Family on both sides of district's demise
Pioneer fights to save district; granddaughter helps decide to close it
By JOSHUA BENTON / The Dallas Morning News
HUTCHINS, Texas - Pinkie Mae Gardner entered this world in 1924, three years before the Wilmer-Hutchins school district did.
She never thought she would outlive it.
"I hope it lasts forever," she says. "It doesn't look like that's gonna happen, though."
Ms. Gardner is a walking piece of district history. She's the only surviving member of the first and only graduating class of the Wilmer-Hutchins Colored High School.
Her diploma sits proudly in the living room of her home, three blocks from where the school stood until it burned down under mysterious circumstances. She's a visible link to the district's segregated past, when blacks were servants and sharecroppers, not superintendents and school board presidents.
Which is why it's awkward that her granddaughter, Saundra King, is one of the people in charge of shutting down the district.
Pinkie Mae King was born on a scorching July day on the Lancaster farm where her father, Robert, sharecropped cotton and corn. The spot is now a truck stop on an Interstate 20 frontage road. But there's still an old cedar tree from Ms. Gardner's childhood standing there, near where Dr. Carnes, the horse-and-buggy doctor, delivered her.
Ms. Gardner went to school where all the local black boys and girls did – a small, two-story building in Hutchins, a three-mile walk each way. Wilmer-Hutchins was still a new district then, having been formed in 1927 in the merger of four smaller school systems. The area's population was mostly white; control of the district was totally white.
The new brick Wilmer-Hutchins High School was "the finest rural high school in the state," the superintendent bragged in 1928, with "the most modern equipment available." It was for whites only. The budget for its construction was $60,000.
Blacks didn't have a high school. The black elementary school that Ms. Gardner attended was built on a budget of $2,000. It had outhouses, a coal potbelly stove for heat and one strict teacher, Odella Morney, for all its students.
Ms. Gardner enjoyed school, particularly history. Ms. Morney thought it was important that her students learn to sing, and once a year the black students would walk over to the white school and put on a little concert. They sang religious songs such as "Never Grow Old": When our work here is done and the life crown is won / And our troubles and trials are o'er / All our sorrow will end, and our voices will blend / With the loved ones who've gone on before.
"They were nice to me," Ms. Gardner says of her white peers. "I didn't think anything about race. It was the way things were back then."
When Ms. Gardner was 9, her father died of congestive heart failure. She watched him die, slumped in his chair at home. "There was nothing I could do," she says. "I stood there and stared at him."
It was then that she decided she would be a nurse when she grew up – so the next time someone was dying, she could help.
To be a nurse, she would have to go to high school. Her timing was perfect: When she was the right age, district officials decided to clean the upstairs of the black schoolhouse and convert it into what they called the Wilmer-Hutchins Colored High School. Ms. Gardner was in the first freshman class. Four years later, in 1939, she was one of eight graduates.
"I've still got the black robe and the black cap somewhere," she says.
As it turns out, Ms. Gardner's class was the only one to graduate from the Wilmer-Hutchins Colored High School. Not long after graduation, the building burned to the ground.
No one ever figured out the cause. It wasn't unheard of for Southern whites of that era to attack black schools. And with walls like dry paper, the school could have burned from any stray spark.
But, Ms. Gardner says, rumor had it that the school was burned by blacks.
"It was such a shack," she says. "I heard they burned it down because it was so awful they wanted the kids to be sent somewhere else" – namely Booker T. Washington or Lincoln high schools in Dallas.
Indeed, that's where the high school students were bused. Wilmer-Hutchins' black elementary school students went to a makeshift school inside Little Flock Baptist Church until a new school, named for Ms. Morney's father-in-law, could be built on the site of the burned one.
Ms. Gardner wanted to attend nursing school. But none in Dallas County accepted blacks back then, and she couldn't afford to travel to the nearest black school, at Prairie View. "I had to go to work," she says.
She found vocational nursing work for years until El Centro College opened and she could start a program in registered nursing. She graduated in 1973 and worked until her retirement in 1988. By then, Wilmer-Hutchins was a very different place from her childhood.
