in lawsuit</span> </a><br />
<div class="trb_embed_related_credit">
<a class="trb_embed_media_link" href="http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-lausd-deasy-20141007-story.html">Howard Blume</a></div>
<a class="trb_embed_media_link" href="http://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-lausd-deasy-20141007-story.html">
</a></div>
</div>
</aside><br />
The
problems prevented hundreds of students at Jefferson High School from
getting the classes they needed and created problems across the school
system.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><u><i><b>More broadly, critics have faulted Deasy for what they
call an autocratic, punitive leadership style that they say has
demoralized teachers and other employees.</b></i></u></span><br />
<br />
Still, Deasy has enjoyed
strong support from key civic and business leaders, who have urged the
Board of Education in recent weeks to retain him.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<aside class="trb_panelmod_container" data-panelmod-type="comments" data-role="panelmod_container">
<div class="trb_panelmod_body">
<a class="trb_panelmod_title" data-role="panelmod_opener" href="http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-1016-deasy-resigns-20141016-story.html#"><span class="trb_iconfont trb_panelmod_title_ico">c</span>Comments</a>
<br />
<div class="trb_panelmod_body_content">
<ul class="trb_commentList">
<li class="trb_commentItem">
<div class="trb_commentItem_body">
@Vomero They'll
cut him a nice backroom deal by the time the lawyers get through , but
the press release will only state a fraction of that , as not to make
the situation or themselves look any worse than they already do ...</div>
<div class="trb_commentItem_name">
cosmo_topper</div>
<div class="trb_commentItem_date">
at 5:57 AM October 16, 2014</div>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<span class="trb_panelmod_body_more"></span></div>
</aside><b><span style="color: blue;">But the superintendent has not fared as well with the
board, which has a majority of members who won their seats despite
efforts by Deasy's allies to defeat them. Board members also complain
that Deasy pays little heed to their input.</span></b><br />
<br />
His contract, which
pays $350,000 a year, was revised last year and dropped previous goals
related to student achievement because test scores are not yet available
from new state exams.<br />
<br />
He was also expected to increase revenue
and enrollment. District revenues have gone up sharply, but that was the
result of an improved statewide funding program. Enrollment has trended
downward in recent years.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b>Deasy had expressed reservations in
recent weeks about his ability to remain effective in the job.</b></span> But as of
this week, he had not said publicly that he planned to quit, and even
this week, it was not clear that a majority on the school board would be
willing to move against him.<br />
<br />
Deasy cut short a trip to South
Korea to make the final arrangements for his departure, according to
district sources. He did not return calls for comment Wednesday night.<br />
<br />
The
board voted to offer Deasy the settlement at its Tuesday meeting but
didn't report the action because there was no agreement with him at that
time, the sources said.<br />
<br />
The board vote in favor of the settlement is expected to be released Thursday.<br />
<br />
At
a closed meeting Tuesday, the board also apparently selected an interim
superintendent, but that decision did not take effect until Deasy
agreed to step down.<br />
<br />
The board also did not report that action Tuesday.<br />
<br />
If
Cortines takes the interim job, it would be his third stint as district
leader. He retired as superintendent from L.A. Unified in April 2011.<br />
<br />
He
has a long career as a respected educator, but his exit was marred by a
sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a current district employee. A
proposed settlement of that litigation later fell apart.<br />
Cortines, 82, lives in the Pasadena area.<br />
<br />
<a href="mailto:howard.blume@latimes.com">howard.blume@latimes.com</a><br />
Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/howardblume">@howardblume</a><br />
<br />
<span class="trb_mainContent_copyright">Copyright © 2014, <a href="http://www.latimes.com/">Los Angeles Times</a></span>Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-47405032155717616432014-09-15T23:30:00.000-05:002014-09-17T15:39:45.399-05:00Home-Rule School District Charter Commission community meeting at Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy on Saturday, September 20, 2014 at 1:00 P.M.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><b>Announcement!</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Everyone Invited to</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: blue;">The Home-Rule School District Charter Commission</span> </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>District 6 Community Meeting</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>to seek input from the public</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;"><b>1 P.M. - 3 P.M.</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Saturday, September 20, 2014 </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> <span style="color: blue; font-size: x-large;">Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Collegiate Academy</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="font-size: xx-large;">Auditorium</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> <span style="color: #cc0000;">1700 East Camp Wisdom Road</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b> Dallas, Texas 75241</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Close to the main campus of the </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>University of North Texas at Dallas</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Email: homerulecharter@dallasisd.com</span></b></div>
Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-26858071181310372632014-07-02T08:34:00.004-05:002014-07-02T09:27:57.199-05:00Dallas ISD Home-Rule School District Charter Commission first meeting Agenda and documents - Monday, July 7, 2014 - 5:30 P.M.<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b>Meeting Agenda and Notice<br />Home-Rule School District Charter Commission</b></span><br />
<br />
A Meeting of the <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Home-Rule School District Charter Commission</b></span>, appointed by the<br />
Dallas Independent School District Board of Trustees, will be held <span style="color: blue;"><b>Monday, July 7,<br />2014, beginning at 5:30 p.m., in Room 105 at the Dallas ISD, Central Administration<br />Building 3700 Ross Ave, Dallas, Texas 75204.</b></span><br />
<br />
The subjects to be discussed or considered or upon which any formal action may be taken are listed below. Items do not have to be taken in the same order as shown on this meeting notice and agenda.<br />
<br />
<b>1. CALL TO ORDER AND ESTABLISH QUORUM</b><br />
<br />
a. Bob Weiss, Interim Chair<br />
<br />
<b>2. ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION ITEMS</b><br />
<br />
a. Administration of Oath of Office<br />
<br />
b. Discussion and Consider Acceptance of a Resolution Authorizing the Home- Rule School District Charter Commission to Consider Framing a Charter for the District<br />
<br />
c. Election of Officers, Chair, Vice Chair and Secretary<br />
<br />
d. Overview of Home-Rule School District Charter<br />
<br />
e. Open Meetings Act Training<br />
<br />
f. Public Information Act Training<br />
<br />
g. Orientation of the Texas Education Code<br />
<br />
h. Discussion and Consider Acceptance of Home-Rule School District Charter<br />
Commission Operating Procedures<br />
<br />
<b>3. GENERAL DISCUSSION</b><br />
<br />
a. Communications Protocol<br />
<br />
b. Meeting Dates and Times<br />
<br />
<b>4. CLOSED SESSION</b> - as authorized by the Texas Open Meetings Act, Texas<br />
Government Code Chapter 551.<br />
<br />
a. For private consultation with its attorney regarding all matters related to Home-Rule and the formation of a Home-Rule School District Charter Commission.<br />
<br />
<b>5. ADJOURN</b><br />
<br />
If, during the course of the meeting, discussion of any item on the agenda should be held in a closed meeting, the commission will conduct a closed meeting in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, Government Code, Chapter 551, Before any closed meeting is convened, the presiding officer will publicly identify the section or sections of the Act authorizing the closed meeting. All final votes, actions, or decisions will be taken in open meeting.<br />
<br />
The notice for this meeting was posted in compliance with the Texas Open Meeting Act on:<br />
Monday, July 1, 2014<br />
<br />
<br />
********************************************************************************<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b>DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES RESOLUTION</b></span><br />
<br />
THE STATE OF TEXAS §<br />
§<br />
COUNTY OF DALLAS §<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE<br />HOME-RULE DISTRICT CHARTER COMMISSION<br />TO CONSIDER FRAMING A CHARTER FOR THE DISTRICT</b></span><br />
<br />
The Dallas Independent School District (“District”) derives its legal status from the Constitution of the State of Texas and the Texas Education Code as passed and amended by the Legislature of Texas. The District vision is to be a premiere urban school district, with a mission of educating all students for success.<br />
<br />
<b>The Board of Trustees (“Board”)</b>, as the duly elected corporate body has the exclusive power and duty to govern and oversee the management of the public schools of the District. The Board may adopt rules and bylaws necessary to carry out these powers and duties. All powers and duties not specifically delegated by statute to the Texas Education Agency (“TEA”) or the State Board of Education are reserved for the Board.<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, Texas Education Code, Section 12.011 authorizes a school district to adopt a home- rule school district charter under which the district will operate; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, Texas Education Code, Section 12.014 states, “The board of trustees shall appoint a charter commission to frame a home-rule school district charter if: (1) the board receives a petition requesting the appointment of a charter commission to frame a home-rule school district charter signed by at least five percent of the registered voters of the district”; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, on May 15, 2014, representatives of an organization known as Support Our Public Schools, a Texas Corporation operating under the Internal Revenue Code, Section 501(c)(4), presented and delivered petitions to the District Executive Director for Board Services on behalf of the Board of Trustees; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, on May 22, 2014, the District Executive Director for Board Services reported to the Board that the petitions had been verified and contained the requisite number of signatures by registered voters of the District; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, Texas Education Code, Section 12.015 (a) states, “Not later than the 30th day after the date of receipt of a petition or adoption of a resolution under Section 12.014, the board of trustees of the school district shall appoint 15 residents of the district to serve on the commission to frame a charter for the district”; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, Texas Education Code, Section 12.015 (b) states, “The membership of the charter commission must reflect the racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic diversity of the district. A majority of the members appointed to the commission must be parents of school-age children attending public school. At least 25 percent of the commission must be classroom teachers selected by the representatives of the professional staff pursuant to Section 11.251(e)”; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, Texas Education Code, Section 12.015 (c) states, “The charter commission must complete a proposed charter not later than the first anniversary of the date of its appointment. After that date, the commission expires and the appointment under Section 12.014 is void”; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, Texas Education Code, Section 12.015 (d) states, “A charter commission appointed under this section is considered a governmental body for purposes of Chapters 551 and 552, Government Code”; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, on June 4, 2014, the Districtwide Advisory Committee elected and recommended Isaac Freeman, Ron Oliver, Bonita Reece and Julie Sandel to serve as teachers on the Home-Rule School District Charter Commission; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, on June 19, 2014, the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees nominated and appointed 15 residents, of the district to serve on the Dallas ISD Home-Rule District Charter Commission in accordance with the Texas Education Code, Section 12.015; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, on June 19, 2014, Melissa Malonson was nominated by District 1 Trustee Elizabeth Jones; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, on June 19, 2014, Edwin Flores was nominated by District 2 Trustee Mike Morath; and <br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, on June 19, 2014, Jeff Veazey was nominated by District 3 Trustee Dan Micciche; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, on June 19, 2014, Ricardo Mendez was nominated by District 4 Trustee Nancy Bingham; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, on June 19, 2014, Lew Blackburn Jr. was nominated by District 5 Trustee Lew Blackburn; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, on June 19, 2014, D. Marcus Ranger was nominated by District 6 Trustee Carla Ranger; and<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, on June 19, 2014, Jerome Garza was nominated by District 7 Trustee Eric Cowan; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, on June 19, 2014, Danae Gutierrez was nominated by District 8 Trustee Miguel Solis; and <br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, on June 19, 2014, Shirley Ison-Newsome was nominated by District 9 Trustee Bernadette Nutall; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, on June 19 2014, Bob Weiss and Stephanie Elizalde were nominated as Members- at-Large to serve on the Home-Rule School District Charter Commission by Dallas ISD Board of Trustees; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, on June 19, 2014, Dallas ISD Board of Trustees voted to accept the recommended teachers elected by the Districtwide Advisory Committee and appointed Isaac Freeman, Ron Oliver, Bonita Reece and Julie Sandel to serve on the Home-Rule School District Charter Commission; and<br />
WHEREAS, Bob Weiss was duly appointed by the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees to serve as Interim Chair; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, the District Superintendent of Schools is hereby directed to provide reasonable and appropriate resources to support the Home-Rule School District Charter Commission for the duration of its tenure; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, the Board expects the Home-Rule School District Charter Commission to operate in a deliberate, collaborative, and inclusive manner, involving a broad representation of the registered voters of the District in the formation process for the charter; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, the Commission is expected to operate in accordance and compliance with federal and state law, and District policy; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, the draft Home-Rule School District Charter Commission Operating Procedures, which is attached hereto as Exhibit “A” and incorporated herein by reference is recommended as a suggestion for the Commission which may be adopted, changed, modified or rejected within the sole discretion of the Commission; and<br />
<br />
<b>WHEREAS</b>, the Commission has the sole discretion and authority to determine that no Home-Rule School District Charter need be adopted.<br />
<br />
<b>NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED</b>, the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees authorizes the <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>15 Member Home-Rule Charter District Commission</b></span> to commence work to consider the need for and to develop a new charter to be considered by the residents of the District and to complete its work within one year as provided by law.<br />
<br />
<b>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED</b>, in the event of a vacancy on the Commission prior to the expiration of the Commission term, the Board shall fill the vacancy by utilizing the same process for appointment of initial Commission members.<br />
<br />
Adopted on this _______ day of June, 2014. <br />
<br />
<b>DALLAS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES</b><br />
<br />
<br />
By: ______________________________________<br />
Miguel Solis<br />
President of the Board<br />
<br />
ATTEST:<br />
<br />
By: Dan Micciche<br />
Board Secretary<br />
<br />
<br />
********************************************************************************<br />
<br />
<b>EXHIBIT “A”<br /><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;">Home-Rule School District Charter Commission Operating Procedures</span></b><br />
<br />
The Home-Rule School District Charter Commission Operating Procedures (“Operating Procedures”) shall govern the operations of the Charter Commission (the “Commission") and are not intended to confer legal rights on any person. At no time are the Operating Procedures intended to supersede federal or state law and District policy.<br />
