Dallas ISD bond coming under fire

by Jacquinette Murphy of of North Dallas Gazette

Voters passed the bond referendum for the 2008 Dallas Independent School District (DISD) $1.35 billion bond proposal in May and now some Dallas residents want to stop the sale of the district bonds. The construction bond allows for the creation of 15 new schools along with repairs and renovations to some of its existing campuses. The problem is that some feel that the bond does not make provisions for some of its more needy schools.

Four parents and four students along with The Black Coalition to Maximize Education halted the sale of the bonds in July by filing a federal civil rights lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. The District lawyers had the case returned to the Texas Attorney General Office and its now rests in the state court of Judge Hoffman.

The terms of the lawsuit stated that “DISD continually offers lower-quality academic programs, equipment, facilities and materials located in minority communities particularly at those located in African-American communities.”

The lawsuit identifies schools in the 23rd Texas Senatorial district and in District 6. According to Joyce Foreman, the president of the Coalition, if the borders were drawn on city map, it would define areas starting at the Trinity River going south to Interstate 20 with Interstate 35- East on its western border and Interstate 45 at its eastern border.

“There are no new schools that have been built in this area since the 1950s. The schools in East Oak cliff are dilapidated, have mold and sewage leaking, and are causing health problems for the children,” said Shirley Daniels, the communications specialist for the Coalition.“ They are building schools in the West Oak Cliff areas, but not in our areas.”

Foreman and Daniels both explained that the 2002 bond was originally set to bring better educational institutions to the area but was unable to fill the need. The area was supposed to be at the top of the list for the 2008 bond. However, the items assigned for the 2008 bond does not currently include the needed overhaul due to this set of schools again.

Daniels furthered stated that there was only one school being built in South Dallas this year. “We want them to redefine the areas that they are proposing,” she stated as she identified three specific campuses in predominantly African-American populated areas. “Maynard Jackson has sewage leaking in the restrooms. Roosevelt High School, D.A. Hulcy Middle School, and William Hawley Atwell Law Academy also have mold problems,” said Daniels.

“The schools need renovation. D. A. Hulcy does not have windows. It was changed from an elementary school to a middle school. There were classrooms being separated by bookshelves and restrooms with no stalls,” declared Foreman. Also she said that just recently there were a few walls put up and some doors installed.

“All we are asking is for the same quality of schools as in other areas,” declared Foreman. Aside from removing the mold and fixing the sewage leaks, Foreman also stated that the schools need upgrades that include the audio-visual communications, science and computer labs and even new furniture.

Between 2002 and 2008, DISD built about 19 of the 20 promised campuses. The DISD projects included new schools in the western part of Oak Cliff and Pleasant Grove areas - such as Francisco F. “Pancho” Medrano Middle School, Hector P. Garcia Middle School, Henry P. Gonzales Elementary School amongst others. It only offered renovations and additions to the schools with the scope of the lawsuit.

Regarding the claims of renovations, “There could be $1 million dollars in the budget for renovations, but the only thing that is done is to place a new roof on it,” shared Foreman. In District 5, all thirty-two schools were slated for renovations and some additions except for the new state of the art historical landmark, Booker T. Washington Center for the Performing Arts Complex in Downtown Dallas.

In District 6, all 26 of its campuses were said to be renovated in the 2002 bond proposal, including D. A. Hulcy Middle School and William Hawley Atwell Law Academy. Yet recent pictures were taken of the building's violations.

In 2008, there are provisions for building campuses in the Pleasant Grove and Wilmer Hutchins and Seagoville areas but only additions to three elementary schools proposed in the neglected area.

Proponents of the bond sales, such as the Dallas Citizen Council and the North Dallas Chamber of Commerce are also seeking renovation of schools in the district.

“We have been involved in the Dallas Independent School District as along this organization has been in existence. We were actively involved in the bond creation last Spring,” affirmed Donna Halstead, the president of the Dallas Citizen Council. “The district is overcrowded and has obsolete facilities because they went a long time in the 1990s without a bond being issued. We want to get the bonds so that the issues that the students face on campus can be dealt with.”

The lawsuit held up the sale of the bond until October 15, when the judge had to making a ruling in favor of the sale due to the other regulations. But it is not over yet, the opponents of the ruling have 11 days from the date of the courts ruling to return to court with new $1 million bond proposal before the bonds are made available.

Both parties can obvious agree that there are issues, but the complication still seems to reside with the method of prioritize of the needs. Schools that have mold and poisonous sewage gases versus overcrowded schools and a District that is in the red by $84 million shows that there are obvious changes need to be made.

Daniels and Foreman are long-time advocates for the success of African-Americans in DISD. They have fought cases that were tied up in court for about 33 years, today, they are gearing to be sure that the bond committee make educational upgrades that benefit all people.

“I am a product of the DISD. I graduated from Lincoln High School in a separate but equal environment and I do not want to see DISD slip into a separate and unequal district.” shared Foreman. “We are not opposed to other children. We believe that all children should have access to a great education.”

“African American students are scoring lower than any others in DISD. These are adult decisions and we have to fight for our kids because they can not fight for themselves.”