Allen Gwinn  2008-07-14 15:58  DISD (Schools)   

Update July 21: Soft-Core Adult Advertisement Appeared on Viramontes Consulting Website!

Husband and wife's combined salaries exceed $320,000 a year

DISD has long been under fire for its lax approach in handling nepotism.

In DISD, getting to that top job could even involve who you are sleeping with--literally.

Arnold Viramontes served as the district's Chief of Information Technology during 2006 through early 2008. The post was formerly held by recently convicted fraudster Ruben Bohuchot.

When he was appointed to the position of Chief Transformation Officer for Superintendent Michael Hinojosa, Arnold may have had a novel idea on who should replace him.

His wife.

Michael Davis  2008-07-22 09:35  DISD (Schools)   

Listening to KNON this morning, a caller talked about a DISD special called meeting.

I usually stay out of DISD affairs but the caller asked about this week's DISD meeting and I had to start looking into it.

Agenda item number 8 (images below) is a "Adoption of Clarification of Action Taken on August 25, 2005, regarding board file No. 46372 Consideration of Proposed Names for New and Existing Facilities, regarding Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts."

Allen Gwinn  2008-07-18 15:43  DISD (Schools)   

We received this, originally, as an anonymous comment. I felt it was worthy of posting on the front page:

My mother is a retired teacher 1969-2007. She was one of the first 13 Hispanics to force her way into the DISD "good ole boy system."

Being a Hispanic male my mother has many times asked me why I would not consider being a teacher. She says, "The young Hispanics today do not have enough positive role models mijo". "You have a way with explaining the most complex things so that even closed young minds can comprehend."

Allen Gwinn  2008-07-16 10:56  DISD (Schools)   

from Sheri Beach, SBDM Chair, Bryan-Adams HS

I spoke with Mrs. Goodsell on Tuesday regarding clarification of the band uniforms for the 08-09 school year. The following is her response:

Allen Gwinn  2008-07-02 20:37  DISD (Schools)   

We've got 'em!

Last month, the DISD Board of Trustees voted to affirm DISD administration's plan to "fix" academically-unacceptable Spruce High School by relocating it's 10th and 11th grade population to other schools.

The plan was championed by DISD Trustee Nancy Bingham who said the school was being gutted at the will of Spruce parents who told her to do it at community meetings.

This left a problem however: what to do with all those teachers who (now) used to teach at Spruce.

The solution: robo-calls. Three of them to be exact.

You know, those annoying recordings that call you up on election day to tell you that some poor schmuck politician wants to destroy the Earth as we know it? Ahh, those!

Plus, the District didn't consider the bigger problem: that we'd get our hands on copies and post them.

Allen Gwinn  2008-06-26 16:08  DISD (Schools)   

10:10 - BOARD RECESSES AS GILLIAM SUPPORTERS SHOUT AT THE BOARD! DISD POLICE MAKE AN ENTRANCE! PRICE IS FURIOUS!

DISD gets scathing presentation from Deloitte...

FIREWORKS over limiting speakers on the topic of the Kathlyn Gilliam Administration Building!

Board unlimits speakers on the budget!

Shouting erupts as the Spence issue is being debated!

5:06 and we're off with the budget meeting. This is the meeting before the real meeting. Eric Anderson is giving a budget update to the board.

There was a gaggle of teachers here, complete with black shirts and a coffin, protesting the teacher pay cuts.

The auditorium is packed and we're guaranteed an interesting evening. So refresh and scroll down often...

Dale  2008-06-02 22:32  DISD (Schools)   

The sheer notion that the Dallas ISD would ask voters to approve a $1 billion dollar plus bond package for new schools and then turn around and say we don't have enough money to pay our most experienced teachers and our support professionals is absolutely ludicrous! The Dallas ISD also is proud to pound their chest about the number of "Exemplary" and "Recognized" schools going up. Well, ladies and gentlemen, who made that possible?

Allen Gwinn  2008-05-30 05:39  DISD (Schools)   

DISD expects to double the number of schools that fall into the State's TAKS "exemplary" and "recognized" categories. At the same time, the number deemed "unacceptable" is expected to fall.

DEVELOPING

Allen Gwinn  2008-05-30 05:32  DISD (Schools)   

by Brett Shipp, WFAA TV, Dallas

Another Dallas Independent School District teacher is going public with allegations of forced grade changing for a star athlete.

While reluctant to speak out, Stephen Wilson said he feel he needed to come forward after witnessing grade-changing over the last year at Roosevelt High School. He also said that retaliation by his bosses has become so severe that he felt like speaking out might protect himself and ensure grade changing for athletes is stopped.

Read Brett's incredible story at WFAA.Com

Allen Gwinn  2008-05-22 16:37  DISD (Schools)   

FIREWORKS! Argument going on between Carla Ranger, Jack Lowe and Nancy Bingham over the creation of a policy committee.]

PRICE JUST HINTED THAT HE'S GOING TO BE "COMMENTING" ON THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD AT THE END OF THE MEETING!

Way to go National Champions Marsh Middle School Matadores!!

