|
|
| Home Databases Blogs |
|
"Vote No" Website Down
Allen Gwinn 2008-03-03 10:10 DISD (Schools)
The website http://www.disdbondelection2008.com/ was short-lived and the record needs to be set straight as to why. Nobody "threatened" the website's owners. They chose to take the site down versus bringing it into compliance with Texas Election laws regarding political advertising. Plainly put, if the primary purpose of your site is express advocacy for an issue (i.e. a call to action such as: "vote no"), then you are required to put the phrase: "political advertising paid for by [the name of whoever paid for it]." Failure to do so opens you up to all sorts of unpleasantries--all of which cost money. The genesis of the law is good: to prevent anonymous, big-named donors from unduly influencing elections simply by throwing lots of money at an issue. Unfortunately, it bites the "little guy" as well. You'll note that, around election season (on advice of our lawyers), this website bears similar language--even though (since our sole purpose is not express advocacy) we could probably get away with not doing it. It's just a risk we chose not to take--and it is easy to avoid taking it. After careful consideration I chose to make all sides aware of the issue to avoid an "October" (make that "April") surprise. I also tried to talk the owners of disdbondelection2008.com into simply putting their name on it and leaving it up (as well as talking about options like starting an SPAC, etc.). The owners of disdbondelection2008.com had very valid reasons for wanting to remain anonymous; so they chose to take the site down rather than reveal their identities. Even so, they had some extremely good points that were worthy of discussion and consideration. I hope they'll consider options to bring the site back--and will let readers of Dallas.Org know if the situation changes. Anyway, I hope this sets the record straight. Substandard Special Ed?
Anonymous (not verified) 2008-03-30 05:41
I have a boy with autism and the district is doing everything possible to not service him appropriately. For that reason since they have wasted over 400 staff hours in ARD meetings in less than 1 year and lie and distort the truth to enable the illegal practice of not servicing the special education children with FAPE, I am against the Bond Package. I know that they are not able to manage any more bond money correctly. They simply refuse to do their job! The Evil Corruption starts at the top and goes completely through to the bottom and includes the ignorance and malice that is not only unbelievable, but consistently perpetrated from Ross Ave to Ervay to the local campus. The school board has no influence in any way and the system is just evil and malicious not to mention illegal, violating Federal Laws. [Ed Note: I find this surprising because one of DISD's strong points is the quality of its special and remedial education. Have you contacted your board member with specifics on this situation? Not to doubt what you say, but I sure would like to see specifics on this particular case--because most people rave about the quality of the Districts special ed programs.] Autism
Special Ed Teacher (not verified) 2008-04-14 14:11
I would also like to hear the specifics of the autism parent's case. The problem with autism in this country is that its full name is "Autism Spectrum Disorder" and the "Spectrum" part means there is a HUGE range...from Asperger's kids who function almost normally, to the extreme kids who freak out if you deviate from their routines. There are also a lot of kids who present with autism-like symptoms but do not qualify because they only meet two or 3 items on the checklist when they are tested-- for example, they may have the lack of speech, mental retardation, and repetitive behaviors, but because they do connect with people, they're not considered autistic. So there's all this grey area that confuses a lot of parents and teachers. The bottom line is, it's up to the ARD committee to decide what is best for each student, regardless of how they are classified. If they do ok in regular ed, let them stay in regular ed. We have an autistic student in regular ed right now in our school, and to the best of my knowledge he's doing fine. The kids and teachers are used to his quirks and are very supportive. For other kids, their autism is so severe that do they need the specialized Total Communication class. The ARD Committee decides, and the administration is bound by IDEA to uphold the ARD decisions. That's why an administrator is required to be present at each and every ARD meeting. If they don't show up, the ARD is invalid and illegal. Parents need to be VERY familiar with the Procedural Safeguards that are supposed to be given to them at EVERY annual meeting; the document has changed recently so make sure you have the latest version that's compliant with IDEA 2007. Raving about Special Ed Programs
Anonymous (not verified) 2008-04-13 13:48