In 1967, a court order forced Wilmer-Hutchins to integrate its schools. Many whites left town in response. Over time, Wilmer-Hutchins' population shifted, and blacks gained control of the district's school board.
The change was not without tension. The cities of Wilmer and Hutchins – which, despite the district's name, make up less than half of its population – tried to break away and form their own majority-white districts in the 1970s. A legal battle with racial overtones delayed construction of the district's current high school for seven years.
The district – which had a number of management problems while under white control – had plenty more under black leadership. Finances were a mess. Test scores were miserable. The Texas Education Agency intervened so often in Wilmer-Hutchins affairs that it sometimes seemed the agency should have set up a permanent office at district headquarters.
Black parents began to flee the district, just as white parents had a generation earlier. Wilmer-Hutchins' student body has shrunk by a third in the last decade; more of its residents send their children to charter schools than any other district its size in the state.
"I don't know when it happened, but things started to go downhill at some point," Ms. Gardner says. "My kids were already through, so I didn't go to the board meetings anymore. I didn't keep up with it as closely as I should have."
Her own family saw the decline in quality. Her granddaughter, Saundra King, attended Wilmer-Hutchins schools until seventh grade, when her family moved to Lancaster.
"We moved because we thought the schools in Lancaster were better," Ms. King says. "There were rumors about the school district. They just felt I would get a better education if we moved."
Ms. King graduated from Lancaster High in 1987 and has gone on to a successful career as an analyst for a Dallas financial services firm.
Flash forward to 2005. Wilmer-Hutchins is a mess. Its former superintendent is under indictment. Its offices have been raided by the FBI. A financial crisis has forced the closure of A.L. Morney, the school on the site of the old black high school.
The Texas Education Agency, tired of dealing with the combative Wilmer-Hutchins school board, decides to throw it out of office. Under state law, it would be replaced with a five-member, state-appointed board of managers. Looking for candidates with financial skills, they call Ms. King and ask her to serve.
The board's main job, as dictated by state Education Commissioner Shirley Neeley: Determine whether Wilmer-Hutchins could be saved. If not, the board's task was to shut it down forever.
That got Ms. Gardner mad.
She started showing up at board meetings. She's now a regular sight at public forums, walking slowly up to the podium to speak. The district may have mounting debts and an academic crisis, but she thinks it's worth saving.
"I hate it," she says. "There has to be some way to keep the school going."
She says she's not comfortable being political. "I couldn't have been a Martin Luther King. I couldn't get out there and march," she says. But she's lending her emotional support to keeping the district alive.
One might think she would try to use her grandmotherly pull on Ms. King. But she says her granddaughter is an adult capable of making her own decisions.
"I let her make up her own mind," she says. "She's knowledgeable. I don't want to be an influence."
Ms. King says she understands her grandmother's mind-set.
"I know she's very proud of her attachment to the district," she says. "With the district closing, it's affecting her greatly.
"I'm compassionate, because it tears my heart, too, that the district might not be there. But I have to focus on the children and what's best for them."
Last month, the Wilmer-Hutchins board of managers met to decide the district's fate.
It appeared the board had reached an uneasy consensus. Wilmer-Hutchins' finances were in such a state that opening its schools this fall was an impossibility. The district would have to ask someone else to take over the responsibility of educating Wilmer-Hutchins students for the next school year.
The managers discussed the possibility that the district could be revived in 2006, if a number of hard-to-reach goals were met. But for the residents in the audience, the meeting had the air of a funeral.
Ms. Gardner spoke briefly during the public-forum portion of the meeting, then took a seat in the audience's front row. Three hours into the often-tense meeting, it came time for the evening's biggest vote: the resolution authorizing the shutdown of all district schools.
It was presumed that board president Albert Black and his colleague Michelle Willhelm would support the resolution. Donnie Foxx, a Wilmer-Hutchins graduate and the most outspoken critic of a shutdown, was expected to be a no vote. The fifth board member, Sandra Donato, was absent.
So the resolution – and the district's future – rested on Ms. King's vote.
Mr. Black asked his fellow board members for a motion. Ms. Willhelm moved that the resolution be adopted.