<br />
The Trustees, as a body corporate, have the exclusive power and duty to govern and oversee the management of the public schools of the District. The Trustees may adopt rules and bylaws necessary to carry out these powers and duties.<br />
<br />
All powers and duties not specifically delegated by statute to the Texas Education Agency (“TEA”) or the State Board of Education are reserved for the Board. Texas Education Code, Section 11.151(b) and (d).<br />
<br />
<b>Section I: Purpose and Authority.</b><br />
<br />
A. Purpose. The purpose of the Commission is to draft a charter that complies with the requirements of Texas Education Code §12.016. The requirements are as follows:<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b>1. Describe the educational program to be offered;<br />2. Provide that continuation of the charter is contingent upon acceptable student performance on assessment instruments and compliance with other applicable accountability provisions;<br />3. Specify any basis, in addition to a basis specified at Texas Education Code, Chapter 11, Subchapter B, on which the charter may be placed on probation or revoked;<br />4. Describe the governing structure of the District and campuses;<br />5. Specify any procedure or requirement, in addition to those at Texas Education Code, Chapter 38, the District will follow to ensure the health and safety of students and employees;<br />6. Describe the process by which the District will adopt an annual budget, including the use of program-weight funds; <br />7. Describe how the annual audit of the District's financial and programmatic operations will be conducted, including how the District will provide the necessary information to participate in the Public Information Management System; and<br />8. Include any other provision the Commission considers necessary. </b></span><br />
<br />
<b>B. Authority. The Commission was formed under Texas Education Code §§ 12.014 and 12.015. </b><br />
<b><br />Section II: Membership.</b><br />
<br />
In accordance with Texas Education Code §12.015(a), members of the Commission are appointed by the Board of Trustees of Dallas Independent School District (“Dallas ISD”) and shall consist of fifteen (15) members, which shall include at least eight (8) parents, and at least four (4) classroom teachers. Members shall serve without compensation.<br />
<br />
<b>Section III: Commission.</b><br />
<br />
The Commission shall have a Chair initially appointed by the Board of Trustees of Dallas ISD. Any vacancy of the Chair shall be elected by a majority vote of the members present at a duly called meeting in which a quorum of the Commission is present and voting in compliance with Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code ("Texas Open Meetings Act"). <br />
<br />
<b>Section IV: Agenda; Meetings; Minutes; Attendance.</b><br />
<br />
A. Meetings. Meetings of the Commission are subject to the Texas Open Meetings Act. The Commission will meet at such intervals as are necessary to carry out its duties. Meetings shall be called by the Chair. The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Commission. The Commission meetings shall be conducted in pursuant to Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised parliamentary procedures. <br />
<br />
B. Agenda. In accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, no item shall be placed on the Agenda less than 72 hours in advance of the posted meeting, unless an emergency or urgent public necessity exists.<br />
<br />
C. Minutes. In accordance with the Open Meetings Act, minutes shall be recorded and kept at each meeting of the Commission by the Dallas ISD Board Services ("Board Services"). <br />
<br />
D. Attendance. Members are required to sign in and out at each meeting. A member's attendance at or absence from a meeting shall be recorded and maintained by Board Services. Commission members shall endeavor to attend all meetings and may be absent for no more than three (3) meetings. Any member absent from more than three (3) meetings during two (2) consecutive months shall be deemed to have resigned from the Commission, and another eligible person shall be appointed to fill the vacancy. <br />
<br />
<b>Section V: Quorum. A majority of the Commission constitutes a quorum for any duly called meetings of the Commission. </b><br />
<br />
<b>Section VI: Member Orientation.</b> Commission members shall attend compliance training as required by Texas law. Specifically, all members shall attend training on the Texas Open Meetings Act and the Public Information Act within 90 days after assuming duties as a member of the Commission. <br />
Section VII: Conflict of Interest. Each member shall sign a Statement of Disclosure according to Chapter 171 and Chapter 176, Texas Local Government Code.<br />
<br />
<b>Section VIII: Guidance. </b><br />
<br />
A. Public Hearings: The Commission shall receive information and input from residents of the District from all sources including, but not limited to, the following: 1) District online website, and 2) public hearings throughout the geographic area of the District, including at least one hearing in each Trustee district.<br />
<br />
B. Information: The Commission shall analyze the information regarding the District from residents of the District to ascertain and determine positive aspects of the District, with recommendations for expansion of such positive aspects throughout the District, and negative aspects, with recommendations on how to resolve such negative aspects.Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-10000584646380046752014-06-27T08:34:00.000-05:002014-06-27T15:18:25.313-05:00Request 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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">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.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The question asked:</span></span><br />
<br />
<pre><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"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?"</span></span></pre>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="moz-email-headers-table"><tbody>
<tr><th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Subject:
</th>
<td>Request for Attorney General's Opinion regarding Home
Rule School District Charter Commission</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">Date: </th>
<td>Thu, 26 Jun 2014 16:33:20 -0500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">From: </th>
<td>Carla Ranger</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE"></th>
<td><br /></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th align="RIGHT" nowrap="nowrap" valign="BASELINE">To: </th>
<td>Michael Williams <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:commissioner@tea.state.tx.us"><commissioner@tea.state.tx.us></a>,
David A. Anderson <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:tealegal@tea.state.tx.us"><tealegal@tea.state.tx.us></a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br />
<pre><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hon. Michael Williams
Commissioner of Education
State of Texas
1701 N. Congress Avenue
Austin, Texas 78701</span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">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:</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">
"(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."</span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">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."</span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">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.</span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Thank you for your assistance.
Carla Ranger
Second Vice President &
District 6 Trustee
Dallas ISD
cc: David A. Anderson - General Counsel - TEA</span></span>
</pre>
Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-83172529852077958362014-06-21T23:47:00.001-05:002014-06-22T00:09:40.580-05:00Congratulations to newly elected Dallas ISD District 6 Trustee Joyce ForemanCongratulations 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.<br />
<br />
Joyce has been devoted to improving public education for many years.<br />
<br />
Best wishes for many more years of successful service.Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-32035991338841118242014-06-19T07:00:00.000-05:002014-06-19T13:44:47.943-05:00Judge Carl Ginsberg states Dallas ISD November ballot for home rule school district charter is "inconsistent with reality"<span style="font-size: large;">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. </span><br />
<br />
<script src="http://www.wfaa.com/templates/belo_embedWrapper.js?storyid=263730091&pos=top&swfw=470"></script><object data="http://swfs.bimvid.com/player-3.2.15.swf" height="528" id="_fp_0.4950672276318073" name="player" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="940"> <param value="true" name="allowfullscreen"/> <param value="always" name="allowscriptaccess"/> <param value="transparent" name="wmode"/> <param value="high" name="quality"/> <param name="movie" value="http://swfs.bimvid.com/player-3.2.15.swf" /> <param value="config=http://www.wfaa.com/?j=embed_263730091&ref=http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Dallas-Judge-calls-November-home-rule-vote-unrealistic-263730091.html" name="flashvars"/></object><script src="http://www.wfaa.com/templates/belo_embedWrapper.js?storyid=263730091&pos=bottom&ref=http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Dallas-Judge-calls-November-home-rule-vote-unrealistic-263730091.html"></script>
<span style="font-size: large;">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. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Judge Ginsberg also pointed out that the notion of rushing a November election is <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>"inconsistent with reality."</b></span> Judge Ginsberg was kind.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">In other words, a November vote makes no sense at all.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Dallas ISD Trustees are obligated to uphold the state laws and policies of the District.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">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.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span><br />
<h1 class="entry-title">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Dallas-Judge-calls-November-home-rule-vote-unrealistic-263730091.html" target="_blank">Dallas judge calls November home-rule vote unrealistic-Click Here-J<span style="color: #cc0000;">une 18, 2014-Click Here</span></a> </span></h1>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">"Dallas civil court <span style="color: blue;"><b>Judge Carl
Ginsberg</b></span> called the November target date for a
district-wide election <u><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>“inconsistent with reality”</b></span></u> given
all the deadlines and timetables that must be met.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;"> "While he has yet to issue a
formal ruling, <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Ginsberg agreed </b></span>after four hours of
testimony Wednesday, saying the evidence <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>“clearly
shows that the District-wide Advisory Committee was
not assembled according to the law."</b></span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">"Ginsburg indicated that if he rules in favor of the teachers
union, <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>the DISD District-wide
Advisory Committee could meet again at the beginning of
the fall semester</b></span> and select its four representatives to
the home-rule constitution committee in accordance with
state law.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;"> <span class="yui-tag-span yui-tag">"The judge agreed, saying <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>some members were there illegally.</b></span></span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="yui-tag-span yui-tag" style="font-size: large;">"</span><span style="font-size: large;">Any hopes to get the Dallas ISD home-rule charter initiative on the
ballot for November may have been dashed Wednesday afternoon."</span> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><a href="http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Dallas-Judge-calls-November-home-rule-vote-unrealistic-263730091.html" target="_blank">http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Dallas-Judge-calls-November-home-rule-vote-unrealistic-263730091.html</a></b></blockquote>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<h1 class="entry-title">
<a href="http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Dallas-Judge-calls-November-home-rule-vote-unrealistic-263730091.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Dallas judge calls November home-rule vote unrealistic</span><span id="dateInfo"></span><span style="color: #cc0000;">-June 18, 2014 at 7:41 PM</span></a></h1>
<h1 class="entry-title">
<a href="http://educationblog.dallasnews.com/2014/06/district-judge-agrees-with-big-finding-by-alliance-aft-in-home-rule-case-against-dallas-isd-decision-expected-thursday.html/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">District judge agrees with big finding by Alliance-AFT in home-rule case against Dallas ISD; decision expected Thursday</span></a></h1>
<h1 class="entry-title">
<span id="dateInfo">
</span></h1>
<h1 class="entry-title">
</h1>
<h1 class="title">
<a href="http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2014/06/18/court-hearing-could-delay-disds-home-rule" target="_blank">Court Hearing Could Delay DISD’s Home Rule June 18, 2014 5:56 AM</a></h1>
<h3 class="">
<a href="http://www.myfoxdfw.com/story/25814378/judge-to-rule-thursday-in-alliance-aft-home-rule-case" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Judge to rule Thursday in Alliance AFT home-rule case Posted: Jun 18, 2014 8:51 PM CST</span></span></a></h3>
<h1 class="title">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Teachers-Group-Seeks-Temporary-Injunction-Against-Home-Rule-in-DISD-263617221.html" target="_blank">Teachers Group Seeks Temporary Injunction Against Home Rule in DISD</a> </span></h1>
<h1 class="title">
</h1>
<h1 class="title">
</h1>
<h1 class="entry-title">
<a href="http://educationblog.dallasnews.com/2014/06/esteemed-attorney-on-past-dallas-isd-desegregation-case-is-co-counsel-for-teachers-group-in-home-rule-lawsuit.html/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Esteemed attorney in past Dallas ISD desegregation case is co-counsel for teachers group in home-rule lawsuit</span></a></h1>
Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-36146671729155179322014-05-22T09:01:00.001-05:002014-05-22T09:30:29.615-05:00The American Statistical Association states teacher evaluation methods based on test scores should not be used for decisions that matter<span style="font-size: large;"><b>by Valerie Strauss</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Answer Sheet </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Washington Post</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>May 18, 2014</b></span><br />
<br />
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/05/18/arne-duncans-reaction-to-new-research-slamming-teacher-evaluation-method-he-favors/" target="_blank">Arne Duncan’s reaction to new research slamming teacher evaluation method he favors-Click Here</a></span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"Education Secretary Arne Duncan has been a proponent of using
students’ scores on standardized tests to evaluate teachers, even as <span style="color: blue;"><b><u>a
growing mountain of evidence</u> </b></span>has shown that <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>the method now used in most
states, known as “value-added measures,” is not reliable</u>. </b></span>With two
recent reports released on VAM adding to <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>warnings long given by
assessment experts</b></span>, I asked the Education Department whether Duncan’s
position had changed.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">"VAM purports to be able to take student standardized test scores,
plug them into a complicated formula and measure the “value” a teacher
adds to student learning. The method has been adopted as part of teacher
evaluations in most states — with varying weights put on the results —
<span style="color: blue;"><b>but for years researchers have said the</b></span> <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>results aren’t close to being
accurate enough to use for decisions that matter."</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>The American
Statistical Association</b></span>, the largest organization in the United States
representing statisticians and related professionals, said<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/04/13/statisticians-slam-popular-teacher-evaluation-method/"> <b>in an April report</b></a>
that <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>value-added scores “do not directly measure potential teacher
contributions toward other student outcomes” and that they “typically
measure correlation, not causation,” noting that “effects — positive or
negative — attributed to a teacher may actually be caused by other
factors that are not captured in the model.”</b></span> This month, <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCgQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fblogs%2Fanswer-sheet%2Fwp%2F2014%2F04%2F13%2Fstatisticians-slam-popular-teacher-evaluation-method%2F&ei=OWV3U66VEfDJsQSx6YKgCg&usg=AFQjCNEPIQhv2nj7uaHPTsy7VEyFgt6jFg&bvm=bv.66917471,d.cWc">two researchers reported</a> that they had found </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">little or no correlation between quality teaching and the appraisals that teachers received using VAM.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"For years, many prominent researchers have warned against using VAM.
