DALLAS ISD

Posted by Johnny @ 2:52 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

That is what happens when school districts hire a body to have someone there that is willing to take a job that people seem to shy away from!!!

Posted by concerned @ 2:58 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

Maybe hire someone other than convicts for principals and teachers in dallas and you might get someone who is honest. But that will never be in dallas again. Sad to see the good old days gone.

Posted by ladybug @ 3:12 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

it happens everywhere.not just dallas.You see more child molesters come out of the other suburbs huh. Think before you open you mouth(concerned)!!!!!!

Posted by Charlie @ 3:35 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

Affimative action at work

Posted by Help Wanted @ 3:39 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

She should stay on leave for good and the other two principal need to be placed on leave as well.

Posted by Nee @ 3:49 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

I was a student at this school some thirty (30) years ago. My father never liked this school and wanted me to transfer to Hockaday ... but I was in the band and refused to go. My dad should have made me go and then I would have received a much, much better education. It is my opinion as I've always stated, Roosevelt needs to be shut down ... the quality of education is definitely not there, I didn't learn anything. All that I know is by the grace of GOD and I really struggled to teach myself. Let me add that I was always on the honor roll throughout the whole time that I was a student at this school.

Posted by Lynne @ 3:52 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

Hey Charlie, garbage administrators come in all colors. I know because I've worked for them. By the way, complete thoughts are typically finished with end punctuation.

Sincerely,
Not a product of Affirmative Action

Posted by Willie @ 4:03 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

Some of these comments are uncalled for. I was part of an organization that worked with Roosevelt during a time when they were recognized for turning their school around. They had many dedicated staff and a fine principal. To make remarks like, "hire someone other than convicts", and "affirmative action at work", shows ignorance on your part and contributes to the problems we have in schools. I have since worked with many, many, teachers and principals in several districts. Most are honest and work harder than most people will ever know. They are all trying their best to educate our children in a system designed by people who have never spent time in a classroom with kids under these conditions.

Posted by rick @ 4:12 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

Why is it that teachers are not required to have drug testing and personality testing? On all other jobs, which by the way don't interact with our children, drug testing is a normal requirement.

Posted by Michael @ 4:26 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

DISD, wasting more taxpaper money per student than any other school district in the country.

Posted by Jay @ 4:35 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

Why is it that blog commenters are not required to have drug testing and personality testing?

Posted by Kevin @ 5:09 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

This problem, and many others, stems from the federal government's "No child left behind" program which forces schools to work extra hard on getting kids to a passing level or lower the passing level so that everyone passes. With school budgets stretched thin as it is, schools are forced to do the latter, which is a disservice to every student, not just those who cannot pass.

Posted by Kent Fischer @ 6:14 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

I agree with Willie. Let's elevate the comments and not toss around blind accusations.

Posted by Richard @ 6:22 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

What do you expect? Water seeks its own level as they say. The DISD is a disgrace. I am a product of the DISD, but that was back in the 60's, before the Federal Gov. got so involved with all their crap.

Posted by Howard @ 6:32 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

I have a take about Roosevelt High School and it's purported hot-tempered principal that is more up close and personal. I grew up in the neighborhood on Morrell ave, which is just south of Roosevelt. I grew up with many students that graduated there. I am a product of the minority/majority transfer system. I can say, with a great deal of confidence, that I am different and my level of education is different which I believe is a direct result of m/m transfer. Since [some] of these adults will not behave, then state or city monitors need to be placed there to make them behave. In other words, when adults behave like children, they need a good strong parent! Although rhetorical, school is for learning and not for boxing matches.

Posted by Lack of Leadership @ 6:56 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

Leadership ability is always the lid on personal, institution and organizational effectiveness.
If the leadership is strong, the lid is high. But if it’s not, then the organization is limited. That’s why in time of trouble; institutions, organizations naturally look for new leadership. When the country is experiencing hard times, it elects a new president. When a church is floundering, it searches for a new senior pastor. When a sports team keeps losing, it looks for a new head coach. When a company is losing money, it hires a new CEO.

Roosevelt has lose and will be losing GOOD TEACHER because lack of leadership. Our staff are divided because poor leadership. It takes a great leader to see that we are not a happy staff and there is a need to bring people inside Roosevelt together and resolve staff issues and unite people together. Not one administrator of Roosevelt has taken a stand to unite our staff together. Roosevelt is falling because of POOR LEADERSHIP. We want NEW LEADERS at Roosevelt to that can take us to new heights.

The higher the leadership, the greater the effectiveness. To reach the highest level of effectiveness, you have to raise the lid of leadership ability.

TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF AN INSTITUTION OR ORGANIZATION, CHANGE ITS LEADERS

Posted by Help Wanted @ 7:06 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

Roosevelt has lose and will be losing GOOD TEACHER because lack of leadership. Our staff are divided because poor leadership. It takes a great leader to see that we are not a happy staff and there is a need to bring people inside Roosevelt together and resolve staff issues and unite people together.

