LIVE BLOG: DISD Board Meeting

It's Thursday, August 23, and it's board meeting Thursday.

First, the Board Room has been completely renovated. It looks like a Star Trek set. Very cool. Check out the new digs:

5:40 PM - Trustee Ron Price blurts out "I wish the Dallas Ly(ing)... Morning News were here to report on something positive in the District" as he handed out awards to various kids. What would have been impressive is if Ron had said it in Spanish!

5:49 PM - Speakers to agenda items. There was one. Topic: "Substitute Teacher Pay"

5:52 PM - Now we're into the agenda items themselves.

6:09 PM - Uh oh, the cat is out of the bag. Trustee Lew Blackburn brought it up: the staff reorganization. Attorney Jack Elrod is trying to shut him up.

"This is a matter of pretty high public interest," said Elrod.

Elrod is concerned that before this matter is discussed it really needed to be posted. Blackburn noted the objection.

"May I continue without further disruption," replied Blackburn.

Blackburn went on to outline his concerns about who is getting fired, and who is getting hired and asked Superintendent Michael Hinojosa to communicate with the Board during the process.

"There are employees in this district who are afraid to speak out for fear of retaliation," said Blackburn, "they sit in the audience silent for fear of losing their jobs."

6:18 PM - Trustee Carla Ranger echoes the sentiment after much verbosity. Price muttered something about being concerned, but admonished the rest of the Board to hold it until the Board retreat--tomorrow.

Quote of the moment: Ron Price on how people are getting his cell phone number, "they've been passing it around like free cheese."

[...]

6:43 PM - Time for speakers to non-agenda items. The first one: "wake up DISD." A woman is admonishing the Board and administrators to "educate our children." "Do you want the Warriors to be picketing the District," she warned, "...'No Justice No Peace'."

The (former) head of the Dallas Council on PTA's (who just had their charter revoked) got up to air concerns. She pledged to keep training parents regardless of what happened to them. Then it was on to asking for information some of which she claims is being withheld.

Another speaker from the "American Indian Community" in Dallas voiced concern over jobs being eliminated, to wit: the American Indian Education Program and its director James Eaglebull.

7:00 PM - It's a wrap!