"Do I hear a second?" Mr. Black asked.
The audience, which had been rowdy earlier in the evening, fell silent. People shifted to the edges of their seats.
Almost 10 seconds passed.
Then Ms. King leaned into her microphone and said: "I second."
Some in the crowd gasped. The fight was over, and they had lost. A moment later, the board's vote turned out as expected: 3-1, with Ms. King voting yes. The audience filed out slowly, beaten.
Disappointing as it was to Ms. Gardner, it came as no surprise.
"It was a done deal," she says. "I guess it's all finished now."
R.I.P. Wilmer-Hutchins I.S.D. (1927-2006)
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Suit seeks to return W-H teachers, board
Ex-principal says state law gives district more time to fix problems
By JOSHUA BENTON / The Dallas Morning News
HUTCHINS, Texas - Add one more item to the list of question marks about the future of Wilmer-Hutchins schools.
A lawsuit in state district court is seeking to throw out the state-appointed board of managers, rehire all the district's laid-off teachers and bring back the old school board that state officials declared dysfunctional.
"The employees shouldn't have to suffer because the district made some mistakes," said Roosevelt Robinson, the former principal of Wilmer-Hutchins' alternative school and the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit.
The core argument of the suit is that the Texas Education Agency lacked the authority to remove the elected school board, which it did in May after major financial and academic problems and allegations of mismanagement. It was only the second time the TEA had thrown out a school district's elected board.
State law says the agency can take such a drastic step "if a district has been rated as academically unacceptable for a period of one year or more."
It all depends on what "one year" means.
School ratings are typically announced each fall, and last October, Wilmer-Hutchins was labeled "acceptable." But a TEA investigation, prompted by a series of Dallas Morning News articles, found that more than 20 Wilmer-Hutchins teachers were improperly helping students on state tests – including correcting wrong answers or even preparing answer keys for students to use.
Because of the cheating, Wilmer-Hutchins' rating was formally lowered to "academically unacceptable" on March 21. Less than two months later, state Education Commissioner Shirley Neeley announced she was throwing out the board.
So does the law mean that a district has to be saddled with the poor rating for 12 months before its board can be thrown out? Or is it enough that the bad rating reflects the previous year of performance?
"It's like when a kid comes home at the end of the year with a bad report card," TEA spokeswoman Suzanne Marchman said. "It represents the year that's already over with."
Mark Robinett, Mr. Robinson's attorney, called that argument ridiculous.
"You take a look at it grammatically, syntactically, and it's clear that you need a full year after the rating," he said. "You get a year to clean up your act. It's a power grab."
The lawsuit is seeking an injunction that would bring the old school board back to office. It would also reverse all actions the board of managers has taken since May – which would mean the layoffs of more than 200 employees last month would be reversed.
Mr. Robinson says that's his main motivation.
"There are people who have been working for the district for 30 years who now don't have anywhere to go," he said. "Those are the people this is for."
He said he has no problem with the proposed merger of Wilmer-Hutchins into the Dallas school district, but he thinks Wilmer-Hutchins teachers should come with the deal.
A hearing on the injunction is expected next week. The suit is in the court of Judge Karen Gren Johnson.
Because of mismanagement, indictments and lawsuits, Wilmer-Hutchins has changed leadership at a dizzying pace over the last year.
Superintendent Charles Matthews was suspended and later fired last fall after being indicted on evidence-tampering charges. His interim replacement, James Damm, was unpopular with the school board and removed from office twice this spring – only to be reappointed by state overseers.
Mr. Robinson is also a subject of two other lawsuits against Wilmer-Hutchins, one each in state and federal court. Two former district employees allege that Mr. Robinson sexually harassed them and that the district did nothing to stop it.
The suits allege Mr. Robinson demanded sexual favors from the women, Sylvia Rhodes and Bridget Parson, and asked them to act in pornographic videos.
Lew Blackburn, Wilmer-Hutchins' human resources director, said he has also received other complaints from district employees about Mr. Robinson's behavior.