<span style="color: blue;"><b>They include a 2009 warning by the Board on Testing and Assessment of
the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences</b></span>, which
stated that “VAM estimates of teacher effectiveness should not be used
to make operational decisions because such estimates are far too
unstable to be considered fair or reliable.” The Educational Testing
Service’s Policy Information Center has said there are “too many
pitfalls to making causal attributions of teacher effectiveness on the
basis of the kinds of data available from typical school districts,” and
Rand Corp. researchers have said that VAM results “will often be too
imprecise to support some of the desired inferences.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">These are just a few of the concerns that have emerged in recent
years over this method. Still, there are economists enthusiastic about
VAM, and their work has been embraced by <u><i><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>school reformers who have opted
to use it as part of teacher and even principal evaluation and who have
chosen to ignore the much larger body of evidence warnings against
using VAM for high-stakes purposes</b></span></i></u>. In fact, when Michelle Rhee was
chancellor of the D.C. public school system (from 2007-2010), she liked
VAM so much that she instituted <span style="color: blue;"><i><u><b>an evaluation system in the district in
which nearly every adult in a school building was evaluated in some part
by student standardized test scores,</b></u></i></span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/04/16/d-c-custodial-staff-were-evaluated-by-student-test-scores-really/"> including the custodial staff</a>. The percentage of a teacher’s evaluation linked to VAM depends on the state, from a small percentage up to 50 percent."</span><br />
<h1 class="marB10">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/04/13/statisticians-slam-popular-teacher-evaluation-method/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Statisticians slam popular teacher evaluation method-Click Here</span></a></span></h1>
<h1 class="marB10">
<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/02/25/the-most-meaningless-teacher-evaluation-exercise-ever/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">The most meaningless teacher evaluation exercise ever?-Click Here</span></span></a></h1>
<h1 class="marB10">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/04/16/d-c-custodial-staff-were-evaluated-by-student-test-scores-really/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">D.C. custodial staff were evaluated by student test scores. Really. (update)-Click Here</span></a></span></h1>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/217916454/ASA-VAM-Statement-1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">The American Statistical Association Statement on Value Added Assessment-Click Here</span></a></b></span></span></span>Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-47838227214820441262014-05-22T08:00:00.000-05:002014-05-22T08:43:30.481-05:00Dallas ISD - sold out to charter schools and those who privatize children for profit<img class="thumbnail" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhucfjWQWa38X0sDrIhGzMS_oWvjI_R_SbdKQIymy2VdTGXyFbnHtc0X2KMoOwKj-Ds02s2wZStOmiOEGDpRjtMa68RnNdc1-LY-gjejJK5ZzAxMCL1qXoBTFnvx-1x1BiHBDW/s640/Sold+Out.jpg" height="425" width="640" />Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-81635661509664563212014-05-21T23:00:00.000-05:002014-05-22T02:29:15.706-05:00How Charter Schools and Testing Regimes Have Helped Re-Segregate Our Schools<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Reprinted from The Daily Beast</span><br />
<br />
---------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<h1 class="title multiline">
<span style="color: #cc0000;">How Charter Schools and Testing Regimes Have Helped Re-Segregate Our Schools</span></h1>
<div class="dek char-limit multiline">
<span style="font-size: large;">"Sure,
it’s mostly the courts, but as we approach the 60th anniversary of
Brown v. Board of Education, <span style="color: #990000;"><b>charter schools and testing regimes are
reinforcing segregation.</b></span></span></div>
<div class="dek char-limit multiline">
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<section class="content-body article-body-content"><span style="font-size: large;">Sixty years ago tomorrow in <i>Brown v. Board of Education</i>,
the United States Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public
education is unconstitutional, writing that <b><span style="color: blue;">“in the field of public
education, the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’ has no place.”</span></b></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvmRBQer-tNrO1NeSdpIYJHljON8H4CzihYhjhyfDMjUOSCSBd8vQHbyqMzSkUsFqQihZfu7NJQvpL1a_pLs6DYmUyd_URMxq8DX05asGeQBERFtP8t85f_xSu5KOh9OZGOwJ/s1600/Charter+Children.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdvmRBQer-tNrO1NeSdpIYJHljON8H4CzihYhjhyfDMjUOSCSBd8vQHbyqMzSkUsFqQihZfu7NJQvpL1a_pLs6DYmUyd_URMxq8DX05asGeQBERFtP8t85f_xSu5KOh9OZGOwJ/s1600/Charter+Children.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Yet
all these years later, our schools remain deeply segregated along lines
of race as well as class—<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>with charter schools and high-stakes testing
making matters worse.</u></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Schools today are as racially segregated (<b><a href="http://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/UnequalEduation.pdf" target="_blank">PDF</a></b>) as they were in the 1960s. Recently, ProPublica wrote<b> <a href="http://www.propublica.org/article/segregation-now-the-resegregation-of-americas-schools#intro" target="_blank">a deep and haunting exposition</a></b> on <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>the re-segregation of schools in the South</b></span>, including Tuscaloosa. Post-<i>Brown</i>, schools in the South became the most integrated in the nation. It took a while—until the 1970s, really—but it happened.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Today?
In the South and nationwide, most black and brown children attend
schools where 90 percent or more of the students look like them. “In
Tuscaloosa today, nearly 1 in 3 black students attends a school that
looks as if <i>Brown v. Board of Education</i> never happened.”</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Across the United States, per-student spending (<a href="http://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/UnequalEduation.pdf" target="_blank">PDF</a>)
in public schools with 90 percent or more white students is 18 percent
higher—$733 more per student on average—than spending for public schools
with 90 percent or more students of color. That can’t be attributed to
different geographical tax bases alone; 40 percent of the variation (<a href="http://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/UnequalEduation.pdf" target="_blank">PDF</a>) in per-pupil spending occurs within school districts. <a href="http://billmoyers.com/2014/03/24/14-disturbing-stats-about-racial-inequality-in-american-public-schools/" target="_blank">A third</a>
of the schools with the highest percentage of black and Latino students
don’t offer chemistry. A quarter don’t offer Algebra II. Black and
Latino students account for 40 percent of enrollment at schools with
gifted programs but make up <a href="http://billmoyers.com/2014/03/24/14-disturbing-stats-about-racial-inequality-in-american-public-schools/" target="_blank">only 26 percent</a> of the students in such programs. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">Meanwhile, we know that disadvantaged students of color end up being
over-represented in the prison-industrial complex. Black students in
America’s public schools are expelled at <a href="http://billmoyers.com/2014/03/24/14-disturbing-stats-about-racial-inequality-in-american-public-schools/" target="_blank">three times the rate</a>
of white students. This discrepancy starts at a frighteningly young
age; black children make up 18 percent of pre-schoolers but <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/codeswitch/2014/03/21/292456211/black-preschoolers-far-more-likely-to-be-suspended" target="_blank">almost half</a> of all out-of-school suspensions. <a href="http://billmoyers.com/2014/03/24/14-disturbing-stats-about-racial-inequality-in-american-public-schools/" target="_blank">One in five</a>
girls of color with disabilities has received an out-of-school
suspension. These statistics are much higher than for white peers even
for the same misbehaviors.</span><br />
<blockquote class="blockquote">
<div class="centerer">
<div class="safe-area">
<div class="content" style="font-size: 38px;">
Public schools can work. I went to one. Most everyone I know went to one.</div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">Racial segregation in schools has increased <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/separate-and-unequal-segregation-making-comeback-in-u-s-schools/" target="_blank">largely because</a>
federal courts have allowed cities and states to abandon mandatory
busing and other desegregation efforts imposed in the 1960s. And in
2007, a sharply divided Supreme Court <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/29/washington/29scotus.html?pagewanted=all" target="_blank">ruled</a>
that public schools could no longer pursue integration strategies based
explicitly on race. Yet the legal sanctioning of segregation also paved
the way for white families to justify self-selecting out of what were
fast becoming inferior schools in communities of color, an inferiority
further fed by white flight. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Around the same time, <u><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>charter
schools and testing came along and made everything worse.</b></span></u> In a key essay
in the education magazine Ed Weekly, Dr. Iris C Rotberg of George
Washington University <b><a href="http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/02/01/kappan_rotberg.html" target="_blank">wrote in straightforward terms</a></b>
that research makes it clear that <span style="color: #cc0000;"><u><b>“charter schools, on average, don’t
have an academic advantage over traditional public schools”</b></u></span> and that<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>
“they do have a significant risk of leading to increased segregation.”</u></b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Rotberg <a href="http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/02/01/kappan_rotberg.html" target="_blank">goes on</a>
to detail study after study showing a “strong link between school
choice programs and an increase in student segregation by race,
ethnicity, and income.” Segregation effects are particularly pronounced
at charter schools run by private companies or those that target
specific racial or ethnic groups. Segregation within charter schools is
particularly pronounced <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/20/education/in-charter-schools-fewer-with-disabilities.html?_r=0" target="_blank">for students with disabilities</a>, since <u><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>charter schools often tend to skim the “best students” from communities</b></span></u> and under-enroll those with special needs.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Before <i>Brown</i>
was even decided, Prince Edward County, Virginia, closed its public
schools rather than face integration. White and black students were sent
to separate, segregated private academies until the Supreme Court
ordered the public schools to reopen and desegregate. Nonetheless, in
the wake of <i>Brown</i>, many white students fled to private and
parochial options, a trend very much about race but also
privatization—that we can give a good education to some select students
while lining the pockets of private companies. In our time, <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>school
vouchers and charters schools all play into this dynamic. </b></span> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This is where testing comes in. To begin with, <a href="http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/02/01/kappan_rotberg.html" target="_blank">testing exacerbates</a>—or
perhaps rationalizes—inequality and segregation in schools. Charter
schools that screen students based on test scores end up including fewer
low-income students because study after study shows that standardized
test scores correlated directly with family economic status. <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Yet behind
the testing push is the for-profit testing industry, </b></span>which is less
interested in boosting student learning than boosting their bottom line.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><u><i><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>“This
market-based approach to public education—one where there are winners
and losers instead of equal opportunity for all—is failing our kids and
driving a deeper divide in our communities,” </b></span></i></u>says Randi Weingarten, head
of the <a href="http://www.aft.org/" target="_blank">American Federation of Teachers</a>.
“Those peddling this approach try to capitalize on the growing
frustration in our neighborhoods—especially African American and Latino
neighborhoods—to move their agenda.” This is after all what markets
do—decide where they can make a profit and abandon the rest. <span style="color: #cc0000;"><u><b>Some kids
are getting a leg up in the charter system and testing regime, but all
the other kids are being written off.</b></u></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>“<u>Just as separate but equal
wasn’t possible 60 years ago, it’s not possible today</u>,” </b></span>says Sabrina Joy
Stevens, a former teacher and executive director of <u><a href="http://integrityineducation.org/" target="_blank">Integrity in Education</a></u>.
“We know that concentrated poverty and racial isolation mean unequal
access to learning opportunities for traditionally under-served
students—especially those who end up in fraud-prone <u><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>‘schools’ privately
run by people who prey on our most neglected communities.”</b></span></u></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;">Public schools can work. I went to one. Most everyone I know went to
one. We had great teachers, who were in unions, who had good salaries
and benefits, plenty of school supplies in the classroom and enough
training and freedom to teach creatively and innovate in the classroom.
We went on to have rich academic careers because we were equipped with
problem-solving skills and comprehension in math and literature and
science and so much more. There is nothing wrong with public schools, or
public teacher unions, that can’t be fixed—if we have the will to fix
them.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">On the other hand, <span style="color: #e06666;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">the push toward charter schools and the
larger private educational industrial complex</span> </b></span>has no good track record
and is only proving worse, re-segregating education and trying to
<u><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>re-enshrine “separate but equal”</b></span></u> not only in practice but in principle. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">In <i>Brown, </i>Chief
Justice Warren wrote: “To separate [children] from others of similar
age and qualifications solely because of their race generates a feeling
of inferiority as to their status in the community that may affect their
hearts and minds in a way unlikely ever to be undone.” <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><i><u>Yes, and
separating children by race or class or test scores into pseudo-private
charter schools is affecting not only those students but our communities
and our nation in the very ways we once tried to undo</u>.</i>" </b></span></span></section>Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-68447446029122078332014-05-17T23:00:00.000-05:002014-05-22T01:51:50.200-05:0060 years after Brown v. Board of Education, integration is falling apart<br />
<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/16/opinion/brazile-brown-60/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="font-size: large;">Reprinted from CNN.com - Saturday, May 17, 2014</span></span></b></a><br />
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<img alt="Linda Brown, 9, walks past Sumner Elementary School in Topeka, Kansas, in 1953. Her enrollment in the all-white school was blocked, leading her family to bring a lawsuit against the Topeka Board of Education. Four similar cases were combined with the Brown complaint and presented to the U.S. Supreme Court as <a href='http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/04/us/brown-v-board-of-education/index.html'>Brown v. Board of Education</a>. The court's landmark ruling on the case on May 17, 1954, led to the desegregation of the U.S. education system." border="0" height="360" id="articleGalleryPhoto001" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140516123118-02-brown---restricted-horizontal-gallery.jpg" style="margin: 0 auto;" width="640" /><br />
<b><cite id="galleryCaption001" style="display: block;">Linda Brown, 9,
walks past Sumner Elementary School in Topeka, Kansas, in 1953. Her
enrollment in the all-white school was blocked, leading her family to
bring a lawsuit against the Topeka Board of Education. Four similar
cases were combined with the Brown complaint and presented to the U.S.
Supreme Court as <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/04/us/brown-v-board-of-education/index.html">Brown v. Board of Education</a>. The court's landmark ruling on the case on May 17, 1954, led to the desegregation of the U.S. education system.</cite></b><cite id="galleryCaption001" style="display: block;"> </cite><br />
<div class="cnnEditorialNote">
<span style="font-size: large;"><em><strong>Editor's note:</strong> Donna
Brazile, a CNN contributor.</em></span></div>
<div class="cnnEditorialNote">
<span style="font-size: large;"><em><br /></em></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>"(CNN)</strong> -- On Saturday, we will commemorate the <span style="color: blue;"><b>60th
anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, the U.S. Supreme Court
decision</b></span> that outlawed school segregation. Across the country, people
are reflecting on the current state of educational opportunities for
children of color.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph2">
<span style="font-size: large;">In Milwaukee, parents,
educators, students and community members are coming together to support
educational opportunities for young people, and to challenge the
increasing segregation and lack of resources facing young people of
color today. I will join them in that celebration.</span></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph2">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph3">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://wuwm.com/post/new-ranking-milwaukee-still-countrys-most-segregated-metro-area" target="_blank">But Milwaukee is among the most racially</a></b>
and economically segregated major metropolitan regions in the country.
It registers the largest discrepancy in employment rates between
African-Americans and whites. Wisconsin has the <b><a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/states-black-students-rank-lowest-in-reading-math-scores-b99136626z1-230903121.html" target="_blank">widest gap</a></b> in test scores between black and white students.</span></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph3">
<br /></div>
<div class="cnn_strylftcntnt">
<div class="cnn_strylctcntr cnn_strylccimg214">
<img alt="Donna Brazile" border="0" class="box-image" height="122" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/130312110919-donna-brazile-left-tease.jpg" width="214" />
<div>
Donna Brazile</div>
<div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph4">
<span style="font-size: large;">The problems in Milwaukee
and Wisconsin are not unique. In cities across the country, students of
color increasingly attend schools that do not reflect the diversity of
our national community. The biggest metro areas in the Northeast and
Midwest have been <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2008/0125/p01s01-ussc.html" target="_blank"><b>epicenters of re-segregation</b></a>.
