It was my honest belief that the Dallas City Council should not have considered an individuals name for the re-naming of Industrial Blvd., but the council ask the public for input and the public did participate by coming forth with the name of Cesar Chavez in overwhelming numbers.
I am a firm believer in public participation and I believe that the council should honor the survey and name the street Cesar Chavez.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Teachers at Spruce
How could the district be so insensitive to the teachers? Remember that this school has been low-preforming for 4 years and Dr. Hinojosa has been with the district for 3 years. Should he go also?
This is not in defense of bad teachers, because we all know they should be gone from the classrooms, but I still question if these teachers had all of the tools needed to move the students forward. You have to ask yourself why Samuel and Comstock improved but not Spruce. Should the DISD Administration get off the hook and not be held accountable?
It is not said openly, but I have heard that out of 23 high schools they are all low-performing but 5. We need a change in leadership at DISD. Bringing in all of these corporate honchos is not the answer to educating these young people.
This is not in defense of bad teachers, because we all know they should be gone from the classrooms, but I still question if these teachers had all of the tools needed to move the students forward. You have to ask yourself why Samuel and Comstock improved but not Spruce. Should the DISD Administration get off the hook and not be held accountable?
It is not said openly, but I have heard that out of 23 high schools they are all low-performing but 5. We need a change in leadership at DISD. Bringing in all of these corporate honchos is not the answer to educating these young people.
Thought for the Week
Man cannot discover new oceans until he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Spruce High School
At the school board meeting last night, I was moved to tears as I listened to the parents and students speak about dismantling their school. What I ascertained from the speakers was that the DISD Administration had not done all that it could do to make the learning environment better. They had not put in the resources to make the students have added help to improve. They stated that in a 4 year period, the school had 3 different principals. Now just tell me how that makes since when the school was struggling to start with?
Dr. Hinojosa would have to take responsibility because he has been with the district for three years. No one wants to acknowledge that the district failed these children.
While the district can find money to pay high salaries to some administrators, they have failed to realize the high salaries should be going to the people who work directly with the children. There is a reason why students are leaving the district yearly, bad leadership.
Dallas Achieves is not working.
Dr. Hinojosa would have to take responsibility because he has been with the district for three years. No one wants to acknowledge that the district failed these children.
While the district can find money to pay high salaries to some administrators, they have failed to realize the high salaries should be going to the people who work directly with the children. There is a reason why students are leaving the district yearly, bad leadership.
Dallas Achieves is not working.
Why Not Name The DISD Administion Bldg. Kathlyn Joy Gilliam?
There were 24 names listed to speak on naming the DISD administration bldg. for Mrs. Kathlyn Gilliam. A woman who served on the DISD school board for 23 years and was the first African American to be president of the school board.
There were former school board members that served with Mrs Gilliam like Honorable Harriett Earhardt, Judge Thomas Jones and Honorable Robert Price. They all spoke of her compassion for educating all children. Other elected and former elected officials like Councilwoman Carolyn Davis said "All of us are standing on the backs of people like Ms. Gilliam" and Judge Charles Rose said "There is no other person who is better deserving of such an honor". Honorable Al Lipscomb said what we all wanted to say and that was "Just name the building".
The Chairman of the Board of the Dallas Black Chamber, Ronald Hay came to speak in favor of naming the bldg. and he told the board how Mrs. Gilliam had been honored by his organization with the Willow Award which is now the community service award. She was the very first awardee.
Also listed to speak was Minister Jeffrey Mohammed, Arthur Fleming, Brenda Fields, Debra Forge, Don Johnson, Cousin Linnie Henderson, Alpha Thomas, Michael Gonzales,LeVar Thomas, Roy Williams, Alva Lipscomb, Robert Guice, Honorable Diane Ragsdale, Olynka Green (New Black Panther Party) and me.
I do not get it. The vote was along racial lines and Trustee Ron Price played the game. After being questioned by Nancy Bingham, Ron Price talked about naming a school after Mrs. Gilliam if this vote fails. I do not believe him. How many new schools have been built since his election to the board-over 9 years- and he has not named a school after her? He must think we were all born yesterday.
