First, let's set something straight: Jack Lowe is a decent guy.

He's a retirement-age-approaching senior executive who decided, five years ago, he wanted to devote more time to giving back to his community.

Unlike many of his peers, he decided to ante-up and run for the DISD school board. He got elected and today he serves as President of the board.

Jack Lowe has the best interest of DISD at heart.

Jack Lowe is also an example of why things go so wrong at DISD.

This morning, while driving to work, I got my backside chewed by Jack for comments I made in a television interview with Channel 11 earlier this week.

In the course of gathering research for an upcoming story on the District's bilingual education program, I interviewed Gilda Evans, Assistant Superintendent for the bilingual education program. Some of her comments raised questions.

When it comes to the bilingual education program, the District doesn't mince words. A teacher's English skills are "secondary." Others have said it. Evans said it.

Several teachers have complained openly that some bilingual teachers seem to have problems speaking and comprehending English.

So I posed the question: "has the District hired teachers who couldn't pass the English portion of the certification exam?"

Evans' response was: "in the past, [this] has happened, but it doesn't happen currently."

So the cat was out of the bag.

Not only did we have teachers complaining about colleagues, but the head of the program indicated there was a possiblity some teachers did have a real problem with the English language!

Add to the mix, Dallas School Board Trustee Ron Price's comment that "we have several teachers here who do not speak English at all." Now, there's a real mess.

After receiving calls from several District officials about the comments, and explaining where I got my information, Jack called.

The call started out with Jack voicing his disappointment with me, and telling me how he had always considered me to be someone who did his homework and reported facts. Obviously, I told him the source of my information (which was no secret) and that I stood by the quote.

We chatted for a few moments--all the while Jack was audibly upset at the situation.

So I volunteered: "look, why don't you get the Board to direct an outside party, or me, to look at the alternative certifications, and I'll tell you if English language requirements were waived, and we can put an end to the speculation."

Audibly angered, Jack shot back: "we're not going to do that" and "I'll look into this without your help."

To Jack, you see, none of this is my business, and it's not your business.

It's DISD's business, and it should be left to the DISD business handlers--not the unwashed public and certainly not busy-bodies who turn up sensational news stories like the recent procurement card scandal .

There is no doubt in my mind that Jack will look into his business without my help. If irregularities are found, they'll be quietly addressed and the matter will be swept to the side.

Everything will be forgotten, and another pump will be primed for the next sensational news story.