In the 1990s and 2000s, school districts across the South, after being
released from Brown-era, court-enforced integration, began
gerrymandering school attendance zones, effectively separating black and
white students.</span></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph4">
<br /></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph5">
<span style="font-size: large;">Today, black students in the South attend majority-black schools at levels not observed for 40 years. <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/04/segregation-now/359813/" target="_blank"><b>In Tuscaloosa, Alabama</b>,</a> for example, nearly one in three black students attends a school that looks like Brown never even happened.</span></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph5">
<br /></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph6">
<span style="font-size: large;">The result is that the achievement gap, which steadily decreased during integration, <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/04/segregation-now/359813/" target="_blank"><b>is widening as re-segregation occurs</b>.</a></span></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph6">
<br /></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph7">
<span style="font-size: large;">Integrated schools help students achieve academic success in the present and personal success in the future. <b><a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/04/segregation-now/359813/" target="_blank">Students of color</a></b>
who attended integrated schools in the decades immediately following
Brown were more likely to graduate high school, go to college, earn
higher wages, live healthier lifestyles and not have a criminal record
than their peers in segregated schools. (<b><a href="http://civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/research/k-12-education/integration-and-diversity/ny-norflet-report-placeholder" target="_blank">Diverse schools</a></b> can also decrease prejudice and teach all students how to navigate an increasingly diverse nation.)</span></div>
<div class="cnn_strylftcntnt cnn_strylftcexpbx" id="expand58">
<cite class="expCaption"><span> </span></cite>
</div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph8">
<span style="font-size: large;">Unfortunately, <u><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>many
localities are embracing vouchers and charter schools as silver bullets</b></span></u>
for addressing persistent <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>achievement gaps</b></span>. Milwaukee has <b><a href="http://www.chooseyourschoolwi.org/current-wisconsin-school-choice-programs.html" target="_blank">the largest and oldest voucher school program</a></b> in the country, which <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>funnels public dollars to private, often sectarian, schools</b></span>. In 2011, <b><a href="http://www.ncsl.org/research/education/school-choice-vouchers.aspx" target="_blank">Indiana</a></b> created the nation's first statewide voucher program, and <b><a href="http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2014/01/louisiana_school_voucher_enrol.html" target="_blank">Louisiana</a></b>
followed suit in 2012. <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Charter schools </b></span>have increased dramatically in
the past decade; from the 1999-2000 school year to the 2010-2011 one, <b><a href="http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=30" target="_blank">public charter school enrollment</a></b> increased from 300,000 to 1.8 million.</span></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph8">
<br /></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph9">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>Vouchers and charter schools just don't live up to the hype</u>. </b></span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/03/25/the-new-extremists-in-education-debate/" target="_blank"><b>In New Orleans</b>,</a>
students using vouchers to attend private schools have not advanced to
grade-level work any faster during the first two years of the program
than public school students. A recent study found<strong> </strong><a href="http://wasb.org/websites/advoc_gov_relations/File/vouchers/vouchers_faq.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>students in voucher schools are performing wors</strong>e</a> on academic benchmarks than students in Milwaukee Public Schools. And <b><a href="http://credo.stanford.edu/documents/NCSS%202013%20Final%20Draft.pdf" target="_blank">a national study</a></b>
comparing charter and normal public schools of similar demographics
found that 29% of charter schools reported academic improvements
significantly higher than public schools. Forty percent of charter
schools reported no difference in academic performance, and 31% reported
a performance worse than their public school counterparts.</span></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph9">
<br /></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph10">
<span style="font-size: large;">Sixty years later, <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>"s<u>eparate and unequal</u>" is still alive.</b></span></span></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph10">
<br /></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph11">
<span style="font-size: large;">To fix the problem, we must recognize the problem.<strong> </strong>First, <b><a href="http://dianeravitch.net/2014/03/05/iris-rotberg-charter-schools-exacerbate-segregation/" target="_blank">privatizing our school systems</a></b>
results in increased segregation, not improved opportunities. Whether
in New Orleans or Philadelphia or Detroit or New York, <u><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">legislative
schemes perpetuate separate and unequal by privatizing large swaths of
public school districts -- and in some cases, entire districts.</span></b></u></span></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph11">
<br /></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph12">
<span style="font-size: large;">Second, education
doesn't take place in a vacuum. Students and their families need access
to health care, decent wages and affordable housing in integrated
neighborhoods. Thus, Brown's legacy includes economic improvements for
children and families.</span></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph12">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph13">
<span style="font-size: large;">Third, neither
high-quality public schools nor economic improvements can occur when
voters are disenfranchised. Only the right to vote protects access to
education and movement toward economic improvement. <b><a href="http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/voter-id.aspx" target="_blank">Yet 34 states</a></b>
-- most under Republican control -- have passed laws to make it harder
for minorities, the elderly, and young people to vote, including
so-called voter ID laws and regulations that limit early voting.</span></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph13">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph14">
<span style="font-size: large;">The economic and racial
inequities that existed 60 years ago persist in our communities today.
They must be addressed. In the spirit of Brown, students, <u><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>parents and
educators are demanding solutions that go beyond the dysfunctional
"education reforms"</b></span></u> and address a wide range of community concerns, from
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> <u>stopping school privatization</u></b></span> to providing universal early childhood
education to raising the minimum wage.</span></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph14">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph15">
<span style="font-size: large;">School integration did
not come to be the day after the Brown ruling was issued. Progress took
years, and it took passion, strength and courage from a large group of
committed individuals.</span></div>
<div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph15">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="cnn_storypgraphtxt cnn_storypgraph16">
<span style="font-size: large;">Sixty years after Brown
v. Board of Education, it's time for us to take a hard look at the
separate and unequal conditions that still exist in our schools and our
communities, and rededicate ourselves to fulfilling the promise of equal
opportunity for all."</span></div>
Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-84597217464161483952014-05-16T07:00:00.000-05:002014-05-20T13:40:52.761-05:00Desoto ISD seeks to annex north Desoto residential area of Dallas ISD Trustee run-off candidate Bertha Bailey Whatley<span style="font-size: large;">District 6 Trustee run-off candidate Bertha Bailey Whatley, who received campaign contributions of $50,000 from the </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Educate Dallas PAC, (</span>the Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce PAC - Attorney Mark Melton-Chairman) and $11,705.54 from Dallas Kids First PAC, lives in Desoto, Texas.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Candidate Bertha Bailey Whatley is represented by Allyn Media, the same firm currently representing Support Our Public Schools (SOPS - the group behind the petition drive to change Dallas ISD governance to a Home Rule School District Charter) and previously representing Mayor Mike Rawlings' campaign. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">As of the 8th day before the May 10, 2014 election date, the Bertha Bailey Whatley Campaign made the following advertising payments to Allyn Media:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">4-1-14 - $ 8,000.00</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">4-18-14 - $13,192.62</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">4-28-14 - $12,918.36 </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Total - $34,110.98</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: large;">--------------------------------------------------------------------------- </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Desoto ISD Annexation Effort</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Since the Fall of 2013 Desoto Superintendent David Harris has been actively exploring the process to align Desoto ISD district boundaries with the same boundaries of the City of Desoto, especially the north border which currently falls partially in Dallas ISD - the area where Trustee candidate Bertha Bailey Whatley currently lives. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">If Desoto ISD succeeds with this effort, it would mean that Bertha Bailey Whatley would live in the Desoto ISD school district and no longer be eligible to serve as a Dallas ISD Trustee.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I agree with Desoto ISD that the northern part of the City of Desoto that is currently in Dallas ISD should properly be a part of Desoto ISD. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The information below describes the current effort of Desoto ISD to begin annexing the north border which currently falls within Dallas ISD and in which District 6 candidate Bertha Bailey Whatley lives in the city of Desoto.</span><br />
<br />
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">"Detachment and Annexation Meetings:</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">On March 4 and March 20 the DeSoto ISD
Superintendent David Harris, along with Dallas Central
Appraisal Chief Ken Nolan and Community Relations
Officer Cheryl Jordan, and Dallas County Tax Assessor
John Ames, provided information and answered questions
regarding the proposed detachment and annexation of
properties in the City of DeSoto while located in Dallas
ISD or Duncanville ISD boundaries. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><a href="http://www.desotoisd.org/Download.asp?L=0&LMID=454635&PN=DocumentUploads&DivisionID=&DepartmentID=&SubDepartmentID=&SubP=Documents&Act=Download&T=1&I=342237" target="_blank">Annexation Powerpoint Presentation</a></span></span><br />
<hr />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">In the fall of 2013, DeSoto ISD explored the
process to align district boundries with those of the
city, in particular the north border which falls
partially in Dallas ISD and partially in Duncanville
ISD. </span><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Basically, there are three avenues by
which ISD boundries can be detached and annexed by
another ISD. Additional information is attached for
others to review.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">For additional information, contact <b>Assistant
Superintendent <a href="mailto:%20llevels@desotoisd.org">Levatta
Levels</a><br />
</b></span><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Phone (972) 274-8212 Ext. 214;
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:llevels@desotoisd.org">llevels@desotoisd.org</a></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">1. <b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Districts Agreement </span></b>(Either
district can initiate)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">No financial transaction. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">2. <b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Detachment & Annexation </span></b>(Resident
Initiated)</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Pursuant to Texas Education Code Section 13.051,
detachment of territory from one (or more) districts and
annexation of that territory onto another district may
be initiated by petition of registered voters residing
in the territory or the surface owners if the territory
has no residents. None of the affected districts could
initiate this process on their own. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">This process is highly technical in terms of the
requirements the petition must meet and requires each
affected district to conduct a hearing to determine how
the proposed change would affect the social, economic,
and educational well-being of current or potential
future students. Each board must then make findings as
to these issues and adopt a resolution either approving
or disapproving the petition. If all affected districts
approve the petition, the change can go through. If
none do, the issue is closed. If one or more districts
approves the petition and one or more disapprove it, the
matter can be appealed to the Commissioner of Education,
who will hear it <i>de novo</i> – from the beginning.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">The D & A process is complex. For example,
petitions have to meet certain requirements. In
addition, the petitions are not just presented to the
respective boards. There must be a formal public
hearing and a resolution must issue from the respective
boards which outline the findings of the board to either
approve or disapprove the petition. The findings relate
to the educational interests, social, economic and
educational effects of the proposed boundary change. It
is not just a regular motion vote. Further, where all
boards agree with the changes, the changes must then be
submitted to commissioner’s court to allocate property
and indebtedness. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">3. <b><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Chapter 41 Wealth Equalization </span></b>(Chapter
41 District Initiated)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;">Detachment and annexation by agreement is one of
the options for reducing property tax wealth that a
district may use under Chapter 41 of the Texas Education
Code. It is not frequently done, as most districts
prefer to purchase attendance credits or educate
non-resident students as a means of equalizing their
wealth level. In any event, to the extent that one or
more of the neighboring districts may be a so-called
“Chapter 41 district,” they could consider detaching
territory in order to annex that territory onto a
non-property wealthy district, such as DeSoto ISD. This
process does not require the petition and hearing
process dictated by Chapter 13 as described above, but
it does require agreement between the affected
districts. Furthermore, this option can be used by the
Chapter 41 school district only to the extent that it
would successfully result in reduction of property tax
wealth."</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana,geneva;"><a href="http://www.desotoisd.org/?PN=Pages&SubP=Level1Page&L=2&DivisionID=10868&DepartmentID=11574&PageID=23917&ToggleSideNav=ShowAll" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>2014 Desoto ISD Detachment and Annexation Information - Click Here </b></span></a></span></span>Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-70067728129590270662014-05-06T23:00:00.000-05:002014-05-07T14:21:41.534-05:00God created the first teacher on the 8th day and smiled in appreciation<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Teachers, thank you for embracing your students and your calling.</span></b></span><u><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></span></u></div>
<u><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">************ </span></b></span></u><br />
<u><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">God Appreciates Teachers </span></b></span></u></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">In Celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week</span></b></span></u></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">"On the sixth day, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">God created men and women.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">On the seventh day He rested.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Not so much to recuperate,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">but to prepare himself for the work</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">He was going to do on the next day.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">For it was on that day - the eighth day -</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">that He created the first Teacher.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> This Teacher</span>,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">though taken from among men and women</span>,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">had several significant modifications.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">In general,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">God made the Teacher more durable than other men and women.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">He made the Teacher tough ...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">but gentle too.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Into the Teacher God poured a generous amount of patience.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">He gave the Teacher</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">a heart bigger than the average human heart.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">And He gave the Teacher</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">an abundant supply of hope.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">When God finished creating the Teacher,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">He stepped back and admired the work of his hands.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">And God saw that the Teacher was good.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Very good!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">And God smiled,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">for when He looked at the Teacher,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">He saw into the future.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">He was placing the future into the hands of the Teacher.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">And because God loves Teachers so much, on the ninth day God created "snow days." </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> ******************** </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">from <i>Words To Warm A Teachers Heart</i></span></div>
Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-43112488817120696602014-05-02T15:44:00.003-05:002014-05-02T16:02:15.386-05:00An entire school district may elect to convert to charter status by establishing a home‐rule charter<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> <u>Just Say, "NO."</u></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.tasb.org/legislative/resources/documents/charters.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Texas Association of School Boards (TASB)</b></span></a></span><br />
<ul><span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><u>"Home Rule Charter Schools</u></span></b> <b><span style="color: blue;">(Texas Education Code §§12.014‐12.023)</span></b>: <b><i><u><span style="color: blue;"><span style="color: red;">An entire school district</span> may elect to convert to charter status</span> </u></i><span style="color: #cc0000;"><i><u>by establishing a home‐rule charter</u></i>. </span></b>This
conversion requires multiple steps including: the board of trustees
establishing a commission to frame the charter, obtaining preclearance
of the charter by the U.S. Department of Justice (if it would change
the governance of the district), obtaining approval of the charter by
the commissioner of education, adoption of the charter by a majority of
the qualified voters in an election in which at least 25 percent of the
district’s registered voters participate, and certification of the
adopted charter to the secretary of state. At this time, no Texas
school district has sought home‐rule conversion."