Mr. Robinson said that he did not harass anyone and that the lawsuits are motivated by greed and revenge.
Ex-principal says state law gives district more time to fix problems
By JOSHUA BENTON / The Dallas Morning News
HUTCHINS, Texas - Add one more item to the list of question marks about the future of Wilmer-Hutchins schools.
A lawsuit in state district court is seeking to throw out the state-appointed board of managers, rehire all the district's laid-off teachers and bring back the old school board that state officials declared dysfunctional.
"The employees shouldn't have to suffer because the district made some mistakes," said Roosevelt Robinson, the former principal of Wilmer-Hutchins' alternative school and the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit.
The core argument of the suit is that the Texas Education Agency lacked the authority to remove the elected school board, which it did in May after major financial and academic problems and allegations of mismanagement. It was only the second time the TEA had thrown out a school district's elected board.
State law says the agency can take such a drastic step "if a district has been rated as academically unacceptable for a period of one year or more."
It all depends on what "one year" means.
School ratings are typically announced each fall, and last October, Wilmer-Hutchins was labeled "acceptable." But a TEA investigation, prompted by a series of Dallas Morning News articles, found that more than 20 Wilmer-Hutchins teachers were improperly helping students on state tests – including correcting wrong answers or even preparing answer keys for students to use.
Because of the cheating, Wilmer-Hutchins' rating was formally lowered to "academically unacceptable" on March 21. Less than two months later, state Education Commissioner Shirley Neeley announced she was throwing out the board.
So does the law mean that a district has to be saddled with the poor rating for 12 months before its board can be thrown out? Or is it enough that the bad rating reflects the previous year of performance?
"It's like when a kid comes home at the end of the year with a bad report card," TEA spokeswoman Suzanne Marchman said. "It represents the year that's already over with."
Mark Robinett, Mr. Robinson's attorney, called that argument ridiculous.
"You take a look at it grammatically, syntactically, and it's clear that you need a full year after the rating," he said. "You get a year to clean up your act. It's a power grab."
The lawsuit is seeking an injunction that would bring the old school board back to office. It would also reverse all actions the board of managers has taken since May – which would mean the layoffs of more than 200 employees last month would be reversed.
Mr. Robinson says that's his main motivation.
"There are people who have been working for the district for 30 years who now don't have anywhere to go," he said. "Those are the people this is for."
He said he has no problem with the proposed merger of Wilmer-Hutchins into the Dallas school district, but he thinks Wilmer-Hutchins teachers should come with the deal.
A hearing on the injunction is expected next week. The suit is in the court of Judge Karen Gren Johnson.
Because of mismanagement, indictments and lawsuits, Wilmer-Hutchins has changed leadership at a dizzying pace over the last year.
Superintendent Charles Matthews was suspended and later fired last fall after being indicted on evidence-tampering charges. His interim replacement, James Damm, was unpopular with the school board and removed from office twice this spring – only to be reappointed by state overseers.
Mr. Robinson is also a subject of two other lawsuits against Wilmer-Hutchins, one each in state and federal court. Two former district employees allege that Mr. Robinson sexually harassed them and that the district did nothing to stop it.
The suits allege Mr. Robinson demanded sexual favors from the women, Sylvia Rhodes and Bridget Parson, and asked them to act in pornographic videos.
Lew Blackburn, Wilmer-Hutchins' human resources director, said he has also received other complaints from district employees about Mr. Robinson's behavior.
Mr. Robinson said that he did not harass anyone and that the lawsuits are motivated by greed and revenge.
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Possible looting at Wilmer-Hutchins schools
By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8
HUTCHINS, Texas - Teachers in the troubled Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School District were supposed to be getting their personal belongings this week from their schools. However some educators—along with other people—appeared to be trying to steal school district property.
Now that the W-H ISD might be in its last days as a school district, some district employees and other people on the campuses apparently took advantage of that fact. Employees were given two hours at each campus to get their belongings. In those few hours, along with their belongings, items such as chairs, furniture, computers and more were also removed.
One woman who drove her friend, a teacher, to Bishop Heights Elementary took a television set that appeared to be the school district's property.