I find that remark interesting, Ed, because "most people" I know do not "rave about the quality of the District's special ed programs"; they RAGE about it! They RAGE about high school principals disolving self-contained classrooms and forcing MR students into general education classes without notifying parents, without holding federally mandated ARDs, and without any regard for the student's needs. They rage about SPED administrators eliminating Content Mastery and Resource Rooms on SOME campuses, but not others, even though such a continuum of educational service is mandated under IDEA and FAPE. The people I know rage over the many District misinterpretations of federal law and the corresponding edicts that corrupt the ARD Committee's purpose and weaken its authority to make appropriate decisions for students with disabilities. For example, DISD now limits the number of SPED students on each campus that can be ARDed TAKS exempt to only 3% of the school's total student population. For one DISD high school, this means that the remaining 18% of SPED students; including many MR students and/or student's with disabilities that preclude basic reading, are now forced into taking (and failing) their ARD recommended grade-level and exit-level TAKS tests. And finally, Ed, the people I know rage because, at one high school, an assistant principal over discipline (who was escorted off campus recently by DISD cops when the long-rumored criminal "romance" he was having with a cheerleader was finally confirmed by District officials) was finally reprimanded; not for targeting special education students for transfer to Village Fair, but for forging signatures on documents to get them there. I guess we just don't know the same people. [Ed Note: Well an audit in 2001 found some deficiencies in how the District approached handling students living in residential facilities (institutionalized), but most have been complimentary. I am willing to grant that we may know different parents throughout the District. But virtually every parent (of a special needs kid) I have talked to has credited DISD with giving extraordinary care and attention to his or her needs. Now to your claims: you make quite a few that are very general. I'd like to see you come up with more specifics. Which school, in particular, are you talking about? We'd like to pay the school a visit and confirm your claims before just agreeing with them.] Re: Raving about Special Ed
Special Ed Teacher (not verified) 2008-04-14 16:02
I'd like to help clarify some of "Raver's" comments. "They RAGE about high school principals disolving self-contained classrooms and forcing MR students into general education classes without notifying parents, without holding federally mandated ARDs, and without any regard for the student's needs." Actually, that was the District's call to dissolve the Self-Contained classrooms, and many teachers, including myself, think that was a short-sighted decision. The rationale was indeed to force more students into "inclusion" (which is still getting a bad rap because the majority of regular ed and special ed teachers have NOT been properly trained), but what REALLY happened is that only a handful of them went to Inclusion, and the rest of the Self-Contained students went to Functional Living Skills classes on separate campuses, out of sight and out of mind with the more severely MR students. And that, dear readers, is a totally different soapbox that I will get on in another post. Suffice it to say that yes, there should have been ARDs to justify those decisions, but just because an ARD was held doesn't make it right. "For example, DISD now limits the number of SPED students on each campus that can be ARDed TAKS exempt to only 3% of the school's total student population." First of all, no one is "TAKS-Exempt" anymore (except for first-year immigrant students in TAKS Reading). Even the most severely handicapped kids have to take the TAKS-Alt. And the 3% rule is frequently misquoted/ misunderstood. No Child Left Behind is who you have to thank for that, but many folks in the district misinterpreted it to mean that a school can't have more than 3% of the kids not taking the full-blown TAKS. That is NOT true. According to TEA, the Feds require a cap on the number of scores from alternate assessments that can be counted as "proficient" in the 2008 Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) calculations. No Child Left Behind requires the "proficient" results from the TAKS-Alternate (TAKS-Alt) assessment to be limited to a 1% cap and "proficient" results from the TAKS-Modified (TAKS-M) limited to a 2% cap. (Now, HOW they decide which scores get picked is a matter still being debated in Texas.) In other words, a school CAN have more Special Ed kids, but only 3% of the "proficient" (what used to be known as "Meets Expectations") will count toward AYP. So the most severe 1% of students would take the TAKS-Alt, but since a lot of those kids are