Dallas ISD Leaders Condone Segregated Schools

-Why do the majority black schools in Dallas ISD lag behind 98% white Highland Park?

-Dallas ISD Average SAT Score is 931; Highland Park ISD Average SAT Score is 1296

-The kids in Highland Park are not 40% smarter than our kids!! Dallas ISD President Justin Henry, Superintendent Elizalde keep our kids down through suppressing competition

The appointment of the new superintendent in the education sector was not a process that was open to competition or fairness. The council gave the candidate a unanimous vote without any competitors or debate, making it clear that the decision had been preordained, even though her predecessor had Hinjinosa has his replacement prepared to take his place. Despite this crucial lack of due process, the new superintendent assumed the role with a sense of entitlement, and their leadership was marked by a lack of accountability and transparency. The decision to forego an open and fair selection process ultimately undermined the confidence of the public in the integrity of the education sector, and created a culture of cronyism and backroom deals.

Education is supposed to be the great equalizer in society, providing an opportunity for all to learn and succeed regardless of their background. However, in many school districts across the United States, there is a persistent problem of inequality and segregation that creates significant disparities in academic achievement. One such district is where schools that are majority black lag behind the one white schools located in the wealthiest district. We balk at the notion of this being due to task base because it ignores the systemic issues our country has faced regarding inequality and the consequence is a widening of the wealth gap, higher crimes rates due to low job preparedness, lack of family planning and decline in health related matters.

In this district, the one white school known as Highland Park ISD has access to the best resources, the most experienced teachers, and the most supportive community. As a result, it consistently outperforms the other schools in the district, which are predominantly black and located in low-income areas. Despite the fact that these schools have many talented students and dedicated educators, they struggle to provide the same level of academic excellence due to a lack of funding and resources.

What is waiting for students in lower performing schools? Due to the labor shortage, underperforming schools have no choice but to employ coaches, teachers and aids who resort to assault, are ill equipped emotionally and are at risk of engaging in relationships with the students they are supposed to serve, and don’t have the system set in place to protect teachers and teach aides from special needs students who engage in extreme behavior, or students with sever behavioral setbacks that are well on their way to a toxic relationship with the criminal justice system.

This problem is not unique to this particular district. Across the United States, black students are more likely to attend schools with high poverty rates, fewer resources, and lower-quality teachers than their white counterparts. This leads to a persistent achievement gap that is difficult to overcome, regardless of the passion, effort and dedication of students, teachers.

Furthermore, this inequality in education perpetuates a cycle of poverty and disadvantage. Students who attend schools with fewer resources are less likely to graduate high school, less likely to attend college, and less likely to have successful careers. This has significant implications for their future economic opportunities and the wellbeing of their families. Our kids work are set to work on the lowest tiers of society while we watch our white counter parts become doctors, lawyers, engineers.

The solution to this problem is complex and multifaceted. It requires a commitment from policymakers, educators, and communities to prioritize equity and invest in the resources needed to support all students. This means that for each failing school, families need either a charter or access to a micro school that can give then a gateway and a path to have the same resources found at schools like Highland park. We also should question whether funding the DISD could even be trusted. Due to lack of transparency, disregard for due process(regarding the selection/election of super intendent and board of trustees), Why should we increasse the funding for schools in the DISD when we know that the majority of that funding will go to higher performing schools in wealthy status quo neighborhoods? We need community centers in low-income areas that specialize in addressing the obstacles laid bare before us, like improving teacher training and support, and implementing policies that promote community involvement, lower class sizes, and life skills.

What we don’t need is a school system run without elections. The idea that the Board of Trustees has failed to address the quality of schools in underserved neighborhoods and declined to rate the schools that they knew where failing is appalling when you look at the consequence.

It is important to recognize that this problem is the responsibility of the Superintendent and the Board of Trustees. Recently in a meeting with other school officials the Superintendent made a claim that for each student in the DISD, the State of Texas spent approximately $9.72...and to have a conversation about the minimum that it would take to ensure their safety, that number needed to start at $210...which is coming from the same school system that refuses to give low income families in underserved communities the opportunity of choosing. To these people it is obvious that they don’t see the human cost. They see each student as a number in a budget on a spreadsheet.

Our children’s needs come first. The fissures in these failing schools have dire consequences and we need access to speciailized environments that address our childrens needs on an ongoing basis.This is in addition to broader social and economic factors, such as housing segregation and income inequality. Therefore, addressing these root causes is essential to creating a more equitable education system.

In conclusion, the problem of schools that are majority black lagging behind the one white school located in the wealthiest district is a symptom of a much larger issue of inequality and segregation in education. It requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders to address this problem and create a more just and equitable system of education that provides opportunities for all students to learn and succeed.