</span></li>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Texas Association of School Boards (TASB)</span></li>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.tasb.org/legislative/resources/documents/charters.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Click Here http://www.tasb.org/legislative/resources/documents/charters.pdf</b></span></a></span></li>
</ul>
<div>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Adopting a home rule school district will convert a Texas Education Code <span style="color: blue;"><b>Chapter 11</b></span> Independent School District to a Texas Education Code <span style="color: blue;"><b>Chapter 12</b></span> <span style="color: #cc0000;"><u><b>Home Rule School District Charter status.</b></u> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Dallas ISD will no longer be an Independent District.</span><br />
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
</h3>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><u>Louisiana's Recovery School District</u></span>,</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> a special state-run district that
focuses on remedying the damage Hurricane Katrina wrought on the schools
in its path. <b><span style="color: blue;">(a Charter School District)</span></b></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">"One of those who saw opportunity in the floodwaters of New Orleans was
the late <b><span style="color: blue;">Milton Friedman</span></b>, grand guru of unfettered capitalism and
credited with writing the rulebook for the contemporary, hyper-mobile
global economy. Ninety-three years old and in failing health, "Uncle
Miltie", as he was known to his followers, found the strength to write
an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal three months after the levees
broke. <span style="color: blue;"><b>"<span style="color: #cc0000;">Most New Orleans schools are in ruins</span>,"</b></span> Friedman observed, "as
are the homes of the children who have attended them. The children are
now scattered all over the country. <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>This is a tragedy. It is also an
opportunity."</b></span> (Milton Friedman, Wall Street Journal, December 5, 2005)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>Friedman's radical idea</b></span><span style="font-size: large;"> was that instead of spending a portion of the
billions of dollars in reconstruction money on rebuilding and <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>improving
New Orleans' existing public school system</b></span>, the government should
provide families with vouchers, which they could spend at private
institutions.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">In sharp contrast to the glacial pace with which the levees were
repaired and the electricity grid brought back online, <span style="color: blue;"><b>the
auctioning-off of New Orleans' school system took place with military
speed and precisio</b><b>n</b></span>. Within 19 months, with <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>most of the city's poor
residents still in exile</b></span>, New Orleans' public school system had been
<u><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">almost completely replaced by privately run charter schools.</span></b></u>" <a href="http://www.naomiklein.org/shock-doctrine/excerpt" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>(</b></span></a><a href="http://www.naomiklein.org/shock-doctrine/excerpt" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>The Shock Doctrine - Naoimi Klein - Click Here)</b></span></a></span></blockquote>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Arnie Duncan the U.S. Secretary of Education</b></span> openly advocates <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>mayoral control</b></span> of urban school districts.</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">"Speaking at a forum with mayors and superintendents, Duncan promised to help more mayors take over.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">"At the end of my tenue, if only seven mayors are in control, I think I will have failed, Duncan said.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;"> He
offered to do whatever he can to make the case. "I'll come to your
cities," Duncan said. "I'll meet with your editorial boards. I'll talk
with your business communities. I will be there."</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/arne-duncan-mayors-schools-033109.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>(Arne Duncan: Mayors Should Run Schools - NBC Chicago - 3-31-09) - Click Here </b></span></a></span></div>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<div>
<h1 id="leaf_statute_title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;">
<span id="number" style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">Texas Education Code - Chapter 12 - Charters</span></span></h1>
<h1 style="margin-left: 140px; text-align: center;">
<span id="number" style="font-size: large;">Section 12.002:</span><span style="font-size: large;"> <i><u><span style="color: #cc0000;">Classes Of Charter</span></u></i></span></h1>
<div class="span-14">
<div class="ors_text" id="leaf_statute_body" itemprop="text">
<div class="outline0">
<span style="font-size: large;">The <u><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">classes of charter</span></b></u> under this chapter are:</span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><u>
(1) </u><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><u><b>a home-rule school district charter</b></u> </span></span>as provided by Subchapter B; </span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
(2) <span style="color: blue;">a campus or campus program charter</span> as provided by Subchapter C; or</span></h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">
(3) <span style="color: blue;">an open-enrollment charter</span> as provided by Subchapter D. </span></h3>
<div class="outline0">
<span style="font-size: large;">Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-19330407438285110082014-04-10T15:30:00.000-05:002014-04-10T16:56:58.599-05:00Texas Association of School Boards President issues statement on Dallas home-rule charter school district<div>
</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: large;">Texas Association of School Boards </span><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: large;">(TASB) </span>President Faye Beaulieu issued the following statement that appeared on March 27, 2014 in <i>The Dallas Morning News</i>:</span></div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><i><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">Elected school boards work best</span></i></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: large;">"In
recent days, community leaders in Dallas ISD have allowed their
frustration with what they know about the performance in their local
schools to push them toward <b><span style="color: blue;">a drastic change in local governance</span></b>. Those
at the helm would put before the public the opportunity to sign a
petition to replace the current nine-member elected Board of Trustees
that manages the district with a 15-member appointed board not subject
to public election or many of the Texas Education Code’s mandates. Five
percent of the district’s registered voters must sign the petition to
kick-start the change, and then 25 percent must participate in the
November general election on the proposed new system.</span><br />
</div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: large;">Rather
than stand down an elected board, can we work toward a relationship
where the city and the ISD figure out how to support each other? Can the
city partner with the district to maximize available resources? Can the
district help the city accomplish its goals to continue to attract new
business and tourism?</span></div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: large;">I
urge you to look hard at the forces that would call you to “support our
public schools,” and make sure their tactics are indeed in everyone’s
best interests. <b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><u>Publicly elected school board members, accountable to
those they govern, offer the best oversight for local school districts</u>.</span></b>"</span></div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 10pt;">Faye Beaulieu, president, Texas Association of School Boards, Bedford</span></i></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 10pt;"><i><a href="http://t.e2ma.net/click/gmw0e/kxzhgd/c7dtnb" rel="A Guide to Public Education" target="_blank">A Guide to Public Education</a></i> from TASB Governmental Relations carries useful background on Home-Rule School Districts, and many other topics.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva; font-size: 10pt;"><br /></span>Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-31114779201882742772014-03-27T13:13:00.001-05:002014-03-30T09:05:18.677-05:00Home-rule charter school district automatically changes every Dallas ISD school to a Charter School - much like New Orleans <a href="http://www.tasb.org/legislative/resources/documents/charters.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Texas Association of School Boards (TASB)</b></span></a><br />
<ul>
<li><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><u>Home-Rule Charter Schools</u></span></b> <b><span style="color: blue;">(Texas Education Code §§12.014‐12.023)</span></b>: <span style="color: blue;"><b>An entire school district may elect to convert to charter status</b></span> <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">by establishing a home‐rule charter. </span></b>This
conversion requires multiple steps including: the board of trustees
establishing a commission to frame the charter, obtaining preclearance
of the charter by the U.S. Department of Justice (if it would change
the governance of the district), obtaining approval of the charter by
the commissioner of education, adoption of the charter by a majority of
the qualified voters in an election in which at least 25 percent of the
district’s registered voters participate, and certification of the
adopted charter to the secretary of state. At this time, <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>no Texas
school district has sought home‐rule conversion.</b></span>
</li>
<li>Texas Association of School Boards(TASB)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.tasb.org/legislative/resources/documents/charters.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Click Here http://www.tasb.org/legislative/resources/documents/charters.pdf</b></span></a></li>
</ul>
<div>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><u>Just Say,"No</u>."</span></b></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">What is being proposed is a <span style="color: blue;"><b>Home-Rule Charter School District</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">How do you convert an independent public school district to a <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><u>home-rule charter school district"</u></b></span> while deceiving the public into thinking you are supporting Dallas Independent School District?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Adopting a home rule school district would automatically convert every school in <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Dallas Independent School District </b></span>to a <u><b><span style="color: blue;">Home-Rule Charter School</span>.</b></u>
Like New Orleans, Dallas would immediately become the largest charter school conversion of an independent public school district in the
history of
Texas and America.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Support Our
Public Schools is NOT supporting the traditional public school system.
The group is attempting to destroy traditional public education and
replace it with an instant network of 100% charter schools.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">This is why Mayor Mike Rawlings bashed traditional public schools at a meeting with members of the Hispanic community.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">At
the meeting Mayor Rawlings proclaimed his love for charter schools and called
them better than traditional public schools - which is
completely false. Most charter schools do not provide better test
scores. Most charter schools are quite average, and many are
underperforming.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Mayor Mike Rawlngs also mentioned New
Orleans where the Hurricane Katrina disaster became an opportunity for
politicians and charter school promoters to create the largest charter school experiment in the
nation.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The proposed Dallas ISD charter school experiment would replace New Orleans as the <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>largest charter school district in Texas and America.</b></span></span><br />
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
</h3>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: blue;"><b>Louisiana's Recovery School District</b></span> (a Charter School District) is a special, state-run district that
focuses on remedying the damage Hurricane Katrina wrought on the schools
in its path. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"<span style="color: blue;"><b>One of those who saw opportunity in the floodwaters of New Orleans</b></span> was
the late Milton Friedman, grand guru of unfettered capitalism and
credited with writing the rulebook for the contemporary, hyper-mobile
global economy. Ninety-three years old and in failing health, "Uncle
Miltie", as he was known to his followers, found the strength to write
an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal three months after the levees
broke. "Most New Orleans schools are in ruins," Friedman observed, "as
are the homes of the children who have attended them. The children are
now scattered all over the country. <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>This is a tragedy. It is also an
opportunity."</b></span> (Milton Friedman, Wall Street Journal, December 5, 2005)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b>Friedman's radical idea</b></span> was that instead of spending a portion of the
billions of dollars in reconstruction money on rebuilding and improving
New Orleans' existing public school system, the government should
provide families with vouchers, which they could spend at private
institutions.<br />
<br />
In sharp contrast to the glacial pace with which the levees were
repaired and the electricity grid brought back online, <span style="color: blue;"><b>the
auctioning-off of New Orleans' school system took place with military
speed and precisio</b><b>n</b></span>. Within 19 months, with <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>most of the city's poor
residents still in exile</b></span>, New Orleans' public school system had been
<u><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">almost completely replaced by privately run charter schools.</span></b></u>" <a href="http://www.naomiklein.org/shock-doctrine/excerpt" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>(</b></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.naomiklein.org/shock-doctrine/excerpt" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><b>The Shock Doctrine - Naoimi Klein - Click Here)</b></span></a></span></blockquote>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Arnie Duncan the U.S. Secretary of Education openly advocates mayoral control of urban school districts.</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">"Speaking at a forum with mayors and superintendents, <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Duncan promised to help more mayors take over.</b></span></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">'At the end of my tenure, if only seven mayors are in control, <span style="color: blue;"><b>I think I will have failed</b></span>', Duncan said.</span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">"He
offered to do whatever he can to make the case. 'I'll come to your
cities,' Duncan said. 'I'll meet with your editorial boards. I'll talk
with your business communities.<span style="color: blue;"><b> I will be there'."</b></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/arne-duncan-mayors-schools-033109.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>(Arne Duncan: Mayors Should Run Schools - NBC Chicago - 3-31-09) - Click Here </b></span></a></span></div>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><b>What will result? Will Dallas ISD schools be renamed to reflect the new charter school status? The Support Our Public Schools proposal could create this future:</b></span><br />
<br />
Thomas Jefferson Charter High School<br />
Hillcrest Charter High School <br />
Bryan Adams Charter High School <br />
W. W. Samuell Charter High School <br />
Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Charter Magnet Center <br />
David W. Carter Charter High School <br />
Moises E. Molina Charter High School <br />
Maya Angelou Charter High School <br />
Booker T. Washington Charter High School for the Performing and Visual Arts<br />
<br />
All schools will be charter schools (even if the names are not changed). <br />
<div>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<h1 id="leaf_statute_title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="number"><span style="color: blue;">Texas Education Code</span> </span></span></h1>
<h1 style="margin-left: 140px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span id="number">Section 12.002:</span> Classes Of Charter</span></h1>
<div class="span-14">
<div class="ors_text" id="leaf_statute_body" itemprop="text">
<div class="outline0">
<span style="color: blue;"><b>The classes of charter</b></span> under this chapter are:</div>
<h3>
(1) <span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>a home-rule school district charter</b> </span></span>as provided by Subchapter B; </h3>
<h3>
(2) a campus or campus program charter as provided by Subchapter C; or</h3>
<h3>
(3) an open-enrollment charter as provided by Subchapter D. </h3>
<div class="outline0">
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995.</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-36569585574887180692014-03-25T09:24:00.000-05:002014-03-25T11:33:00.603-05:00Dallas ISD Trustee Mike Morath attempted to amend a new cornerstone principle of the Texas Association of School Boards dealing with opposition to using public funds for mechanisms to privatize public education<span style="font-size: large;">The <span style="color: blue;"><b>Texas Association of School Boards (TASB)</b></span> held its 2013 state Delegate Assembly in Dallas, Texas on Saturday, September 28, 2013. Conference Delegates were presented with a newly proposed Cornerstone Principle for adoption.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The proposed new Cornerstone Principle was written as follows: </span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">"<u><span style="color: blue;"><b>Opposition to the use of public fund</b><b>s</b></span></u> for vouchers, tax credits, and <u><span style="color: blue;"><b>other mechanisms</b></span> <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>to privatize public education.</b></span></u><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>"</b></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">Delegates adopted this Cornerstone principle of the Texas Association of School Boards by 95.39 percent <span style="color: #cc0000;"><u><b>(Yes-331, No-16)</b></u></span>.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Then it was announced that an amendment to the Cornerstone Principle had been sumitted by <span style="color: blue;"><b>Mike Morath (Dallas ISD).</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The minutes of the Delegate Assembly state the following:</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"Hughey announced that an amendment to the proposal had been submitted by <span style="color: blue;"><b>Mike Morath (Dallas ISD)</b></span> with a second by Marshal Wesley (Duncanville ISD). The amendment would alter the language to read:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: large;">Morath amendment: "<u><span style="color: blue;"><b>Opposition to the use of public funds</b></span></u> for vouchers, tax credits, and <u><span style="color: blue;"><b>other mechanisms</b></span> <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>to publicly fund private schools.</b></span></u><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b></b></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">Original language - </span><span style="font-size: large;"><u><span style="color: blue;"><b>"other mechanisms</b></span> <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>to privatize public education.</b></span></u><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>"</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Morath Amendment - </span><span style="font-size: large;"><u><span style="color: blue;"><b>"other mechanisms</b></span> <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>to publicly fund private schools."</b></span></u></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"Garcia called for a vote on the proposed amendment. The amendment failed with Delegates voting against it by 70.92 percent <span style="color: #cc0000;"><u><b>(Yes-98, No-239)</b></u></span>."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"...Garcia called for a vote by Frisbee on the Original proposed language of the new Cornerstone Principle. <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>The Principle was adopted by a two-thirds majority."</b></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Mike Morath amendment failed: It would have exempted charter schools that have become <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>"<u>mechanisms to privatize public education</u>."</b></span> </span>Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-7343624235747032472014-03-24T22:20:00.003-05:002014-03-24T22:48:22.159-05:00An Education Declaration to Rebuild America<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.otlcampaign.org/education-declaration" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>National Opportunity to Learn Campaign</b></span></a></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>"For too long, policymakers have pushed an education agenda that imposes</b> <b><span style="color: orange;">top-down standards</span></b> <b>and <span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="color: orange;">high-stakes testing</span> </span>while ignoring the supports that students need."</b></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br />
