Comments on: Why You Think Dallas ISD Stinks: Because You Read the Paper

By: Lana

Lana — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 11:25:04 +0000

DISD SCHOOLS ARE horrible especially Urban Park. The children are given free reign while the admin. does nothing . All they care is about appearances not the children.

By: Carlos Quintanilla

Carlos Quintanilla — Mon, 05 May 2008 01:03:11 +0000

Sergio Leija was a student who became a Cheese Heroin user at WT White, Jennifer Alba was also a former student who started using Heroin within DISD and Cyrstal Mendoza overdosed in sith period at Nort Dallas High School, not to mention that 3 12 year olds tested positive for Cheese Heroin.

The reason in the spike is that DISD has effectively shut down police operations in its war on drugs in the schools, shifting staff, lowballing numbers to show a significant drop when in fact it has gone up.

The blame is put squarely on DISD, the school district has been given constructive notice that it has a very serious problem, it as as district has a responsibility to take reasonable steps to protect the public (its students) from danger and this has not been done, the law is clear and unambiguos in that DISD has a duty to protect and instead of carrying out its duty, it is worry about public perception, giving irrelevance to its children.

Not being in the syatem when you died is irrelevant, what DISD must respond to is how did this 18 and everyone else become heroin addicted while under the care and supervision of DISD, where was its DUTY TO PROTECT.

By: Lakewooder

Lakewooder — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:58:43 +0000

Some of us like to call it Hinckley Park.

By: WTWhite mom

WTWhite mom — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 23:41:58 +0000

Hey Mike, If the deceased had attended Highland Park, would that have guaranteed his graduation? Since you think the school is solely responsible for its drop-outs and graduates, then remember John Hinkley Jr. graduated from HP.

Now take a minute to learn where most W. T. White students matriculate: http://www.wtwhitehs.org/matriculation0208.pdf

By: Rawlins

Rawlins — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 17:51:02 +0000

Excellent point Tim. And certainly one I championed earlier this century constantly as crimes that occurred across the street from Mesquite and closer to Lakewood and Casa Linda than ‘Pleasant Grove’ were inevitably said to have happened ‘there’. When I contacted the media regarding, they either failed to see the relevance of my ‘point’ (that being accuracy and fairness)or (get this) explained that they knew it was not in the relatively small neighborhood in Southeast Dallas properly called ‘Pleasant Grove’ BUT they used ‘that name’ because it had (listener or reader) ‘recognition’ and to use the correct geo-specifics would ‘mean nothing’ to those (listening or reading). I was stunned.

Meanwhile, Jodie Dean’s truck being stolen at NorthPark mall gets press after all the years when, for instance in the early 90s when I worked there, a widow of a very well-known soft drink exec was shot in the face near where Dean’s truck vanished, and no press was printed. Sacred cow hands off. Your point and mine: the press perhaps unintentionally maligns whole areas of town and institutions like the DISD by carelessly connecting unrelated dots.

By: W. T. White mom

W. T. White mom — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 02:56:56 +0000

Mike’s implies the school has sole responsibility for its dropouts and graduates. Well then, here’s to Highland Park for John Hinkley Jr.

I disagree and say kudo’s to W. T. White’s recent graduates: http://www.wtwhitehs.org/matriculation0208.pdf

By: Lee

Lee — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 11:12:36 +0000

The same type of “painting with a broad brush” happens with Fair Park, just as with DISD. The DMN and TV media will refer to a “Fair Park area murder” when it occurred 3 miles away. Why isn’t Forest and Central a
“Northpark area murder?” It is imprecise reporting and editing that are the cause.

By: C

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 01:43:53 +0000

DISD has been poorly–dare I say terribly–managed for the better part of two (if not more) decades. Despite levying excessive property taxes to local property owners, the school district has not markedly improved. It does not have a good image because of those who have mismanaged it, at the expense of students who deserve a quality education. It makes me wonder what we are paying for. Maybe the news is skewed–bad news does sell more papers than good news, sad but true. But, I wouldn’t be one to argue that there is a lot of good publicity to go around for DISD. It’s in pretty bad shape, and in need of leaders with integrity who are really committed to raising the standard of public education.

If I had children, I would not send them to a school in DISD if I could afford an alternative. Say what you will about private schools being whitewashed and elitist, but the quality of education far surpasses the majority of public options in the school district.

By: domyeyesdeceiveme?

domyeyesdeceiveme? — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 01:37:55 +0000

JamesN, nope. Not my stand at all. It happens everywhere, like you say. It just ticks me off more when it happens in Dallas.
But, I’m going to have to disagree on one point: Unlike you, I believe Dallas does have more self-centered morons.
I’d put our morons up against any morons in America.

By: jamesn

jamesn — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 22:09:57 +0000

domyeyesdeceiveme?, I hope it’s not your position that these things only happen in Dallas.

Dallas, contrary to the belief of many, does not have a monopoly on violent crime, corruption, broken government, self centered morons, crappy sports teams or bad things. It simply doesn’t.

Fixing it is easy to say, but hard to implement: vote, run for office, get involved in your neighborhood, get to know your council person, etc. Just do something other than read the newspaper, and shake your head.