shuttled off to separate campuses, that number in DISD schools may be a bit skewed. That leaves 2% of Special Ed kids to be counted with the slightly easier but still on grade level TAKS-M. The problem with TAKS-M, as many people are just now finding out, is that students who were tested on a Kindergarten level last year with the SDAA are going to flunk this year's on-grade-level TAKS-M. It's good to have higher expectations, but not so good to expect a kid to go from Kinder to 5th grade in one year. So expect many Special Ed kids to do poorly on the TAKS or TAKS-M for the next couple of years while parents and teachers scramble to get them caught up. It's our own fault for not expecting anything better of these kids, it's just really sad that the kids are the ones paying the price for it now. And yeah, we're in a really weird mess in this district. Depending on who you talk to, we either have way too many kids in Special Ed because the teachers and principals push to get them out of regular ed, the diagnosticians are married to only one intelligence test, and the parents like those SSI checks.....OR, too many kids fall through the cracks and don't get the help they need because the Special Ed referral process is too cumbersome for well-meaning teachers to jump through all the hoops. Strangely enough, the answer is...it's both. Frustrated Teacher-Special Ed
Anonymous (not verified) 2008-04-12 17:29
I am a teacher in DISD and am frustrated with how long it takes to test any student that we feel has learning disability. It seems that less and less students are qualifying and being offered additional services. It seems it is all being left up to the teacher to "differentiate" instruction. I have yet to see "inclusion" actually taking place in the class rooms where a special ed teacher comes in to work with learning disabled students. [Ed Note: As you can tell, we're starting to get interested in special education. It seems that, based on another poster's comments, the door is certainly open for questions to be asked.] Special Ed - "Inclusion"
Anonymous (not verified) 2008-04-14 10:36
You have hit on a sore spot that when investigated, will find much disservice to the very students in need. I taught at a DISD middle school last year - I saw and met only one of the "inclusion" teachers one time during the entire school year. She walked into my classroom and stood around for a few minutes, and then left. I never talked with her and I never knew what she was doing or even WHO she was supposed to be helping! I NEVER received a list of special education students and so had no idea of who legally was in need of modified work. However, I could pretty much figure it out based on the student's behavior and work product. The question was asked over and over again by fellow teachers, "Just what do these special ed teachers do?" And what help is actually being given to the special ed students??? On several occasions I went to the special ed teachers' workspace - only to find them all sitting around. They didn't have any desire to talk with me, as a teacher. Just what do these people do??? I'm sure there are laws and regulations broken but no one seems to care! It's a scandal waiting to be investigated! [Ed Note: I'm getting the feeling that they are, in some schools, very good--and in others, perhaps, not so good. However DISD has been recognized in the past for the way they approach special needs kids. One of ours took speech therapy when he was pre-K. I was very pleased with the outcome and quality. But I'm getting the idea that there are some areas that are in need of a little "light" being shined. Now somebody message me and tell me where those areas are!] SPED is like a Pollock painting
Anonymous (not verified) 2008-04-14 19:00
I think of Jackson Pollock's artistic style when I think of SPED. Sometimes, you hit it right, sometimes you have a mess. "Inclusion" is a federal and state mandate. If you don't like it, remember that in November. McCain likes NCLB as it is, Obama wants it modified, and Clinton wants to abolish it. You choose. "Inclusion" is a return to the way it was in the 1970's, before so many kids were ID'd with disorders. Either there weren't as many kids with disorders, or it didn't matter. The Feds said, "No, you must teach them apart for them to learn." So, we did. Now they say, "No, they are like all other children, put them back!" The TAKS-M is the SAME test as the regular TAKS!!! It has larger print and simpler words, but COVERS THE SAME MATERIAL. So, if a school has a good SPED program, they draw parents with those kids in, then the school gets hit by NCLB when too many of these kids will fail the TAKS. People/voters need to see how national education issues affect you here in DISD. As for inclusion teachers helping, it all depends on the teachers and the subject and the way the material is presented. It all varies. It is not a scandal, but it is a bit wasteful. Town Hall Meetings Without Halls?
