DALLAS ISD

Posted by Momof2inDISD @ 1:30 PM Sat, Feb 09, 2008

I'll be the first to admit I'll read about anything once. But why do you bring in bloggers to comment on DISD that, judging from their bio, have not even lived in Dallas since 1999? Matthew Barneby has lots to say, but I can't see where much of it is worth reading. If this site becomes a trash can, it will lose any usefulness or interest it might have have. I know my interest is waning.

Posted by Kent Fischer @ 10:44 AM Sun, Feb 10, 2008

Mom of 2 -- just because we offer a link doesn't mean we endorse its contents, and it certainly doesn't mean you have to read to it.

The goal of the Daily Dish is simply to provide, in one place, all the links we can find to everything written, broadcast or opined about the district in the last 24 hours. It's a media buffet -- pick and choose what you like. Some of the links you might find tasty. Some of them may give you heartburn.

If DISD Press falls into that heartburn category, don't eat it. If you have suggestions for other DISD watchers/bloggers/writers that we're not linking to but should, please let us know and we'll include them.

Posted by Chet @ 11:20 PM Sun, Feb 10, 2008

I think that the spaghetti on that tray is MOVING!

Posted by Momto3inDISD @ 4:36 PM Mon, Feb 11, 2008

I don't understand how any report can show that minority students in DISD have less experienced or lower paid teachers than white students. All DISD schools (with the possible exception of one or two magnet programs, which are under different rules anyway)are majority minority. The schools in North Dallas are more than 80% minority. I think these statistics are trying to raise a racial issue where there is none. Maybe there is an issue between districts (Highland Park & PLano are certainly different than Dallas), but within DISD I don't believe it is physically possible given the demographics in our "regular" schools.

Posted by theSKY'Sthelimit @ 6:01 PM Wed, Feb 13, 2008

I've taken some time to digest Mr. Britt's article and the rebuttal by Ms. Page. I'm afraid I find myself siding more with Mr. Britt than with Ms. Page, though that's not really where I'd like to see things going.

I applaud Ms. Page for noticing that parents and students were left out of the Skyline debacle but I'm terribly afraid that DISD does not share her sentiments. I mean, after all, Michael pretty much called the interested parties at the School Board meeting a MOB, and then made very clear his displeasure when he visited Skyline the next day. He didn't speak to a soul that he passed in the offices, much less the hallway, and he felt compelled to tell those who attended the meeting "I am the superintendent of 200+ schools" as if there was anyone in his presence who was unaware. Give me a break! A real leader doesn't need to tell anyone he's the leader.

I have researched and followed high school redesign for quite some time, and like Mr. Britt find myself concerned with the DISD implementation. Successfully restructured schools typically have substantial teacher input, parent and family advocacy in the forefront, and a solid backing by the school district. From what I've seen we have none of this. Dallas Achieves comes along talking about the parents after you've hacked them off. (Hinojosa even gloated about the Booker T parents not getting what they wanted with regard to Nolan Estes) Teachers are admonished for speaking out about the schools and children they know the most about. And lastly, DISD can't put its money where its mouth is ($50,000 for redesign?).

I fear that this is just another "low bid", half-way attempt at a smoke screen that we've seen over and over in DISD (Edison anyone?). Someone has sold a crock of poo in the guise of Broad to the powers that be and what the actual stakeholders will get is a bootleg copy of something that Broad says worked in Boston.............or Houston. (Remember the Houston miracle? They were the first winner of Broad)