It's 5:36 and we're swearing in the newly re-elected Jack Lowe, Carla Ranger and Adam Medrano.

Judge Roy White is administering the oath of office one by one. First up, Carla Ranger followed by Jack Lowe. Medrano, however, was sworn in by someone else! Wonder what the story is there?

It's 5:43, and the newly sworn trustees are signing their contracts. "I think they got an increase," commented Lew Blackburn (DISD trustees are volunteers and not paid--officially, anyhow)!

Another issue that will come up later is electing officers for the Board. Will there be challenges to Lowe's current position as president?

Allen Gwinn  2008-05-15 09:46  DISD (Schools)   

Get ready to shell out more tax money to fight and settle another lawsuit...

"If the name Becky Beck rings a bell, it's because she was the whistleblower who, two years ago, notified the feds that a $316,000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant intended to go toward HIV prevention education efforts was being used by the district on everything but HIV prevention education."

Read Blogger Extraordinaire Robert Wilonsky's Post at the Dallas Observer

Allen Gwinn  2008-05-14 08:55  DISD (Schools)   

Last weekend's bond vote shows that Dallas residents may be paying closer attention to DISD these days. Support for the 2008 bond eroded from 78% down to 54%.

Read Lori Stahl's story in The Dallas Morning News

Allen Gwinn  2008-05-09 05:59  DISD (Schools)   

By KENT FISCHER / The Dallas Morning News

Dallas public school trustees and teacher representatives want to amend the district's student code of conduct to allow schools to punish students who falsely accuse teachers of inappropriate behavior.

Read Kent Fischer's story in the Dallas Morning News

Allen Gwinn  2008-05-08 17:20  DISD (Schools)   

UPDATE: Fox 4 News video on hall monitor's arrest here

UPDATE: Jordan posted bond in the assault case only to find he had warrant in Irving--so he's still in jail!

Dallas.Org has learned that two serious, but unrelated, events have happened this week at Robert T. Hill Middle School. The first (and most serious) involved several students manufacturing and passing counterfeit $10 bills at the school. The second involved an altercation between a DISD hall monitor and a student that resulted in the arrest of the 40-year old employee.

The counterfeit $10 bills began turning up Tuesday in the lunchroom of the school. By Wednesday, several more had been passed in the school.

Allen Gwinn  2008-05-07 14:32  DISD (Schools)   

We received reports that some faculty were having problems with a "motivational" speaker, a third party, invited by Spence Principal Mary Davies to address faculty at a recent meeting.

Cheryl Jackson was the speaker, and she has written a response to some of the issues brought up on this blog.

Allen Gwinn  2008-05-01 19:26  DISD (Schools)   

This was forwarded to us. It's author is, simply, "Paul." Thought we'd share it:

The Dallas Independent School District (DISD) and an Oklaholma school system decided to have a canoe race on the Trinity River. Both teams practiced long and hard to reach their peak performance before the race. On the big day, the Oklaholmans won by a mile.

Very discouraged and depressed, DISD decided to investigate the reason for the crushing defeat, forming a team of school principals to investigate. Their conclusion was the Oklaholmans had 8 teachers rowing and 1 administrator steering, while the DISD team had 8 administrators steering and 1 teacher rowing.

Allen Gwinn  2008-04-29 08:02  DISD (Schools)   

by Kelsey Gwinn, 5th grade, Hexter Elementary

[Background: Alex W. Spence is one of two Talented-And-Gifted (TAG) academies in the Dallas Independent School District. It has historically been very competitive, and consistently ranks high in TAKS scoring. This posting is from an 11-year-old who visited the school this Spring.]

In the mail I got a flyer for an Open House at Alex W. Spence TAG Academy at Spence Middle School. My dad really wanted to go there and see what it was like. He thought the magnet schools would be higher quality than private schools. We went to the Open House and first went to an orientation in the auditorium. They were telling how great their school was and showing off all their high test scores. They also bragged about the free breakfast that everyone got to have every day. They said they had very nice meals and it was a chance for the students to be with their friends.

Allen Gwinn  2008-04-25 08:31  DISD (Schools)   

Update: Texas Comptroller warned about trustees' conflicts in 2003 (read here)

Last night, at DISD's board meeting, DISD Carla Ranger made a speech calling for tighter ethics rules. It is clear that much attention is being paid to ethics in the District--and perhaps the need for reform.

Here is Carla's speech:

Sometimes we must speak inconvenient truth simply because it is the right thing to do. I believe this is such a time.

AimeeBolender  2008-04-23 18:37  DISD (Schools)   

Alliance/AFT is on the record as having reported and been present when individuals reported serious concerns with Spence Principal Davies. We have also been present during discussions with Principal Mary Davies where some of the complaints were laid out for her. We have been clear in communicating our claims with central administrators.Our reporting history spans two school years.

While the principal can not touch me, the folks who work in her building know she can make their lives miserable. Hence, no one else is on the record.

Allen Gwinn  2008-04-22 20:09  DISD (Schools)   

Ranger calls Lowe on carpet over ethics! Bingham is trying to shut her up!!