Anonymous (not verified) 2008-03-26 15:38
March 26, 2008 Getting the word out about the details of the district's $1.35 billion bond proposal is proving to be a little more challenging than district supporters thought, as reporter Lori Stahl notes: Several DISD trustees say district lawyers have told them that it's now illegal to hold town hall meetings about the May 10 bond vote in schools. In the months before the 2002 bond election, that's exactly where the meetings were held. Trustees say they're frustrated they can't do it again. In the meantime, they're hoping to piggyback on already-scheduled meetings at area chambers of commerce and the like. [Ed Note: I'd sure like to hear the rationale for this.] 2008 School Bond Pulls Rabbit out of Hat
Jim Napper (not verified) 2008-03-20 21:52
Been wondering why the Task Force, Our Trustees, and the district have been MUM for weeks about the 2008 Bond Proposal. Seems that within 24 hours of that beautimas brochure I recieved from, OUR STUDENTS OUR FUTURE Yes! On Dallas ISD Bonds, the District has posted a map on it's website showing the fifteen schools they want to build. I had been waiting to see which of the other 5 Replacement schools had been included in the proposal. BOY OH BOY OH BOY did they ever get me! It's TWO NEW HIGH SCHOOLS that The Facilities Task Force failed to get the memo on from 3700 Ross! Word to the wise. When Ron Kirk comes riding into town to sell this, pay attention to which way he has put the saddle on The Pygmy Pony! If the saddle horn is next to the Pony's tail instead of next to it's neck, Grin and Bare It, You been had... Bond Flyer
Anonymous (not verified) 2008-03-25 16:59
Can someone contact the vote yes group and ask them who those students are in their pictures on the flyer? What school was it taken at? Why are they not wearing the uniforms that all DISD Elementary School students wearing? Why is the picture not representative of what you really see in the DISD? My LAST words on the bond issue
Jim Napper (not verified) 2008-03-21 19:44
A big branch broke off of the tree that towers over my house this mourning. When it landed on my roof it punched a hole the size of a basketball in it. My contractor came out and said it would cost $100 to fix it. Then I called Jethro Bodine, he handles my money for me, to get $100. Jethro said, " Son, not only do you not got $100 it will take you 6 years to save up a $100! " So I called the contractor again and asked how much he would charge me to fix the hole in six years. The contractor said, "I'll have to charge you $135 to fix the hole in the roof, then I'll have to charge you $300 to fix the water damage caused all around the hole from six years of rain coming through the hole, and then I'll have to charge you $7,500 to fix all the things damaged inside your house by rain water coming into your home for six years ! With a sick feeling in the bottom of my stomach, and with Jethro's advice ringing in my ears, I did what any sane taxpayer would have done, I called the school board. Four days, sixteen hours and fifty five minutes later I had them all on a conferance call, and pleaded my case. After carefull deliberation they spoke as one. " Jim baby, your all worked up over nothing ! You did the right thing calling us. Jethro was right, he gave you good advice. And the smartest thing you did was to call us for back up ! Why ? Because all nine of us are MIND READERS. And we can set your soul at rest! Jim all you have to do is look at your problem the way we look at ours. Look at our problem, The Future Facilities Task Force told US that the districts existing school buildings need $1.37 billion in repairs. Now , because we are, MIND READERS, we know that the taxpayer, not only doesn't want to here that, as MIND READERS, we also know that the taxpayers won't believe that! It doesn't matter what the unbiased Task Force discovered sbout the reality of the districts needs, as MIND READERS we know what the taxpayers want to HEAR ! You see Jim, as MIND READERS ,we know that the taxpayer is to stupid to gaze into the future.That's why, because we are