Dallas ISD Trustees have final authority to interpret board policy DK (Local)

Dallas ISD Board policy states that only the Board has final authority to interpret a policy.  All policies adopted by the Board are effective immediately unless otherwise stated by the Board.

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Board Policy BBE (Local) 

BOARD AUTHORITY

The corporate Board has final authority to determine and interpret the policies that govern the schools and, subject to the mandates and limits imposed by state and federal authorities, has complete and full control of the District. Official Board action shall be taken only in meetings that comply with the Open Meetings Act.
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Board Policy BBE (Local) 

BOARD AUTHORITY

ADOPTION AND AMENDMENT
Local policies become effective upon Board adoption or at a future date designated by the Board at the time of adoption.

Teacher Hours extended 45 minutes - no pay, no questions asked

On Thursday, January 26, 2012 Dallas ISD Trustees extended teacher hours 45 minutes without pay. No questions were asked.  This is the change to Board policy DK (Local) protested by formerly suspended elementary teacher Joseph Drake in his email to Trustee Edwin Flores.

The second change to Board Policy DK (Local) states:

"In the event two or more schools are consolidated or any schools are closed, staff assigned to the closed schools shall be released into the excess pool."

The vote to extend the teacher day by 45 minutes and to automatically release teachers into the excess pool (some to be later released from employment) was as follows:

Meeting in the Small Board Room - citizens and taxpayers excluded

Voting For extending teacher hours and releasing teachers/staff into the excess pool (some to be later released from employment):

Lew Blackburn

Nancy Bingham
Edwin Flores
Mike Morath
Eric Cowan

Voting Against extending teacher hours and releasing teachers/staff into the excess pool (some to be later released from employment):

Adam Medrano
Bruce Parrott
Bernadette Nutall

Not Voting - Carla Ranger
(remained in the regular Board meeting auditorium with the abandoned public taxpayers)

My comment about DK (Local) at the Board briefing on Thursday, January 12, 2012:  This is an anti-teacher policy change. I also suggested that the vote not be taken on this policy change at the January Board meeting.