March 27: DISD Board Meeting Live Blog

Top administrators have another year "grace period" to move into the District.

Ranger files complaint with Office of Professional Responsibility

It's 5:30 and the meeting is underway.

Looks like the first thing up is going to be Dallas Achieves. The Superintendent's report.

We're past the committee reports and it is on to the speakers on agenda items. The first speaker: Betty Culbreath Lister!

Betty is speaking about the residency policy. "Some people say ... is there a right to live where you want?" "Taxpayers pay for public education."

Betty is asking Hinojosa to not waive the residency requirements for the 9 officials who have requested to live other places than in DISD--as required by current policy.

"I'm asking you to respect the taxpayers of DISD."

Dale Kaiser is up. NEA Dallas. Also talking about the waivers to residency policy. This promises to be interesting--and here we thought this was going to be a short meeting!

"Haven't you been saying that a day of accountability is coming?"

5:50P - Speakers concluded

The approval of the controversial vote to allow administrator will be discussed by the Board later.

But right now, let's take a break from the exciting stuff and debate whether approval of the minutes from the last meeting should be included on the "consent agenda" or not.

Carla Ranger expressed concern and asked that minutes be pulled for separate vote as opposed to being in the "consent agenda."

So what is the consent agenda? What are minutes?

Simple. The minutes are the record of the last meeting.

The consent agenda reflects things that the board agrees on without any further discussion. These are usually things that were hammered out in the board briefing or would be intuitively non-controversial. Like changing the brand of toilet paper in the restrooms.

Wait. Strike that. Let me see if I can think of another example that might be less controversial. But we digress.

But the minutes got approved anyway.

6:12 - The main event! The Board is discussing whether or not the District's leaders should be required to abide by Board policy and live in the District.

Lew Blackburn is up first. "When I was a kid [...] I saw my teachers [...] in the neighborhood." "As a kid, it meant alot to me that they lived nearby." "If you [administrators] live amongst us, then you thrive or suffer with us."

"Part of caring about us is that you don't mind being seen with us." "We've had people who came to the District knowing about this policy and came to the District with this understanding."

"When you come back later and say 'I know I said that when I signed my name to it' [...] can I not be seen in the same Walmart with you [...] I'll take your money [...] but I do not want to live amongst you."

Blackburn asked what kind of commitment this shows from top administrators. He called into question whether it was appropriate for top administrators to receive tax money (paychecks) from DISD and pay that tax money back to another ISD.

"Show us how strong you believe in DISD."

"We have too many waivers to our policies. This is one that I'm strongly against."

Carla Ranger is up.

Ranger pointed out that the Superintendent "shall ensure that all administrative employees shall adhere to this policy [...] and not undermine this policy."

Ranger also pointed out that the whole group of 11 employees came in at the same time. She urged each waiver to be considered individually as opposed to the whole group.

She turned it into a motion. There was no second.

"This group waiver attempts to predetermine an outcome."

Our question is: why have a policy if it isn't going to be enforced? Whether or not the policy is valid, if it is a policy, why not adhere to it--or strike the policy down altogether?

Will someone on the board "step up" and propose it? Or will the board take the "toothless" route on some policies in the District?

Ron Price: "I do not support [financing another school district with our tax dollars]." "We give you options--you don't have to live in Dallas, but you have to live in the District."

Price pointed out that people have moved to DISD all the way from Pennsylvania. "I think we can ask some people to move 2 blocks."

Price proposed amending the waiver from allowing the administrators a year to move it to 6 months.

Blackburn pointed out that there are a bunch of folks who have said they would move in to the District if the waiver fails.

Again, we ask: why have a policy in the first place? Would it be better to uphold it or vote it down (if you don't like it) than to waive it?

Jack Lowe pointed out that 4 out of 5 of the "comparison" districts doesn't have this policy. So our question still stands: why doesn't someone propose eliminating the policy as opposed to waiving it? Jack?

The 6-month amendment failed.

The motion itself passes 5-4. Top administrators have another year to move into the District!

6:44 - On to speakers for non-agenda items.

First speaker may be on to the Garza-Ranger issue. Saying it is wrong for "this board member" to smirk or roll his eyes when Ranger talks. Calling him a "child" and suggesting that someone run against him in his next election.

Another speaker asking that "this board member" be censured to try and get someone to run against a sitting board member.

Popular topic tonight.

6:52 - It's on to the individual board member reports. Jack Lowe asked Adam Medrano to take the helm. "I'm not going to leave without telling you where I'm going... I'm going to the men's room!"

There was applause and laughter! Great dig by Jack! One of my colleagues (and I'm not naming names) suggested we get a picture! We'll time him...

Leigh Ann Ellis talked about an ROTC group from North Dallas that was soliciting funds for a competition to Texas A&M. "They were thinking outside the box" by heading over to another part of the city.

Ellis helped raise money to go to A&M. "I don't know how they did... they never called me back!"

Everybody: give money to the ROTC program at your school.

6:56 - Jack's back!

7:03 - Ranger reports that she has filed a complaint with the Office of Professional Responsibility regarding Garza's actions. She referred to "an employee" but we don't have any details yet. We'll try to get a copy of it and post it.

Price pointed out that more parents, and people in Dallas need to attend sporting events throughout the District and especially District 9. Price pointed out that it can be frustrating when some kids show up for an event and there are 10 people in the stands. Good point.