<div style="-webkit-box-shadow: inset 0px 0px 100px 0px #0d67ad; background: #1c75bb url(http://www.otlcampaign.org/sites/default/files/top-bg.jpg) top left; box-shadow: inset 0px 0px 100px 0px #0d67ad; color: white; padding: 20px 60px 15px 60px;">
<div style="color: #88cbff; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.6em; letter-spacing: 3px; text-align: center;">
AN EDUCATION DECLARATION TO REBUILD AMERICA<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="font-family: 'LeagueGothicRegular',Arial,sans-serif; letter-spacing: 1px; line-height: 1.3em; text-shadow: 1px 1px 1px rgb(0, 0, 102);">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>For too long, policymakers have pushed an education agenda that imposes</b> <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>t<span style="color: orange;">op-down standards</span></b></span> <b>and</b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> </b></span><span style="color: #ffcea9;"><span style="color: orange;"><b>high-stakes testin</b><b>g</b></span></span> <b>while ignoring the supports that students need.</b></span></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-box-shadow: inset 0px 0px 100px 0px #2b84ca; background: #4f9edc; box-shadow: inset 0px 0px 100px 0px #2b84ca; color: white; float: left; padding: 10px 60px; width: 497px;">
<div style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.5em;">
<b>All children, regardless of race, gender, or class, deserve an opportunity to learn, from pre-K to college.</b><br />
<b>A new approach is needed, based on seven principles:</b></div>
<ul style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 1.5em;">
<li><b>All students have a right to learn.</b></li>
<li><b>Public education is a public good.</b></li>
<li><b>Investments in education must be equitable and sufficient.</b></li>
<li><b>Learning must be engaging and relevant.</b></li>
<li><b>Teachers are professionals.</b></li>
<li><b>Discipline policies should keep students in schools.</b></li>
<li><b>National responsibility should complement local control.</b></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-78645699654587448492014-03-21T16:45:00.000-05:002014-03-24T15:53:36.892-05:00Support Our Public Schools home rule school district charter will likely be used to 'get rid of' Dallas ISD single member trustee districts.<span style="font-size: large;">The name <b><span style="color: blue;">'<u>Support Our Public Schools</u>'</span></b> is clever. It makes the public think this is a group effort that has entered into some kind of friendly relationship with Dallas ISD. Not so. It is just the opposite. The agenda is hostile to Dallas ISD in every way.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">A more appropriate name that reveals the true political intention would be <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">"<u>Take Over Our Public Schools</u>" </span></b>so that Mayor Mike Rawlings can run them. At least that would be truthful. Instead, we hear Mayor Rawlings ask for a blank piece of paper to fill in as he pleases.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">See <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;">Steve Pickett's (CBS 11)</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"> </span>interview with Mayor Mike Rawlings on 3-19-14:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span style="color: #333333;">"Mayor Rawlings said the home-rule district proposal isn’t about him, but during the CBS 11 interview Steve Pickett asked, “</span><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><u>The Mayor will be the CEO of the Dallas School District</u>,</span></b> <b><span style="color: blue;">would you support that?</span></b><span style="color: #333333;">” Rawlings answered, “I don’t know. I would have to put it in the context of everything else. </span><b><span style="color: blue;">If over 80,000 people in this city say that idea is a good idea, I think democracy has spoken and </span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><u>we’ve got to endorse it</u></span></b><span style="color: #333333;">.”</span><b><span style="color: blue;">(3-19-14)</span></b></span> <b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2014/03/19/dallas-mayor-talks-disd-home-rule-district-with-cbs-11/" target="_blank">CBS 11 - CLICK HERE</a></span></b></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2014/03/19/dallas-mayor-talks-disd-home-rule-district-with-cbs-11" target="_blank">http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2014/03/19/dallas-mayor-talks-disd-home-rule-district-with-cbs-11</a></b></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;">There are other hidden agendas such as destroying single member districts.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">One of the chief advocates of getting rid of Dallas ISD single member school districts is Wick Allison, publisher of D Magazine. See the article below. The article was originally published in <b><span style="color: blue;">D Magazine</span></b> on June 25, 2013.</span><br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;"><a href="http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2013/06/25/can-we-finally-get-rid-of-disd-single-member-districts/" target="_blank">Click Here for D Magazine</a></span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="article-header blog-header clearfix no-hero" id="article-header" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 3px; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 15px 10px; position: relative;">
<h2 class="entry-title" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.901961); background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: BentonModDisp, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; line-height: 1; margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px; padding: 5px 10px; position: relative; width: 645.2916870117188px; z-index: 100;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Can We Finally Get Rid of Dallas ISD Single-Member Districts? </span></h2>
<div class="metadata" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: BentonSansRE; font-size: 10px; line-height: 14px; padding: 5px 25px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<span class="issue" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><b><span style="color: blue;">06/25/2013</span></b><span style="color: grey;"> |</span></span><span style="color: grey;"> </span><span class="byline" style="border-right-color: rgb(153, 153, 153); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #999999; display: block; float: left; font-family: BentonSansREBold; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px;"><a href="http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/author/wallison/" rel="author" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; text-decoration: none;">BY WICK ALLISON</a></span><span class="categories" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: grey;">POSTED IN <a href="http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/category/education/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; text-decoration: none;" title="View all posts in Education">EDUCATION</a>, <a href="http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/category/law/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; text-decoration: none;" title="View all posts in Law">LAW</a>, <a href="http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/category/featured-categories/local-news/" rel="category tag" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; text-decoration: none;" title="View all posts in Local News">LOCAL NEWS</a>.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="article-body clearfix" id="article-body" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: BentonModernRE, Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 0.875rem; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 15px 70px; position: relative;">
<ul class="social-bar" style="box-sizing: border-box; left: 0px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 15px;">
<li class="comments" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #999999; font-family: BentonSansCond, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 16px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; width: 55px;"><a href="http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2013/06/25/can-we-finally-get-rid-of-disd-single-member-districts/#comments" style="background-color: #ee3124; box-sizing: border-box; color: white; display: block; font-size: 11px; padding: 8px 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-family: BentonSansCondBold, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;">13</span>comments</a></li>
<li class="fb-share" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #999999; font-family: BentonSansCond, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; padding: 0px; text-align: center; width: 55px;"><a class="fb-share" data-url="http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2013/06/25/can-we-finally-get-rid-of-disd-single-member-districts/" href="http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2013/06/25/can-we-finally-get-rid-of-disd-single-member-districts/#" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: grey; text-decoration: none;" title="Share To Facebook"><span class="icon-facebook" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-image: none; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: repeat; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: FontAwesome; font-size: 16px; height: auto; line-height: normal; margin-top: 0px; padding: 10px 0px; text-decoration: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; width: 1.25em;"></span></a></li>
<li class="twitter-share" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border-bottom-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #999999; font-family: BentonSansCond, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; padding: 0px; text-align: center; width: 55px;"><a class="twitter-share" data-url="http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2013/06/25/can-we-finally-get-rid-of-disd-single-member-districts/" href="http://frontburner.dmagazine.com/2013/06/25/can-we-finally-get-rid-of-disd-single-member-districts/#" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: grey; text-decoration: none;" title="Share To Twitter"><span class="icon-twitter" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-image: none; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: repeat; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-family: FontAwesome; font-size: 16px; height: auto; line-height: normal; margin-top: 0px; padding: 10px 0px; text-decoration: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; width: 1.25em;"></span></a></li>
</ul>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<a class="size-full wp-image-81622 alignright" href="http://frontburner.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/dmag_cover_091980.png" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(238, 49, 36); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; float: right; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: -70px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="dmag_cover_091980" class="size-full wp-image-81622 alignright" src="http://frontburner.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/dmag_cover_091980.png" height="240" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; float: right; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" width="175" /></a>The Supreme Court’s overturning of the key provision of the Voting Rights Act may present a real opportunity for the long-suffering Dallas ISD. Our response to it should be an enthusiastic <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">LET’S GO!!</span></b></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box;">
Single-member districts were ordered by the Legislature in 1973 in response to the Act. Since that time, the dysfunction of the board has been the largest contributor to the DISD’s low performance, even including the prevalence of disadvantaged students. Board members have a pattern, dating back decades (as this <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">D Magazine</i> cover from 1980 shows) of interfering with the administration, attempting to create fiefdoms out of the schools in their districts, obstructing the firing of incompetent administrators, principals, and teachers, and placing personal agendas above the performance of students.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Besides being a drag on the system, single-member districts are outdated and ineffective.</b></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<span id="more-81609" style="box-sizing: border-box;"></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box;">
Point 1: Single-member districts have not achieved their desired goal of substantially increasing minority representation. Seventy percent of DISD students are Hispanic yet there is currently no Hispanic member of the board.</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box;">
Point 2: Four decades after single-member districts were ordered, it seems disingenuous to suggest that they are still needed to protect black voters from losing representation in an overwhelmingly white city. For one thing, the city is today only 50.7 percent white. Second, this is a city that twice elected a black mayor and twice voted for a black man to be president (last year in a 57-43 landslide).</div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box;">
The Supreme Court has now handed Dallas a golden opportunity to fix the biggest problem we have: our public school system. <span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Let’s seize it.</b></span></div>
</div>
Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-46255268811435562302014-03-18T03:12:00.002-05:002014-03-18T03:43:22.470-05:00Mayor Mike Rawlings audio tape advocates the removal of elected Dallas ISD TrusteesAt a meeting on March 13, 2014 with Hispanic citizens at Agape Memorial United Methodist Church, Mayor Mike Rawlings made his case for taking over Dallas ISD.<br />
<br />
Mayor Rawlings specifically mentioned that Dallas ISD Trustee Mike Morath suggested to him that the takeover happen this election year or they would have to wait another two years for the next November election.<br />
<br />
On the tape obtained by the Dallas Morning News below, Mayor Rawlings advocates the removal of Dallas ISD Trustees - the same Trustees who have allowed him to unethically meddle into the affairs of Dallas ISD and interfere during the hiring of Superintendent Mike Miles.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://educationblog.dallasnews.com/2014/03/audio-mayor-mike-rawlings-discusses-home-rule-with-hispanic-leaders-leaves-meeting-early.html/" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.2em;" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Audio: Mayor Mike Rawlings discusses home rule with Hispanic leaders, leaves meeting early-DMN</span></b></a><br />
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Ll8Y_MNuKgg" width="560"></iframe>
<br />
<br />Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-59516992397629122242014-03-09T17:47:00.003-05:002014-03-09T17:56:09.007-05:00'3 Blind Mikes' Song Lyrics - Mayor Mike Rawlings - Trustee Mike Morath - Superintendent Mike Miles and Home-Rule School District Charter<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">"3 Blind Mikes"</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">(Mayor Mike Rawlings - Trustee Mike Morath - Supt. Mike Miles)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Lyrics by Carla Ranger</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Sunday, March 9, 2014</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Set to the tune of</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><b>"3 Blind Mice"</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">a popular children's rhyme</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">written by John Thompson</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0C71QNtddiU" width="560"></iframe>
-----------------------------</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Lyrics by Carla Ranger</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">3 Blind Mikes</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">3 Blind Mikes</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Watch what they say.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">They change what they say.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">It's one word by day</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">But another by night.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">They're trying to take away</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">Voting rights.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Now we must fight it </span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">With all our might.</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">3 Blind Mikes</span></b><br />
<b>3 Blind Mikes</b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">3 ... Blind ... Mikes ...</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://carlaranger.blogspot.com/2014/03/3-blind-mikes-mayor-mike-rawlings.html" target="_blank">Click Here</a></span></b></div>
<h1 class="title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: #fafafa; display: table-cell; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 40px 0px 0px; position: relative; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; width: 670px;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-small; outline: none; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://carlaranger.blogspot.com/2014/03/3-blind-mikes-mayor-mike-rawlings.html" target="_blank">3 Blind Mikes - Mayor Mike Rawlings - Trustee Mike Morath - Superintendent Mike Miles support </a><a href="http://carlaranger.blogspot.com/2014/03/3-blind-mikes-mayor-mike-rawlings.html" itemprop="url" rel="bookmark">the radical takeover of Dallas ISD </a><br />-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></h1>
Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-85618086080398691872014-03-09T13:45:00.000-05:002014-03-09T16:37:47.213-05:00"3 sources say home rule was pitched with Dallas mayor running schools" - Matthew Haag - Dallas Morning News<span style="font-size: large;">This following information is a reprint of the full article written by Dallas Morning News staff writer Matthew Haag. The article was published on Saturday, March 8, 2014.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The article shows the real agenda of the backers of Support Our Public Schools, Mayor Mike Rawlings and Trustee Mike Morath.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">The agenda is to get voters to </span></b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">give up their right to elect school Trustees in order to create a system giving Mayor Mike Rawlings the right to appoint and control all Dallas ISD school Trustees.</span></b> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">This will be trading democratic election of school Trustees for undemocratic appointment by a Mayor. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Just say, "No."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20140307-3-sources-say-home-rule-was-pitched-with-dallas-mayor-running-schools.ece" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Click Here to see the original article</span></b><span style="color: #cc0000;">.</span></a></span><br />
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
<div class="widget storyContent article title" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-top: 20px;">
<h1 class="viziwyg-editable viziwyg-field-1504556-TITLE viziwyg-section-7459" style="font-size: 2.1em; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
3 sources say home rule was pitched with Dallas mayor running schools</h1>
</div>
<div id="shareBarOutterWrapper" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-top-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-top-style: dotted; border-top-width: 2px; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 10px; position: relative;">
<div gigid="showShareBarUI" id="shareBarDiv" style="visibility: visible;">
<div class="gig-bar-container gig-share-bar-container" style="position: relative;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; color: #4d4d4d; float: none; font-family: arial; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><tbody style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">