It's 5:34 and we're ready to go! It has been a rather eventful week, and we have a bond election coming up. There are several speakers registered to speak regarding the bond--indirectly.

Right now, we're listening to the Superintendent's report. "Best urban district in America" stuff...

While we're listening, let's take a look at this article from the Dallas Morning News.

What happened here is that DISD's auditors handed out what they're calling a "working draft" of the Deloitte audit to board members at a public meeting. At the end of the meeting, they took them up.

But they wouldn't show the document to the public. Besides the obvious question: "what have they got to hide," according to the Texas Attorney General's office, this was illegal and violated the Texas Public Information Act.

You can bet we'll be looking into this, along with our friends at other local publications.

There is also, of course, the controversy surrounding (among others) Board President Jack Lowe's company and the amount of money paid to it and other DISD officials.

Now, back to the meeting... Dr. Hinojosa is still talking.

Allen Gwinn  2008-04-21 06:08  DISD (Schools)   

DISD Trustee Edwin Flores sent the following letter in response to the Dallas Morning News expose of potential conflicts of interest at the board level--and it's inability to obtain financial disclosure forms from board members.

April 20, 2008

A letter from Trustee Edwin Flores

Allen Gwinn  2008-04-17 17:41  DISD (Schools)   

The topics of this evening's DISD Finance Committee were: "the audit is being delayed 2 more months" but the good news is "there is no money missing."

Superintendent Michael Hinojosa made it clear that the reason the audit is being delayed is that District employees are having trouble with the District's Oracle-based accounting system. This, in turn, is causing problems providing the information to Deloitte and Touche--resulting in (now) 5 months of delays.

Our question would be: if the District can't run its own accounting system, and the claim is being made that there's no money missing, how can you tell?

Check out Jason Whitely's story at Channel 8

Allen Gwinn  2008-04-17 06:01  DISD (Schools)   

Channel 8's Jason Whitely, in 2 parts, exposes a $52 million dollar budget deficit that may impact teachers' salaries. District officials make all sorts of claims that the mistake may actually turn into a surplus (watch part 1, watch part 2).

And Brad Hawkins reports on boxes of confidential materials placed in a DISD recycling bin (view it here). This is reminiscent of an event where a file cabinet containing student records was previously found sitting outside a portable building behind Robert T. Hill Junior High school in 2006.

Today, trustees will get a sneak peek of the District audit--now several months overdue.

Allen Gwinn  2008-04-12 21:36  DISD (Schools)   

The widely-acclaimed Dallas Independent School District audit will not be made public until after the bond election. According to sources, the audit will show the District to be in "less-than-stellar" shape with the same senior managers making the same mistakes--repeatedly.

It is also reportedly critical of several departments and how these departments use district funds.

"If it were made public [now], [officials] are worried that it might impact the bond," said one person who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

So how did the District respond?

A little over a week ago, DISD called a press conference to introduce two new "co-chief financial officers" Steve Korby and Carolyn Jones. The two will be paid approximately $500,000.

Thanks to a meeting caught on tape, we can meet new "CFO" Carolyn Jones.

Dale  2008-03-29 23:53  DISD (Schools)   

Keldric Hall, a senior at Molina High School, is competing this weekend in the NHSCA 2008 High School Senior Nationals Wrestling Championship in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Keldric wrestles in the 215 pound class and just won the 2008 UIL Class 5A State Championship in his weight division. He just happens to be the FIRST Dallas ISD wrestler to win a state title!

Allen Gwinn  2008-03-27 07:23  DISD (Schools)   

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!

Dale  2008-03-25 22:28  DISD (Schools)   

The Dallas ISD seemingly is becoming more and more the Dallas INCENTIVE pay School District. GEEG, TEEG, DATE and TIF incentive pay plans.

Principal's Incentive Pay, Teacher's Incentive Pay, High Needs Incentive Pay. On and on and on. The Teacher's Incentive Pay Plan piloted this year in fifty-nine schools is supposedly going district-wide next year.

Allen Gwinn  2008-03-23 18:45  DISD (Schools)   

by Tawnell D. Hobbs of the Dallas Morning News

Diana May didn't think to look down after leaving a portable building at Seagoville High School. So she didn't see the tripwire strung across a walkway.

Diana May had to fight for retroactive assault leave pay after she fell over a tripwire at Seagoville High School. A DISD hearing officer in June awarded her nearly three months of retroactive assault leave pay and reinstated the sick days that she used to heal.

The special-education teacher landed hard on the cement, receiving multiple injuries, mainly to her neck and lower back. She spent two and a half months recuperating.

Read Tawnell's Incredible Story in the Dallas Morning News

Allen Gwinn  2008-03-07 22:48  DISD (Schools)   

With thanks to Michael Davis at Dallas Progress, we have a copy of the residency waivers filed by DISD's executive staff.

DISD Policy requires senior staff members to live inside the DISD boundaries. These requests for waivers, plainly put, are from those senior staffers who don't want to live in the District (as per policy) and are asking DISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa to grant them exceptions.

Read on to view the waivers and discuss the issue.

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.