Posted by Shell @ 7:47 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

Ms. Dixon is in no way just "a product of affirmative action." She was my principal a few years ago, and the article does not do her justice. The article fails to report that she is one of the few principals who actually leaves schools much better than they were when she arrived. The school at which she served as principal before she became my principal became a Blue Ribbon School under her watch.

While I did not always like her policies, there is no question in my mind that her top priority was and is the students. And no, I don't necessarily agree with the policy she instituted that started all of this mess. But again, it's reflective of her desire to give all kids a chance to succeed.

I seriously doubt that she actually got into a physical altercation with a teacher. That's just not her style. Granted, many teachers didn't like her because she expected excellence every day. While this may have caused some teachers stress, it pushed others to put their best on the line day in and day out. I can say from experience that the teachers who typically didn't like her were the ones who simply didn't want to put in the work or those who were full of excuses about why the children couldn't succeed.

So no, I am not nor have I ever been a teacher at Roosevelt. But, I am more than confident that regardless of what is said about her the truth will come out in the end, and Ms. Dixon will continue in her life's passion: educating children.

Posted by Student and teacher advocate @ 7:53 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

Dallas ISD has no lack of poor leaders. Oak Cliff and South Dallas are not alone. Let's look at Hill Middle School last year, Gaston Middle School for the past several years, Tasby Middle School and North Dallas High School. Hill and North Dallas were finally "saved" and given the opportunity to move forward. Can we give Gaston and Tasby the same? Leading by fear and negativity will never produce positive teachers and students.

Posted by Notsofast @ 8:23 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

When are we as a public going to realize and accept that schools are a reflection of the communities. Plano has excellent schools, Dallas has minor pockets of excellence but the majority is dealing with no money, poor upbringing, and faulty leadership that wants to use violence such as this woman.

Posted by BR @ 8:46 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

If "Help Wanted" is in fact a staff member, I now understand the poor performance on standardized English tests.

Posted by Educational Integrity @ 10:34 PM Mon, Feb 04, 2008

This runs much deeper than disagreements between Ms. Dixon and her staff. There is a certain level of professionalism that should be maintained at all times among educators. Again, no one is resistant to change, and change is welcome. However, the degrading manner in which the changes are being implemented is what's creating the issues. Also, some of the changes that are being made by Ms. Dixon are both unethical and illegal. Therefore, those of us who are serious about our calling as teachers will not risk the ramifications of following through orders given in those situations.

So, you can type as much as you want in support of Ms. Dixon and her ability to move schools. Some of her methods that I've witness warrant launching an investigation of every school in which she has served as principal.

Furthermore, anyone who practices illegal behavior to seek gain is doing so selfishly. It is my strong belief that she only does so to make herself look good because at the end of the day, the kids are the one who suffer.

Posted by Buck UP @ 12:50 AM Tue, Feb 05, 2008

Ok, we obviously do not have all of the facts but if Dixon did in fact change grades, for whatever reason, children and their success is definitely not her first priority as Shell suggested. Making children, or anyone for that matter, accountable for themselves and their actions generates success.

Posted by Don't Support Wrong Doing of No One @ 2:41 AM Tue, Feb 05, 2008

Their are more people speaking out against Mrs. Dixon than those who are speaking up for Mrs. Dixon.

I have witness the wrong doing of Mrs. Dixon at Velt. I have been in the middle of Mrs. Dixon wrong doing. I have been force to give students a passing grade whom I never seen in my class. I have been force to change grades so he play sports.

Shell, in no way giving students grades promotes students success. It does not reflective her desire to give all kids a chance to succeed. What does is promotes students lying, cheating, and stealing. When our kids step out into the real world, no body is going to give them any thing.

Do you ever think about why many of our students can't be succeed beyond High School or in college. Because many of them can't make the graders to stay in school.

It does not matter how much any one supports Mrs. Dixon behavior, when it all said and done, wrong is still wrong and when you do wrong it will catch up with you one day and you have to pay the price.

Posted by Let's Vote On It @ 3:01 AM Tue, Feb 05, 2008

If all 86 teachers at Roosevelt were to cast a vote today to keep Mrs. Dixon or to have her removed, the out come would be:
Remove Her 76
Keep Her 10

You'll get the same results if we are to vote on her two assistant principals.

They should had been placed on leave as well. They played a bigger part in getting grades changed.

It will all come out in the end. I will make sure of that.

Posted by watching @ 12:42 PM Tue, Feb 05, 2008

Maybe she did, maybe she didn't. The bottom line is that the Superintendent's Learning Community and its leader knew about Principal Dixon's controversial ways and did nothing to monitor or squash it before her picture was on the news and all this negtive pub got around. These kinds of situations don't just materialize out of thin air. Central staff has been so busy telling teachers what's wrong with them and what they need to do; they have neglected to re-educate and monitor a generation of administrators that perpetuate a sub-standard, old-school way of doing things.
Maybe she did, maybe she didn't. She's still on leave, the climate in the building is professionally unacceptable, and the worst part is that Roosevelt will probably still be ranked low-performing.