<tr style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><td style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 3px 0px; vertical-align: middle; white-space: nowrap; width: auto; zoom: 1;"><div class="gig-button-container gig-button-container-count-none gig-button-container-email gig-button-container-email-count-none gig-share-button-container gig-button-container-horizontal" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; display: inline-block; float: none; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 0px; vertical-align: top; width: auto;">
<div alt="" class="gig-button gig-share-button gig-button-up gig-button-count-none" id="shareBarDiv-reaction0" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; cursor: pointer; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;" title="">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; color: #4d4d4d; float: none; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><tbody style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">
<tr style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction0-left" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"></td><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction0-icon" style="background-image: none; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; zoom: 1;"><div id="shareBarDiv-reaction0-email_img" style="background-image: url(http://cdn.gigya.com/gs/GetSprite.ashx?path=%2FshareBar%2Fbutton%2Fbutton%5Bleft%2Cright%5DImg%5Bup%2Cover%5D.png%7C2%2C20%5E%2FshareBar%2Fbutton%2FrightCountImg.png%7C38%2C20%5E%2Fsharebar%2Ficons%2F%5Bemail%2Cprint%2Cshare%2Cfacebook%2Ctwitter%2Cpinterest%2Cgoogleplus%2Ccomments%5D.png%7C16%2C16); background-position: -46px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; height: 16px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; width: 16px;">
</div>
</td><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction0-right" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</td><td style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 3px 0px; vertical-align: middle; white-space: nowrap; width: auto; zoom: 1;"><div class="gig-button-container gig-button-container-count-none gig-button-container-print gig-button-container-print-count-none gig-share-button-container gig-button-container-horizontal" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; display: inline-block; float: none; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 0px; vertical-align: top; width: auto;">
<div alt="" class="gig-button gig-share-button gig-button-up gig-button-count-none" id="shareBarDiv-reaction1" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; cursor: pointer; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;" title="">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; color: #4d4d4d; float: none; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><tbody style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">
<tr style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction1-left" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"></td><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction1-icon" style="background-image: none; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; zoom: 1;"><div id="shareBarDiv-reaction1-print_img" style="background-image: url(http://cdn.gigya.com/gs/GetSprite.ashx?path=%2FshareBar%2Fbutton%2Fbutton%5Bleft%2Cright%5DImg%5Bup%2Cover%5D.png%7C2%2C20%5E%2FshareBar%2Fbutton%2FrightCountImg.png%7C38%2C20%5E%2Fsharebar%2Ficons%2F%5Bemail%2Cprint%2Cshare%2Cfacebook%2Ctwitter%2Cpinterest%2Cgoogleplus%2Ccomments%5D.png%7C16%2C16); background-position: -62px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; height: 16px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; width: 16px;">
</div>
</td><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction1-right" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</td><td style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 3px 0px; vertical-align: middle; white-space: nowrap; width: auto; zoom: 1;"><div class="gig-button-container gig-button-container-count-none gig-button-container-share gig-button-container-share-count-none gig-share-button-container gig-button-container-horizontal" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; display: inline-block; float: none; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 0px; vertical-align: top; width: auto;">
<div alt="" class="gig-button gig-share-button gig-button-up gig-button-count-none" id="shareBarDiv-reaction2" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; cursor: pointer; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;" title="">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; color: #4d4d4d; float: none; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><tbody style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">
<tr style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction2-left" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"></td><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction2-icon" style="background-image: none; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; zoom: 1;"><img alt="" id="shareBarDiv-reaction2-icon_img" src="https://cdns.gigya.com/gs/i/sharebar/icons/share3.png" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; display: block; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;" /></td><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction2-right" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</td><td style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 3px 0px; vertical-align: middle; white-space: nowrap; width: auto; zoom: 1;"><div class="gig-button-container gig-button-container-count-right gig-button-container-facebook gig-button-container-facebook-count-right gig-share-button-container gig-button-container-horizontal" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; display: inline-block; float: none; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 0px; vertical-align: top; width: auto;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; color: #4d4d4d; float: none; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><tbody style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">
<tr style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><td class="gig-button-td" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;"><div alt="" class="gig-button gig-share-button gig-button-up gig-button-count-right" id="shareBarDiv-reaction3" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; cursor: pointer; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;" title="">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; color: #4d4d4d; float: none; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><tbody style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">
<tr style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction3-left" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"></td><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction3-icon" style="background-image: none; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; zoom: 1;"><div id="shareBarDiv-reaction3-facebook_img" style="background-image: url(http://cdn.gigya.com/gs/GetSprite.ashx?path=%2FshareBar%2Fbutton%2Fbutton%5Bleft%2Cright%5DImg%5Bup%2Cover%5D.png%7C2%2C20%5E%2FshareBar%2Fbutton%2FrightCountImg.png%7C38%2C20%5E%2Fsharebar%2Ficons%2F%5Bemail%2Cprint%2Cshare%2Cfacebook%2Ctwitter%2Cpinterest%2Cgoogleplus%2Ccomments%5D.png%7C16%2C16); background-position: -94px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; height: 16px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; width: 16px;">
</div>
</td><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction3-right" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td><td style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><div class="gig-counter gig-share-counter gig-counter-$rid gig-counter-right" id="shareBarDiv-reaction3-count" style="background-image: url(http://cdn.gigya.com/gs/GetSprite.ashx?path=%2FshareBar%2Fbutton%2Fbutton%5Bleft%2Cright%5DImg%5Bup%2Cover%5D.png%7C2%2C20%5E%2FshareBar%2Fbutton%2FrightCountImg.png%7C38%2C20%5E%2Fsharebar%2Ficons%2F%5Bemail%2Cprint%2Cshare%2Cfacebook%2Ctwitter%2Cpinterest%2Cgoogleplus%2Ccomments%5D.png%7C16%2C16); background-position: -8px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; height: 20px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px auto 0px 1px; padding: 0px; position: static; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; width: 38px; zoom: 1;">
<span class="gig-counter-text gig-share-counter-text gig-counter-text-right gig-share-counter-text-right" id="shareBarDiv-reaction3-count-value" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; left: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: auto; zoom: 1;">86</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td><td style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 3px 0px; vertical-align: middle; white-space: nowrap; width: auto; zoom: 1;"><div class="gig-button-container gig-button-container-count-right gig-button-container-twitter gig-button-container-twitter-count-right gig-share-button-container gig-button-container-horizontal" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; display: inline-block; float: none; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 0px; vertical-align: top; width: auto;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; color: #4d4d4d; float: none; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><tbody style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">
<tr style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><td class="gig-button-td" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;"><div alt="" class="gig-button gig-share-button gig-button-up gig-button-count-right" id="shareBarDiv-reaction4" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; cursor: pointer; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;" title="">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; color: #4d4d4d; float: none; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><tbody style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">
<tr style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction4-left" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"></td><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction4-icon" style="background-image: none; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; zoom: 1;"><div id="shareBarDiv-reaction4-twitter_img" style="background-image: url(http://cdn.gigya.com/gs/GetSprite.ashx?path=%2FshareBar%2Fbutton%2Fbutton%5Bleft%2Cright%5DImg%5Bup%2Cover%5D.png%7C2%2C20%5E%2FshareBar%2Fbutton%2FrightCountImg.png%7C38%2C20%5E%2Fsharebar%2Ficons%2F%5Bemail%2Cprint%2Cshare%2Cfacebook%2Ctwitter%2Cpinterest%2Cgoogleplus%2Ccomments%5D.png%7C16%2C16); background-position: -110px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; height: 16px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; width: 16px;">
</div>
</td><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction4-right" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td><td style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><div class="gig-counter gig-share-counter gig-counter-$rid gig-counter-right" id="shareBarDiv-reaction4-count" style="background-image: url(http://cdn.gigya.com/gs/GetSprite.ashx?path=%2FshareBar%2Fbutton%2Fbutton%5Bleft%2Cright%5DImg%5Bup%2Cover%5D.png%7C2%2C20%5E%2FshareBar%2Fbutton%2FrightCountImg.png%7C38%2C20%5E%2Fsharebar%2Ficons%2F%5Bemail%2Cprint%2Cshare%2Cfacebook%2Ctwitter%2Cpinterest%2Cgoogleplus%2Ccomments%5D.png%7C16%2C16); background-position: -8px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; height: 20px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px auto 0px 1px; padding: 0px; position: static; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; width: 38px; zoom: 1;">
<span class="gig-counter-text gig-share-counter-text gig-counter-text-right gig-share-counter-text-right" id="shareBarDiv-reaction4-count-value" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; left: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: auto; zoom: 1;">33</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td><td style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 3px 0px; vertical-align: middle; white-space: nowrap; width: auto; zoom: 1;"><div class="gig-button-container gig-button-container-count-right gig-button-container-pinterest gig-button-container-pinterest-count-right gig-share-button-container gig-button-container-horizontal" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; display: inline-block; float: none; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 0px; vertical-align: top; width: auto;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; color: #4d4d4d; float: none; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><tbody style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">
<tr style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><td class="gig-button-td" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;"><div alt="" class="gig-button gig-share-button gig-button-up gig-button-count-right" id="shareBarDiv-reaction5" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; cursor: pointer; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;" title="">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; color: #4d4d4d; float: none; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><tbody style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">
<tr style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction5-left" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"></td><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction5-icon" style="background-image: none; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; zoom: 1;"><div id="shareBarDiv-reaction5-pinterest_img" style="background-image: url(http://cdn.gigya.com/gs/GetSprite.ashx?path=%2FshareBar%2Fbutton%2Fbutton%5Bleft%2Cright%5DImg%5Bup%2Cover%5D.png%7C2%2C20%5E%2FshareBar%2Fbutton%2FrightCountImg.png%7C38%2C20%5E%2Fsharebar%2Ficons%2F%5Bemail%2Cprint%2Cshare%2Cfacebook%2Ctwitter%2Cpinterest%2Cgoogleplus%2Ccomments%5D.png%7C16%2C16); background-position: -126px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; height: 16px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; width: 16px;">
</div>
</td><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction5-right" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td><td style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><div class="gig-counter gig-share-counter gig-counter-$rid gig-counter-right" id="shareBarDiv-reaction5-count" style="background-image: url(http://cdn.gigya.com/gs/GetSprite.ashx?path=%2FshareBar%2Fbutton%2Fbutton%5Bleft%2Cright%5DImg%5Bup%2Cover%5D.png%7C2%2C20%5E%2FshareBar%2Fbutton%2FrightCountImg.png%7C38%2C20%5E%2Fsharebar%2Ficons%2F%5Bemail%2Cprint%2Cshare%2Cfacebook%2Ctwitter%2Cpinterest%2Cgoogleplus%2Ccomments%5D.png%7C16%2C16); background-position: -8px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; height: 20px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px auto 0px 1px; padding: 0px; position: static; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; width: 38px; zoom: 1;">
<span class="gig-counter-text gig-share-counter-text gig-counter-text-right gig-share-counter-text-right" id="shareBarDiv-reaction5-count-value" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; left: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: auto; zoom: 1;">0</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td><td style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 3px 0px; vertical-align: bottom; white-space: nowrap; width: auto; zoom: 1;"><div class="gig-button-container gig-button-container-count-right gig-button-container-googleplus-share gig-button-container-googleplus-share-count-right gig-share-button-container gig-button-container-horizontal" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; display: inline-block; float: none; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 0px; vertical-align: top; width: auto;">
<div id="shareBarDiv-reaction6" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; line-height: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">
<div id="___plus_0" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; display: inline-block; float: none; font-size: 1px; height: 20px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 82px;">
<iframe data-gapiattached="true" frameborder="0" hspace="0" id="I0_1394389840636" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="I0_1394389840636" scrolling="no" src="https://apis.google.com/u/0/_/+1/sharebutton?plusShare=true&usegapi=1&action=share&annotation=bubble&height=&width=&hl=en&origin=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dallasnews.com&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dallasnews.com%2Fnews%2Feducation%2Fheadlines%2F20140307-3-sources-say-home-rule-was-pitched-with-dallas-mayor-running-schools.ece&gsrc=3p&ic=1&jsh=m%3B%2F_%2Fscs%2Fapps-static%2F_%2Fjs%2Fk%3Doz.gapi.en.IHOtkkKNmfU.O%2Fm%3D__features__%2Fam%3DAQ%2Frt%3Dj%2Fd%3D1%2Ft%3Dzcms%2Frs%3DAItRSTOHV2jw5pw1tibIkmsNuFfcEQ91FQ#_methods=onPlusOne%2C_ready%2C_close%2C_open%2C_resizeMe%2C_renderstart%2Concircled%2Cdrefresh%2Cerefresh%2Conendinteraction%2Conload&id=I0_1394389840636&parent=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dallasnews.com&pfname=&rpctoken=27846310" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-style: none; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; float: none; font-size: 10px; height: 20px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; top: 0px; visibility: visible; width: 82px;" tabindex="0" title="+Share" vspace="0" width="100%"></iframe></div>
</div>
</div>
</td><td style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 3px 0px; vertical-align: middle; white-space: nowrap; width: auto; zoom: 1;"><div class="gig-button-container gig-button-container-count-right gig-button-container-comments gig-button-container-comments-count-right gig-share-button-container gig-button-container-horizontal" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; display: inline-block; float: none; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 0px; vertical-align: top; width: auto;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; color: #4d4d4d; float: none; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><tbody style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">
<tr style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><td class="gig-button-td" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;"><div alt="" class="gig-button gig-share-button gig-button-up gig-button-count-right" id="shareBarDiv-reaction7" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; cursor: pointer; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;" title="">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; color: #4d4d4d; float: none; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><tbody style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;">
<tr style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction7-left" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"></td><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction7-icon" style="background-image: none; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; zoom: 1;"><div id="shareBarDiv-reaction7-comments_img" style="background-image: url(http://cdn.gigya.com/gs/GetSprite.ashx?path=%2FshareBar%2Fbutton%2Fbutton%5Bleft%2Cright%5DImg%5Bup%2Cover%5D.png%7C2%2C20%5E%2FshareBar%2Fbutton%2FrightCountImg.png%7C38%2C20%5E%2Fsharebar%2Ficons%2F%5Bemail%2Cprint%2Cshare%2Cfacebook%2Ctwitter%2Cpinterest%2Cgoogleplus%2Ccomments%5D.png%7C16%2C16); background-position: -158px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; height: 16px; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; width: 16px;">
</div>
</td><td id="shareBarDiv-reaction7-right" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td><td style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"><div class="gig-counter gig-share-counter gig-counter-$rid gig-counter-right" id="shareBarDiv-reaction7-count" style="background-image: url(http://cdn.gigya.com/gs/GetSprite.ashx?path=%2FshareBar%2Fbutton%2Fbutton%5Bleft%2Cright%5DImg%5Bup%2Cover%5D.png%7C2%2C20%5E%2FshareBar%2Fbutton%2FrightCountImg.png%7C38%2C20%5E%2Fsharebar%2Ficons%2F%5Bemail%2Cprint%2Cshare%2Cfacebook%2Ctwitter%2Cpinterest%2Cgoogleplus%2Ccomments%5D.png%7C16%2C16); background-position: -8px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; height: 20px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px auto 0px 1px; padding: 0px; position: static; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; width: 38px; zoom: 1;">
