Why City Council is Blocking Black Wall Street in Dallas
-We can rebuild Black Wall Street in Dallas under the right conditions
-Black Dallas wants good schools and safe streets. Why do leaders want to stop us?
The city of Dallas stands at the crossroads of change and stagnation. We can choose to become a beacon of opportunity for black families and businesses, or we can give in and allow segregationist forces to keep us poor and marginalized within our own city. Dallas leaders are the only ones standing in our way of creating Black Wall Street here. They are blocking the two things we need to realize this dream: Good schools and Safe Streets.
Dallas ISD’s failing schools serve to prevent black students from having opportunities available to white students. In the Dallas Independent School District (Dallas ISD), where a majority of students are of color, there are several underperforming schools. This issue becomes more complex when considering that in 2022, Dallas ISD sidestepped accountability measures by opting not to rate schools that were failing. This lack of transparency can exacerbate the problem, making it more challenging for families to make informed decisions about their children’s education. For every struggling school within the Dallas ISD, there should be viable, affordable, and accessible alternatives where parents can send their children for quality education. Furthermore, smaller alternative schools often demonstrate the ability to invest less per student than public schools while still producing superior results. The district’s own Local Accountability System, which assesses school effectiveness, cultural climate, and student experiences using robust criteria, is designed to ensure all students make academic progress within a healthy school environment. However, the full potential of this system can only be realized with complete transparency and accountability.
Despite a $40 million infusion into the public school system, the Dallas city council’s budgetary allocations are misdirected, often funneled towards pet projects, legal and administrative costs, while failing to meet the needs of the district’s students, especially those in high-poverty areas . This is a consequence of the council’s decisions, influenced by a historical context of racial segregation and resistance to integration. This misallocation of funding results in regressive practices where high-poverty districts receive less per-pupil funding than low-poverty districts . As the funding gets diverted away from where it is most needed, it’s the Black students who bear the brunt of this systemic economic injustice 3.
In order to break this cycle and truly address the diverse needs of Dallas’ students, it’s imperative that we consider a broader spectrum of schooling options. charter schools, religious schools, micro schools, and boarding schools can play a pivotal role in providing specialized, tailored education. These alternative educational environments can foster individual talents, accommodate unique learning styles, and offer the necessary support for students facing setbacks. Whether it’s a gifted artist in need of a creative outlet, a struggling student requiring additional academic support, or a child seeking a faith-based education, these non-traditional schools could provide an answer. Offering a range of educational options can help ensure that every student, regardless of their circumstances, is given an opportunity to thrive.
At the same time, the burdens of the Dallas public safety system fall disproportionately on the city’s African American population, who are more often than not the victims of these public safety inadequacies. Despite only making up 24.3% of the city’s population, Black residents find themselves disproportionately affected by crime in their neighborhoods. The tragedies are most prevalent in historically Black neighborhoods, reflecting a deep-seated systemic issue in the city’s public safety approach. The homeless are allowed to coagulate in our neighborhoods, not the wealthier status quo districts where everyone confidently has law enforcement on speed dial.
While efforts to maintain street safety are persistently thwarted by a shortage of police officers in Dallas, another layer of complexity is added by the approach of some so-called progressive District Attorneys like John Creuzot and administrators like Clay Jenkins. These individuals often adopt lenient stances on crime, frequently choosing not to prosecute or granting bail, probation, or early release to violent felons. These felons are put on our streets in our neighborhoods, not in the neighborhoods where Creuzot, Jenkins and their white billionaire friends live. Already burdened by the city’s failure to equitably distribute safety resources, black residents bear the brunt of the adverse consequences of a judicial system that arrests us unjustly, brutalizes us, and fails to protect us when we need it.
We deserve responsive, responsible, accountable public safety officers.
Despite these challenges, the potential for a vibrant Black Wall Street in Dallas remains. Such a transformation requires a real commitment to equitable education funding, criminal justice reform, and focused support for Black-owned businesses. It’s clear the Black community in Dallas seeks educational freedom and safe streets. It’s high time city leaders put our needs in the forefront, stop standing in the way and start paving pathways for a prosperous Black financial class to prosper.