MIND READERs, we know to only ask the taxpayer to fund 40 percent of the needed repairs in the district found by The Future Facilities Task Force. Jim, look at it this way, in six years we, ( the current school board members ) will be gone. The problem will be somebody's elses, but we , the current screwel board members will have another monicker on our resumes. The successful selling of an INNEFFECTUAL SCHOOL BOND. Its win win for us. And besides, six years from now you can shame your neighbors into giving you $7,385 for your repairs. After all, its your neighbors fault you have so much damage to your home, if they had only loaned you $100 today, you wouldn't be in this mess !" Is this another episode of AESOP'S FABLE'S from the ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE SHOW ? Are you looking at a young man in glasses with a propeller on the top of his beenie cap and a dalmation dog with no spots, the boys trusty companion? No, what this story illustrates, is that our school board has taken away OUR rights, as taxpayers, I ask you to vote NO on May 10. But I ask more! Call, mail, fax, or email YOUR school board member starting Monday March 24 2008. DEMAND the appointment of a non-partison committee to review the findings AND the information used by The Future Facilities Task Force. I ask that this NEW committee report to the public, and the trustees, its findings as to the assessed needs of the district. The Future Facilities Task force has already compiled the needed info as to the districts needs, no research is needed. Now I challenge the elected school board ! Give us, the taxpayers, the opportunity to provide for our children, the facilities needed to provide our children with the maximum learning potential and skills they need to succeed. That choice and decision is NOT the school boards to make! It is ours as parents and neighbors of parents and those of us with enough sense to understand the benefit of the commen good. An IDEAL YOU SEEM TO HAVE MISSPLACED! It is the duty, as elected officials, for the school board to present to us, the stake holders, the facts and nothing but the facts. It is not spelled out any where in public documentation that you , as school board members, have the right to INTERPRET the findings of The Facilities Task Force before those findings reach the public. It is also beyond your rights, as an elected official, Please note that we cannot enter into a recall election for our school board members. BUT BUT BUT We do have the ability to correct their inappropriate behavior! Nine elected officials have taken it upon themselves to decide what is best for the districts 140,000 children, sans debate. Please vote no and demand a non partison examinazation of the needs of our children! Its so simple, but the school board doesn't get it. NOT ONE OF THEM WAS ELECTED TO RULE !EACH AND EVERYONE OF THEM WAS ELCTED TO REPRESENT THE BELIEFS AND STANCE OF THEIR CONSTITUANCY. I did not and would not give my school board member the right to exercise my vote with out consultation. Thank you all for putting up with me. [Ed Note: Jim, I bet this isn't your last word on the bond issue :) ] Calling Your Board Member
skyline par-ent 2008-03-22 23:44
Skyline Par-ent has called, mailed, emailed and even handed the dang questions directly to to our school board members. You know, not one had the xxxxs to reply, call back, follow up, or respond. They don't adhere to the rules, or give a xxxx about the public they represent. YOUR school board members, LOL Good luck with that sinking ship Keep up the good blogging Repeat repeat repeat someday someone will get back to you and.......... then what? You ever heard the saying; singing to the choir, or something like that? DISD Reveals The Legendary Fifth Beatle
Jim Napper (not verified) 2008-03-22 02:34
In a flier mailed out to the public by the Dallas ISD, the identity of the suspected " FIFTH BEATLE" has officially been revealed. Exactly how naive and stoopid are you MR. and MS. Taxpayer ? [Ed Note: See... I knew it wouldn't be your last comment on the bond!] And Its a Magic Rabbit Too!