<span class="gig-counter-text gig-share-counter-text gig-counter-text-right gig-share-counter-text-right" id="shareBarDiv-reaction7-count-value" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; left: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; width: auto; zoom: 1;">20</span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td><td style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 3px 5px 3px 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: bottom; white-space: nowrap; width: auto; zoom: 1;"><span class="textToolsWrapper" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; display: inline-block; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; top: 0px; width: auto;"><span class="textToolsLargeText" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; display: inline-block; float: none; font-size: 22px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;">A</span><span class="textToolsText" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; display: inline-block; float: none; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;">A</span><span class="textToolsIcons" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; display: inline-block; float: none; height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px 0px 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;"><img class="changeTextSize" src="http://www.dallasnews.com/skins/dmn/gfx/size-up.png" id="large" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; display: block; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;" /></span><span class="textToolsIcons" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; display: inline-block; float: none; height: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;"><img class="changeTextSize" src="http://www.dallasnews.com/skins/dmn/gfx/size-down.png" id="small" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: none; display: block; float: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;" /></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="widget storyContent article leadDisplay" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-top: 20px;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="ssStory1504556" style="color: #005689;"></a><br />
<div id="ssStory1504556">
<div class="w620" id="ssStory" style="padding-bottom: 20px;">
<div id="ssImage" style="background-color: black; height: 413px; text-align: center; width: 620px;">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="ssImageTbl" style="height: 413px; width: 620px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="ssImageTd" id="ssStoryContentImgTd" style="height: 413px; width: 620px;"><img alt="" src="http://www.dallasnews.com/incoming/20140308-nm_04petition_36329294.jpg.ece/BINARY/w620x413/NM_04PETITION_36329294.JPG" style="border: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div id="ssImageFooter" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Arial; padding: 10px; width: 600px;">
<div class="ssImageCredit" id="ssStoryContentCredit" style="font-size: 11px; padding-bottom: 5px; text-align: right; width: 600px;">
Nathan Hunsinger/Staff Photographer</div>
<div class="ssImageCaption" id="ssStoryContentCaption" style="font-size: 13px; min-height: 50px; padding-bottom: 10px; width: 600px;">
Volunteer Jim Olson gets Lorena Villanueva to sign a petition seeking home-rule of the Dallas Independent School District at Robert E. Lee Elementary School in Dallas.</div>
<div class="ssImageNav" style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; text-align: right; width: 600px;">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="display: inline-block;"><tbody>
<tr><td id="ssStoryCountCur" valign="middle">1</td><td id="ssStoryCountOf" style="padding-left: 5px;" valign="middle">of</td><td id="ssStoryCountTot" style="padding-left: 5px;" valign="middle">3</td><td id="ssStoryCountPrev" style="padding-left: 10px; width: 20px;" valign="middle"></td><td id="ssStoryCountNext" style="padding-left: 5px; width: 20px;" valign="middle"><a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20140307-3-sources-say-home-rule-was-pitched-with-dallas-mayor-running-schools.ece?ssimg=1504728#ssStory1504556" style="color: #005689; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Next Image" src="http://www.dallasnews.com/resources/images/slideshow/ss-right.png" style="border: 0px; padding: 0px;" /></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="widget storyContent article subtitle articleSubhead" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-top: 20px;">
</div>
<div class="widget storyContent article byline" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-top: 20px;">
<div class="byline">
<div class="">
<div style="float: left; width: 305px;">
<div class="authorName" style="color: #333333; float: left; font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; width: 310px;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" rel="author" style="color: #005689;">By MATTHEW HAAG</a></div>
<div class="authorCredit" style="color: #333333; float: left; font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; width: 310px;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" rel="author" style="color: #005689;">Staff Writer</a></div>
<div class="authorEmail" style="color: #333333; float: left; font-size: 0.75em; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px; width: 310px;">
<a href="mailto:mhaag@dallasnews.com" style="color: #005689; text-decoration: none;">mhaag@dallasnews.com</a></div>
<div class="authorDateline" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; font-size: 0.65em; line-height: 1.65em; padding: 0px;">
<span class="label">Published:</span> 07 March 2014 11:14 PM</div>
<div class="authorDateline" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51) !important; font-size: 0.65em; line-height: 1.65em; padding: 0px;">
<span class="label">Updated:</span> 08 March 2014 03:01 AM</div>
</div>
<div style="clear: both;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="DMNReferWrapper" style="background-color: white; clear: right; float: right; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 10px; width: 302px;">
<div class="floatingContent" style="border: 1px solid rgb(168, 168, 168); float: right; font-size: 0.8em; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; width: 300px;">
<div class="moreOnThisStory" style="background-color: #dedede; font-size: 1.1em; font-weight: bold; height: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 10px; padding-top: 5px;">
Related</div>
<div class="floatingContent-right " style="clear: both; float: right; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; width: 300px;">
<div class="widget relatedContents related" style="font-size: 0.95em; margin: 0px !important; padding: 0px 10px !important;">
<ul style="border: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li class="first" style="border: none; list-style: none; margin: 0px 0px 6px; padding: 0px;"><div class="DMNReferLink" style="color: #666666; line-height: 1.65em; padding: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/sunday-commentary/20140307-qa-mike-morath-on-home-rule-for-disd.ece" style="color: #005689; text-decoration: none;">Q&A: Mike Morath on home rule for DISD</a></div>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="wrappingContent " style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; overflow: visible;">
<div class="widget storyContent article body" style="margin-top: 20px; overflow: visible;">
<div class="body viziwyg-editable viziwyg-field-1504556-BODY viziwyg-section-7459" style="overflow: visible;">
<div class="entry-content" style="overflow: visible;">
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
Mayor Mike Rawlings and Dallas ISD trustee Mike Morath have denied they’re seeking any specific results in supporting an effort to overhaul the school system.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Yet three people who have been briefed on the initiative said they were told the goals include establishing a different system of governing the district, perhaps under the mayor’s oversight.</b></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
Rawlings said in a written statement Friday that he has decided that “proposing a specific change in governance was not the right way to go.”</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
“I spoke with several leaders about this issue before I endorsed Support Our Public Schools, and a lot of potential changes to the charter were discussed,” he said.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
If approved by voters after a successful petition drive, Dallas ISD would move to a home-rule charter that would possibly change how it is governed and operates.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
A state law grants home-rule districts more freedom to make decisions, such as modifying the state-mandated curriculum, ignoring teacher labor laws and increasing local control of the district.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
The initiative became public a week ago. But in the preceding months, Morath and Rawlings worked privately to build political support for it.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
The three people, who agreed to speak to <em style="overflow: visible;">The Dallas Morning News </em>on the condition of anonymity, said that in recent conversations, <b><u><span style="color: #cc0000;">Morath and Rawlings mentioned replacing the district’s publicly elected board with appointed members.</span></u></b></div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><u>“It is orchestrated. I hate to see stuff that’s not grass roots being portrayed as it is</u>,” said a former city official whom the mayor recruited unsuccessfully to endorse the effort. “They should be straightforward that </span><span style="color: blue;"><u>they are coming after the trustees</u></span><span style="color: #cc0000;">.”</span></b></div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
The five board members of Support Our Public Schools haven’t publicly criticized the district’s trustees or suggested they be replaced. Those members have instead talked about other possibilities with home rule.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
<b><span style="color: blue;">But the former city official said the mayor’s spokesman, Sam Merten, called several weeks ago and spoke bluntly about the effort.</span></b></div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
<u>“</u><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><u>He said that the mayor would run DISD or oversee it. You wouldn’t have trustees. If you did, they wouldn’t be making decisions,”</u> the former official said.</span></b></div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
Merten said Friday that he doesn’t recall telling anyone that the mayor would oversee DISD and has only mentioned it as a possibility.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
In an interview Friday, Morath said he has “nothing to do with Support Our Public Schools.” But he also called DISD’s board “broken” and said all options for change should be considered.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
“We have a system of governance that doesn’t focus its energy or attention or goals on improving outcomes for kids,” he said. “When was the last time the board talked about the achievement gap?”</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
Meeting with the <em style="overflow: visible;">News</em> editorial board Thursday, an impassioned Rawlings spoke about his dissatisfaction with voter apathy in DISD board elections and the community’s complacency with student achievement.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
“An average of a thousand votes per board of trustee? No wonder we are this bad,” the mayor said. “This is a disaster, and for us to sit around and try to argue kind of politics about this is naive and is not going to change things.”</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
The school charter has never been used in Texas. But if 5 percent of DISD’s registered voters sign a Support Our Public Schools petition, the school board would be required to name 15 people to a commission to write the district’s charter.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
The charter then would need approval of local voters and the state education commissioner. The group declined Friday to say how many of the required 24,459 signatures it had collected.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
Because district trustees would appoint the commissioners, the process suggests that outside forces couldn’t control the outcome. However, according to the former city official, Merten said the group’s backers had recruited people to be on the commission and believed a majority of DISD trustees would vote them in.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
“He said he would propose a slate of people for the charter that they knew would put in place the charter they would want. They would have enough votes on the DISD board to get that passed,” the person said. “You’d have the folks in place already who are committed no matter the public outpouring or opposition.”</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
Merten denied telling anyone that and said there is not a list of suggested commissioners. “That’s completely inaccurate. There has not been one conversation about who would serve on this potential commission,” he said.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
While Rawlings has no current oversight of Dallas ISD, he has long been interested in the district. When he ran for mayor, he made education a top priority. And his biography on the city’s website says he has taken a “hands-on approach” to the schools. Rawlings also suggested Miles’ name to the school board’s superintendent search firm.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
A former DISD board member said Rawlings told him that if just two Miles’ supporters left, the majority could swing against the superintendent.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
“The mayor pushed back on me and said, ‘What if [trustee] Dan Micciche or [board president] Eric Cowan leaves and suddenly we lose this momentum?’” the former DISD board member said. “That is a valid concern.”</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
A current city official who spoke to Morath said he mentioned mayoral control of DISD along with a hybrid system of five elected trustees and four appointed. He said Morath wants a system that would grade trustees and allow for their removal, but the trustee didn’t provide specifics.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
Support Our Public Schools’ financial supporters include John Arnold, a Hillcrest High School graduate and billionaire Houston philanthropist. Allyn Media, a Dallas public relations firm that assisted Rawlings’ mayoral campaign, is directing Support Our Public Schools’ communication plan.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
The former city official said the mayor wanted to recruit 10 influential people who would make the case to the news media and public.</div>
<div style="font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 5px; overflow: visible; padding: 0px 0px 10px;">
<em style="overflow: visible;">Follow Matthew Haag on Twitter at @matthewhaag.</em></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-46255471799379378622014-03-08T23:30:00.000-06:002014-03-10T03:14:22.238-05:00Justin F. Kimball Knights win third state Class 4A basketball championship in 4 years - 52-37<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Dallas Kimball Amarillo Basketball" src="http://media.star-telegram.com/smedia/2014/03/08/23/19/KosHG.St.58.jpeg" height="422" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="image_info" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 10.40000057220459px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: right;">
<div class="photo_credit" style="display: inline; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; margin-bottom: 3px !important; padding: 3px 5px 0px 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">
<b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: xx-small;">Dallas Kimball forward D’Angelo Allen holds the trophy as he and teammates celebrate the school’s third state title in four years. Michael Thomas AP</span></b></div>
</div>
<div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; height: 1px; margin: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; text-align: left; width: 1px;">
<br style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" />
Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/03/08/5632414/dallas-madison-repeats-as-3a-state.html#storylink=cpy</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">For the fourth straight year, I was pleased to be able to see the Justin F. Kimball Knights play in a state basketball championship game. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Since this is my last year as District 6 Trustee, the 2014 state finals will be a special memory of the outstanding young men of Kimball High School accomplishing their dream of winning another state basketball championship.<br /><br />Final score: 52-37 MVP: Trenton Brinkley - Kimball Knights</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />Congratulations, winning Coach Royce 'Snoop' Johnson, all assistant coaches, staff and Principal Earl Jones.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Go Kimball Knights!</span></div>
Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33492642.post-1645469673479774732014-03-08T08:30:00.002-06:002014-03-08T09:22:31.206-06:00Mayor Mike Rawlings hostile takeover of Dallas ISD is now confirmed by citizens<h1 class="viziwyg-editable viziwyg-field-1504556-TITLE viziwyg-section-7459" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20140307-3-sources-say-home-rule-was-pitched-with-dallas-mayor-running-schools.ece" style="font-size: small; line-height: 1.2em;" target="_blank">3 sources say home rule was pitched with Dallas mayor running schools-Matthew Haag-DMN-3-8-14</a></h1>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">"The three people, who agreed to speak to The Dallas Morning News on the condition of anonymity, said that in recent conversations, <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Morath and Rawlings</span><span style="color: blue;"> mentioned replacing the district’s publicly elected board with appointed members.</span></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>“<u>It is orchestrated. I hate to see stuff that’s not grass roots being portrayed as it is</u>,” </b></span>said a former city official whom the mayor recruited unsuccessfully to endorse the effort. <b><span style="color: #cc0000;">“They should be straightforward that they are coming after the trustees.”</span></b></span><br />
<div>
<h1 class="viziwyg-editable viziwyg-field-1504556-TITLE viziwyg-section-7459" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
</h1>
<h1 class="viziwyg-editable viziwyg-field-1504556-TITLE viziwyg-section-7459" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
***************************************************</h1>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is the way it always works. Things planned in secret cannot stand the light of day. Sunshine has a way of revealing the truth.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Take a look an article the morning newspaper by education reporter Matthew Haag. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">It clearly shows the intention to promote a takeover of Dallas ISD by Mayor Mike Rawlings. That was always the agenda and it remains the agenda.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
<div>
Listen to the double talk: "The Mayor has decided that “proposing a specific change in governance was not the right way to go.”</div>
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Yet, citizens are being pre-sold on the Mayoral takeover of public schools. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Citizens would give up their right to vote and the Mayor becomes dictator of Dallas ISD. Trustee would be appointed. Voters would no longer elect Trustees.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">That was the agenda all along. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">You will have decades of Mayoral control.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Mayoral control of public education is the worst idea in public education. Where it exists, it has been proven that it solves nothing.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">So this is certainly not about having a conversation. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">It is about control of the school system by the Mayor.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Citizens are simply pawns in a game that has already been decided.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Don't let anybody fool you. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">The Mayor wants to get total control of Dallas ISD for his political agenda.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Do not sign this petition.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;">The whole truth is not being told.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
******************************************************</div>
<div>
<h1 class="viziwyg-editable viziwyg-field-1504556-TITLE viziwyg-section-7459" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20140307-3-sources-say-home-rule-was-pitched-with-dallas-mayor-running-schools.ece" target="_blank">3 sources say home rule was pitched with Dallas mayor running schools-Matthew Haag-DMN-3-8-14</a></span></h1>
</div>
"<b><span style="color: #cc0000;">Mayor Mike Rawlings and Dallas ISD trustee Mike Morath have denied they’re seeking any specific results</span></b> in supporting an effort to overhaul the school system.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: blue;">Yet three people who have been briefed on the initiative said they were told the goals include establishing a different system of governing the district, perhaps under the mayor’s oversight.</span></b><br /><br />Rawlings said in a written statement Friday that he has decided that “proposing a specific change in governance was not the right way to go.”<br /><br />“I spoke with several leaders about this issue before I endorsed Support Our Public Schools, and a lot of potential changes to the charter were discussed,” he said." <b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20140307-3-sources-say-home-rule-was-pitched-with-dallas-mayor-running-schools.ece" target="_blank">(Dallas Morning News)</a></span></b></span></div>
Carla Ranger http://www.blogger.com/profile/00323840650556020998noreply@blogger.com