However, as she started to leave the school, the district's personnel director, Lee Blackburn arrived. He told the woman to return the television set.
"That's why I am here," Blackburn said.
Minutes later, News 8 heard the woman warn employees that cameras were outside.
When news 8 pointed out to the woman taking the TV that it was Wilmer-Hutchins property, she began to get upset.
"I see that on TV, you and me gonna have a problem," she said.
To confirm who owned the TV, News 8 went back inside and saw a bar-coded stencil that marked it as district property.
A few hours earlier, similar activity took place at Kennedy Curry Middle School.
On Tuesday, at another school, a source said teachers and other employees took nearly two dozen chairs used in kindergarten classrooms, along with other equipment.
"We would hate for our staff to behave in this way, as far as taking things that don't belong to them," Blackburn said. "That's things we tell small kids. Don't take things that don't belong to them."
Wilmer-Hutchins ISD is nearly bankrupt after years of financial mismanagement. Next week, the district is expected to close and merge with the Dallas ISD. Officials said the alleged thefts this week were the final insult for a school district in its last days.
"Yes, these incidents are under investigation and the police could be called soon," Blackburn said. "The district says it's going to inventory equipment to see what was taken and also it's watching this story tonight to see if they recognize anyone."
WFAA ABC 8
A woman takes what appears to be a W-H ISD television set.
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BUSTED!!!
By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8
HUTCHINS, Texas - Teachers in the troubled Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School District were supposed to be getting their personal belongings this week from their schools. However some educators—along with other people—appeared to be trying to steal school district property.
Now that the W-H ISD might be in its last days as a school district, some district employees and other people on the campuses apparently took advantage of that fact. Employees were given two hours at each campus to get their belongings. In those few hours, along with their belongings, items such as chairs, furniture, computers and more were also removed.
One woman who drove her friend, a teacher, to Bishop Heights Elementary took a television set that appeared to be the school district's property.
However, as she started to leave the school, the district's personnel director, Lee Blackburn arrived. He told the woman to return the television set.
"That's why I am here," Blackburn said.
Minutes later, News 8 heard the woman warn employees that cameras were outside.
When news 8 pointed out to the woman taking the TV that it was Wilmer-Hutchins property, she began to get upset.
"I see that on TV, you and me gonna have a problem," she said.
To confirm who owned the TV, News 8 went back inside and saw a bar-coded stencil that marked it as district property.
A few hours earlier, similar activity took place at Kennedy Curry Middle School.
On Tuesday, at another school, a source said teachers and other employees took nearly two dozen chairs used in kindergarten classrooms, along with other equipment.
"We would hate for our staff to behave in this way, as far as taking things that don't belong to them," Blackburn said. "That's things we tell small kids. Don't take things that don't belong to them."
Wilmer-Hutchins ISD is nearly bankrupt after years of financial mismanagement. Next week, the district is expected to close and merge with the Dallas ISD. Officials said the alleged thefts this week were the final insult for a school district in its last days.
"Yes, these incidents are under investigation and the police could be called soon," Blackburn said. "The district says it's going to inventory equipment to see what was taken and also it's watching this story tonight to see if they recognize anyone."
WFAA ABC 8
A woman takes what appears to be a W-H ISD television set.
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BUSTED!!!
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Wilmer-Hutchins ISD offers amnesty for limited time
By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8
HUTCHINS, Texas - The Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School Distirct has offered amnesty to anyone who returns property that was solen from the schools. The no-questions-asked deadline expires after Friday.
A full audit of W-H ISD property is set to begin Monday at Kennedy Curry Middle School and Bishop Heights Elementary. The district has called in the Texas Rangers to investigate.
School officials said they were reacting to Wednesday's report on News 8 that appeared to show district employees removing school property.
When W-H ISD employees were given two hours to retrieve their personal belongings earlier this week, officials said it didn't mean taking computers, furniture and other district property from classrooms.
A News 8 camera videotaped one woman—who identified herself as a friend of a teacher—attempting to put a clearly-marked district television set in her car. The woman said the teacher gave her permission to take it. She was stopped by the district's personnel director, Lew Blackburn, who told her to return it.