Jim Napper (not verified) 2008-03-21 13:11
If you look at the brochure we recieved from,"Our Students Our Future Yes! On Dallas ISD Bonds" you will find this. "$450 million will go to building new schools and replacing outdated schools, many of which were built more than a half-century ago. Fifteen new schools will help reduce class sizes and keep up with our explosive population growth." Now, if we look at the pretty map that DISD has put up on its Website, we will find 13 schools that are listed under Scenario IV, on page 11, of The Future Facilities Task Force Report dated 1/17/2008. 13 schools for $423 million. Average price per school? $32.5 million plus change. Now look at our Magic Rabbits! Not only were they pulled out of a hat but they also come with a bargain basement price tag of only $13.5 million EACH. Thats right folks, don't touch that dial, Two brand spanking new High Schools for only $27 million TOTAL !!!! Now go back to page 11 of that report and look at item 3b. and what do you see? Wilmer Hutchins high school-Renovations/Demolition. Price? Somewhere between $21 and $26 million. Wilmer Hutchins high school is standing there empty today. Would it not cost less to bulldoze it and build another one of these magic rabbit high schools instead ? Now look at the last three words I quoted from the brochure. "explosive population growth" Even after adding the head count of the Wilmer Hutchins district to DISDs, the district has lost more than 4,000 students ( thats a head count ) since 2002. I'm impressed, aren't you ? Does this shed some light on our moderaters original premise about CAN THEY HANDLE THE MONEY ? Can't say if we can answer that for sure. But here's something I can answer for sure. They just showed this Jethro Bodine some new fangled rithmatic he aint never saw before. I don't think even Uncle Jed can figure this cypher ! [Ed Note: I want to say, for the record, that I always get a kick out of reading Jim Napper's observations. He's usually close-to or right-on target with a bit of a Texas-only flair! I don't know what's funnier sometimes: watching the story develop, or thinking about what Jim's going to say about it!] Early College High School
JTF 2008-03-21 11:24
If I remember correctly....isn't Early College High School being built with this bond and last bond money? Our Students Our Future
Anonymous (not verified) 2008-03-20 19:25
Lets Talk About Being Original. The clowns (Kirk and Steinhart)that are running this vote yes Campaign and have put up $250,000 have "borrowed" their slogan, "Our Students Our Future," from the University of Alabama's capital campaign. See the attached link: http://ourstudentsourfuture.ua.edu/ Bond flyers
Anonymous (not verified) 2008-03-21 21:00
Which zip codes got the bond ads in the mail? My area hasn't........ [Ed Note: Our inside sources tell us that different areas are receiving different mailings. Watch for our upcoming story on the one we got.] DISD Bond Election
Anonymous (not verified) 2008-03-23 07:48
Loved this post that was on the DISD BLOG: "Posted by Unbeliever @ 6:00 PM Sat, Mar 22, 2008 As a teacher in DISD, I cannot comment on how I will vote. I am not sure that I can even ask the Vote Yes people anything, or would they snitch me out to the Board? So, would someone who is not an employee of DISD ask the Vote Yes people where they got the photo of the kids? That is not in ANY DISD school I have ever step foot in. Also, is that brochure implying that high schools will finally get rid of the 1960's wooden and metal desks that the Beaver sat in? Currently, none of our students have desks like the one pictured... High schools have students who are much bigger (fatter) than they were during the Johnson administration. So, someone, a journalist, a reporter, an intern, a parent, several people, ASK!" Bond Flyers
skyline par-ent 2008-03-22 23:32
I received one at my business address; 75207, but not at my home address; 75228 Boy-oh-boy it's purdy too! I sur wood like to sees an aud-it for I mak mi decisun fur dem educated folk ta gets mi hard earned tax dolllars! But I'm awful impressed with the flyer. Our Student "Sour" Future
Anonymous (not verified) 2008-03-20 21:40
I just can't see it any other way now. ourstudentSOURfuture Seems kind of appropriate based on what I've seen of late. [Ed Note: Chuckle!] DISD "Vote Yes" Slogan Copied
Anonymous (not verified) 2008-03-21 15:47
Lets Talk About Being Original. They have "borrowed" their slogan, "Our Students Our Future," from the University of Alabama's capital campaign. See the attached link: http://ourstudentsourfuture.ua.edu/ Lets Think Smart-- The DISD
Anonymous (not verified) 2008-03-17 07:22