Jack Lowe Jr. is such a disappointment. I have known him for over 30 years and each time I go to a school board meeting, I ask myself why he would move from Highland Park to be on this board other than his company, TD Industries, being able to get contracts. President Lowe insults the audience, seems to be lost most of the time and allows the superintendent to take control of the meetings. Jack Lowe Sr. also worked with Mrs. Gilliam on desegregation issues.
The Hispanic Board members vote shows why African Americans have so much distrust in them doing the right thing by our people. Adam Medrano abstained. I believe that he knew that his grandfather, Poncho Medrano, worked with Mrs Gilliam and his family has a good name in all communities. Jerome Garza's father Trini Garza also worked with Mrs. Gilliam, but Garza has been reckless toward African American issues on this board. I do not know what history Edwin Flores has here, but I do know that the North Dallas community should find another representative. He is awful.
This is a Billion Dollar budget and that does not include the bond program,1.35 Billion. It is not about education but all about controlling the money.
There were former school board members that served with Mrs Gilliam like Honorable Harriett Earhardt, Judge Thomas Jones and Honorable Robert Price. They all spoke of her compassion for educating all children. Other elected and former elected officials like Councilwoman Carolyn Davis said "All of us are standing on the backs of people like Ms. Gilliam" and Judge Charles Rose said "There is no other person who is better deserving of such an honor". Honorable Al Lipscomb said what we all wanted to say and that was "Just name the building".
The Chairman of the Board of the Dallas Black Chamber, Ronald Hay came to speak in favor of naming the bldg. and he told the board how Mrs. Gilliam had been honored by his organization with the Willow Award which is now the community service award. She was the very first awardee.
Also listed to speak was Minister Jeffrey Mohammed, Arthur Fleming, Brenda Fields, Debra Forge, Don Johnson, Cousin Linnie Henderson, Alpha Thomas, Michael Gonzales,LeVar Thomas, Roy Williams, Alva Lipscomb, Robert Guice, Honorable Diane Ragsdale, Olynka Green (New Black Panther Party) and me.
I do not get it. The vote was along racial lines and Trustee Ron Price played the game. After being questioned by Nancy Bingham, Ron Price talked about naming a school after Mrs. Gilliam if this vote fails. I do not believe him. How many new schools have been built since his election to the board-over 9 years- and he has not named a school after her? He must think we were all born yesterday.
Jack Lowe Jr. is such a disappointment. I have known him for over 30 years and each time I go to a school board meeting, I ask myself why he would move from Highland Park to be on this board other than his company, TD Industries, being able to get contracts. President Lowe insults the audience, seems to be lost most of the time and allows the superintendent to take control of the meetings. Jack Lowe Sr. also worked with Mrs. Gilliam on desegregation issues.
The Hispanic Board members vote shows why African Americans have so much distrust in them doing the right thing by our people. Adam Medrano abstained. I believe that he knew that his grandfather, Poncho Medrano, worked with Mrs Gilliam and his family has a good name in all communities. Jerome Garza's father Trini Garza also worked with Mrs. Gilliam, but Garza has been reckless toward African American issues on this board. I do not know what history Edwin Flores has here, but I do know that the North Dallas community should find another representative. He is awful.
This is a Billion Dollar budget and that does not include the bond program,1.35 Billion. It is not about education but all about controlling the money.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Gary Thomas Has New Contract
Gary Thomas sailed through his performance evaluation without a hitch. Remember he owes the suburban members for keeping his job and will be obligated to put their agenda first.
GOOD LUCK DALLAS ON ANY EXTENSIONS TO LIGHT RAIL.
GOOD LUCK DALLAS ON ANY EXTENSIONS TO LIGHT RAIL.
Bernice J Washington/DFW Airport Board
Bernice Washington is a good choice for the DFW Airport Board. A very strong force in the community and she will be a blessing. Her name was submitted after Mayor Leppert tried to again nominate who he wanted from the African American community. The African American he wanted did not live in the city of Dallas. Thank God for council members who will not be swayed by the mayor.
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