Moments later, the woman told others in the classroom that a News 8 camera was outside and they should not take anything. She then confronted the News 8 crew.
"You tell me what problem you've got with me?" she asked.
She was told that the TV she was carrying was district property and was marked with a bar-coded stencil.
"If I see that on TV, you and me gonna have a problem," she responded.
Blackburn gave the woman a second chance and he said other employees will get one also.
"For those that have taken something, if they would just make sure that we get the property back, we will take it back," he said. "No questions asked."
However, the district wants the items returned by Friday.
"We have to put the authority of the school board of managers behind the policing agency to make sure they prosecute to the full extent of the law," said Albert Black, president of the Wilmer-Hutchins Board of Managers.
Black said he was also angered that children were on the campuses and saw the adults taking district property.
On Monday, the Dallas Independent School District board votes on a plan to teach the 2,700 students at W-H ISD because the district is nearly bankrupt and has big educational problems as well.
By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8
HUTCHINS, Texas - The Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School Distirct has offered amnesty to anyone who returns property that was solen from the schools. The no-questions-asked deadline expires after Friday.
A full audit of W-H ISD property is set to begin Monday at Kennedy Curry Middle School and Bishop Heights Elementary. The district has called in the Texas Rangers to investigate.
School officials said they were reacting to Wednesday's report on News 8 that appeared to show district employees removing school property.
When W-H ISD employees were given two hours to retrieve their personal belongings earlier this week, officials said it didn't mean taking computers, furniture and other district property from classrooms.
A News 8 camera videotaped one woman—who identified herself as a friend of a teacher—attempting to put a clearly-marked district television set in her car. The woman said the teacher gave her permission to take it. She was stopped by the district's personnel director, Lew Blackburn, who told her to return it.
Moments later, the woman told others in the classroom that a News 8 camera was outside and they should not take anything. She then confronted the News 8 crew.
"You tell me what problem you've got with me?" she asked.
She was told that the TV she was carrying was district property and was marked with a bar-coded stencil.
"If I see that on TV, you and me gonna have a problem," she responded.
Blackburn gave the woman a second chance and he said other employees will get one also.
"For those that have taken something, if they would just make sure that we get the property back, we will take it back," he said. "No questions asked."
However, the district wants the items returned by Friday.
"We have to put the authority of the school board of managers behind the policing agency to make sure they prosecute to the full extent of the law," said Albert Black, president of the Wilmer-Hutchins Board of Managers.
Black said he was also angered that children were on the campuses and saw the adults taking district property.
On Monday, the Dallas Independent School District board votes on a plan to teach the 2,700 students at W-H ISD because the district is nearly bankrupt and has big educational problems as well.
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TexasStooge
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'This was supposed to be our year'
State title contender's breakup brings sadness, uncertainty for athletes
By TIM MacMAHON / The Dallas Morning News
HUTCHINS, Texas - Coach Mike Robinson interrupted a workout in the Wilmer-Hutchins High School weight room last week to deliver some devastating news.
Dallas Independent School District officials had decided Wilmer-Hutchins was too dilapidated to remain open. That meant a football team considered a Class 3A state championship contender would be disbanded.
"To have all that come crashing down, it hurt a lot. Real bad," senior linebacker Courtney Favors said. "This was supposed to be our year. And the way we worked, we were going to do it."
A meeting in which the Dallas district could approve an agreement to take on the Wilmer-Hutchins school district's students is scheduled for Monday.
The proposal being considered would split the high school students among Carter, South Oak Cliff and A. Maceo Smith.
The football players, who have no idea where the new attendance boundaries would be drawn, are dealing with their disappointment while wondering where to report when practice begins in less than two weeks.
University Interscholastic League officials have said Wilmer-Hutchins athletes would be eligible immediately at those three schools. Mark Cousins, athletic coordinator for the UIL, said the organization would also consider granting Wilmer-Hutchins players immediate eligibility at Lincoln and Skyline if DISD allowed them to enroll in those schools' magnet programs.