Lets Think Smart-- The DISD Board needs to come up with a long term goal and vision of how to replace the schools that are 50 plus years old and also how to achieve getting new schools built to help with over crowding. This can be done and it is not too complicated. We need to take the republican and democrat out of the equation, we need to take the race card out of the issue, we need to take north, south, east and west out of the issue. The number one issue is we are here to make sure our children and all children receive the best education possible. Lets come up with a long term plan -- 2008 Lets lay it on the line. Lets state this is what will be done with each bond progam should it pass. By 2025 there won't be any more 50 year old schools in the DISD. We will have a bunch of newer campuses. Lets work hand in hand with the City of Dallas as many of the current schools sit on large blocks of land that neighbor City of Dallas Parks. Lets gets the City of Dallas involved in this and switch land. So for instace where Herbert Marcus or Withers are located. Lets build a brand new large school on both park sites. Then lets switch deeds to the land -- the City of Dallas will demolish the old school and build a brand new park. We need both in this Dallas -- brand new great parks for our residents and brand new schools that are not over crowded. Lets build enough classrooms. Yes, there will be certain periods of time when maybe not every classroom would be in use, but I would rather have extra space than have to learn in a portable and go to the bathroom in an outhouse. So look at how many locations this can be done throughout the DISD. In terms of new land for new schools. We are not as landlocked as everyone thinks. Just go take a drvie around. Out north where Junkins was built, there is plenty of land that can be bought up along Marsh to build additional schools. Look down south, there is plenty of wide open vacant land. The DISD can go in and buy old shopping centers that are falling apart and build new schools. The DISD can go drive down Northwest Hwy west of Marsh toward Irving and see all the buidings that are currently for sale and start buying them up. It is time for the DISD Board of Trustees to stop making excuses, and start thinking about one thing (an no that is not about themselves) but about the students in the schools. It is about long term urban planning that means they will need to sit down in a regional area with Dallas, Addison, Farmers Branch, Carrollton, Wilmer, Balch Springs, and really plan this out. Then go to the voters and say this is what we can do to really help make Dallas become the best urban school district. If that is really their intention, they would give it some thought. Throwing 10 million here and there is not going to do it. I am still waiting for the Dallas Morning News to do some stories about the Bond Proposal and how it is going to impact the taxpayers of the DISD. I'm still waiting to hear from the VOTE YES people on why we should vote for this project. I'm still waiting for the DISD to come out and announce when they are going to have community meetings in all parts of Dallas to discuss how they are going to spend this money they are wanting us to vote on. What is each school going to get out of it? Still Vote No
Anonymous (not verified) 2008-03-16 19:44
Lets go back to Amy S comment about Trust and Trusting those in charge to make the right decisions. As I said before, the same clowns that were in charge of the 2002 Bond Proposal are the ones that are leading up this fight. Well Amy S. Have you ever been down to Pleasant Grove area of Dallas. That includes driving up and down South Buckner Blvd, Lake June, Bruton, Masters, etc... What they call "The Grove." Well the Grove got screwed by the last bond election in 2002. Those same people you are trusting with your tax dollars to make "wise" decisions for you. I don't even feel with this 2008 bond election that focuses mainly on "The Grove" will it help much less will they end up doing it right. Lets review: Burleson Elementary on Elam and Alcorn had 19 new classrooms added on because of the 2002 bond package and still today even after the 19 new classrooms has the need for 15 portables. Pleasant Grove Elementary on North Masters has 16 portables. Titche Elementary on St. Augustine/Bluffcreek has 10 portables. Runyon had 15 new classrooms built with the 2002 bond election and still today in 2008 has 20 portables. Samuel High School has 17 portables. Blanton had 15 classrooms added by the 2002 Bond Election and still has 16 portables in 2008. They have plenty of land next to Pleasant Oaks Park and the school has lots of vacant land. They should have torn everything down with the last bond election and built a supersized school on all of this land. Urban Park Elementary School gained 20 new classrooms with the 2002 Bond Election and still has 34, yes, thats right, 34 portables in 2008. Someting is not right with these people that Amy S is leaving her "trust" up to. Ireland has 13 portables. Hawthorne has 24 portables. Amy S and David Look probably have never heard of alot of these schools because they are so entrenched in their own little world of Kramer, Franklin and Hillcrest. This district has major problems, has incapable people running it, a board that does not know a damm thing about running a bond program to build schools and the taxpayers are being screwed. I'm looking out for every child in every corner of the district. So much needs to be done, and you can't keep spending 10 million here and there to add classrooms one year and five years later decide that did not work and lets just knock down the school and try something different. The taxpayers don't want one dime wasted, and until thought it put into this by experts and urban planners that are not working for the DISD, don't have their hands in the pockets trying to make a buck off the contracts, things won't change. So David Look, lets go get in my sports car, put down the roof and take a tour of south Dallas. All parts of this district need help, and until you realize where we are coming from, your yes vote will hurt everyone in the district. Makes Sense...not
JTF 2008-03-19 08:37
So lets comment about how horrible the conditions are in the schools. Lets admit that the bond is going to focus on schools in that area but still vote against the money that it meant to fix those same conditions you are complaining about... Makes Sense. Does Make Sense
Anonymous (not verified) 2008-03-20 16:33
If the bond is voted down---especially if people realize the "cost" of doing so, the victory is in demonstrating to the board and the big boys that citizens will not be ignored and expect to pony up cash anyway. If they don't want to listen to us, then don't ask for our money. It won't fix the conditions.
Anonymous (not verified) 2008-03-20 05:40
It won't fix the conditions. There will still be portables, there will still be overcrowding, there will still be parents who don't care, principals who abuse the sytem, and teachers that don't want to be there teaching. DISD Alumni Could Be Helping
Anonymous (not verified) 2008-03-15 12:16
Look at some of these DISD Alumni. We should be using them to help get people back involved in the schools and also obtaining private contributions to help with items that the schools need: Hillcrest High School: Thomas Jefferson High School: Bryan Adams High School: Adamson High School: Carter High School: Kimball High School: Lincoln High School: Forest Ave High School/James Madison High School Stanley Marcus '21, department-store magnate Stone Johnson, 1960 Olympic track star, Kansas City Chiefs star North Dallas High School: Pinkston High School: Samuell High School: Seagoville High School: Skyline High School: South Oak Cliff High School: Spruce High School: Sunset High School: W.T. White High School Woodrow Wilson High School: Preston Hollow Elementary School: Booker T. Washington High School: [Ed Note: Impressive list. These folks could certainly help.] Website down
Michael Davis 2008-03-07 09:30
This website is off-line. What happened? Vote No Threatened (Not)
Anonymous (not verified) 2008-03-07 20:11
According to the DMN Blog site, they were threatened with legal action? [Ed Note: No, they weren't threatened. Please read the updated article (above).] Bond: I Don't Know
J.T.F. (not verified) 2008-03-04 19:45
You know I don't know about this bond program. So many people are against it and all about making a stand against the school board and their current practices. But in the long run, the school board are still going to do what they want and they are going to take the district on the bumpy road to broad. So in essence by voting against the bond, aren't we punishing the students who would benefit from the bond (regardless of where they live), the staff who would benefit (regardless of where they work)and the future students of DISD? I dunno...I guess I can see both sides of the issue but I would hate for the kids to be punished because of the way people feel about the board. [Ed Note: Well that's one way to look at it. Another might be that you don't believe this administration is ready to handle that kind of money--and that we need another year to get past the scandals.] |
|
This is a privately owned website. It is not affiliated with or endorsed in any way by the City of Dallas, DISD or any other individual, organization or governmental agency. Anything deemed to be Pol Adv (if any) paid for by Allen Gwinn |