The Wilmer-Hutchins football program's performance last season was a shining light during a woeful year for the troubled district. The team had a 10-2 record, including an undefeated run through District 10-3A, and advanced to the 3A Division II regional semifinals.
Coaches and players expected the program's longest playoff run since its Class 4A state title in 1990 to be a springboard. Fifteen of 22 starters returned, including 10 seniors whom Mr. Robinson considers college prospects. Wilmer-Hutchins was ranked No. 4 in the 3A preseason poll in Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine.
"They were just like in a catatonic state," Mr. Robinson said of the players' reaction to last week's news. "It was just shock, disbelief. All that they worked for this summer ... all for nothing."
Added 6-foot-1, 380-pound senior defensive tackle Bryson Harris: "We were heartbroken. It was just really, really sad that day."
The district's academic, financial and legal problems have dominated headlines since August, when the district delayed the opening of school because several buildings were in disrepair.
A tax authorization vote failed in May, cutting the district's budget by 40 percent and putting the athletic program and other extracurricular activities in danger of being eliminated. Instead, the state-appointed school board decided it was in the district's best interest to ask Lancaster or Dallas to assume responsibility for Wilmer-Hutchins' students.
Lancaster rejected a proposed merger with Wilmer-Hutchins. Dallas has indicated a willingness to accept Wilmer-Hutchins students, as long as it doesn't cost the district money. Wilmer-Hutchins coaches were encouraged this month by DISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa's proposal to keep Wilmer-Hutchins High open for one more year.
The players blocked out the business and politics and concentrated on preparing for their season.
More than 40 players routinely arrived at the school's stadium every weekday this summer for voluntary workouts until informed of the school's closing. They ran, lifted weights and did conditioning drills. They also played 7-on-7 football two nights a week.
"We didn't worry too much about what was going on with the school board and all of that stuff," said Anthony Webb, a senior defensive back who was an all-state selection last season. "We were just trying to get ready to win football games."
The players, several of whom were second-generation Wilmer-Hutchins students, are now concerned about earning playing time and fitting in with a different team.
South Oak Cliff and Carter have two of DISD's most successful football programs. A. Maceo Smith has made one playoff appearance in the last decade.
South Oak Cliff coach J.B. Wallace Jr. has met with several Wilmer-Hutchins players to let them know they would be welcome in his program. Many of them have accepted Mr. Wallace's invitation to work out on South Oak Cliff's campus.
"We'll take every last one of them," said Mr. Wallace, adding that an influx of talent from Wilmer-Hutchins could make South Oak Cliff a 4A state championship contender. "They've got some tremendous ballplayers."
Several Wilmer-Hutchins players said they understand that they must move forward. Many hope their performances this season will lead to college scholarships.
But that doesn't make it any easier to split up with their friends and leave behind their dreams of winning a state title at Wilmer-Hutchins.
"It's going to be hard to put on another jersey," senior running back/wide receiver Bryant McKinney said. "The Eagles are always going to be on my mind."
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JOHN F. RHODES/Dallas Morning News
Wilmer-Hutchins High football players Bryant McKinney (doing leg press), 17, and Torrance Hayslett, 15, work out at South Oak Cliff High. They're unsure which school they'll attend this fall.
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KEY DATES
Monday: DISD officials might approve a proposal to take on Wilmer-Hutchins' 2,700 students at a scheduled meeting.
Aug. 1: Carter begins football practice.
Aug. 8: A. Maceo Smith and South Oak Cliff begin football practice.
Aug. 15: School opens.
Aug. 26: South Oak Cliff opens its season against Madison.
Aug. 27: Carter opens its season against Arlington Sam Houston.
Sept. 1: A. Maceo Smith opens its season against Fort Worth South Hills.
State title contender's breakup brings sadness, uncertainty for athletes
By TIM MacMAHON / The Dallas Morning News
HUTCHINS, Texas - Coach Mike Robinson interrupted a workout in the Wilmer-Hutchins High School weight room last week to deliver some devastating news.
Dallas Independent School District officials had decided Wilmer-Hutchins was too dilapidated to remain open. That meant a football team considered a Class 3A state championship contender would be disbanded.
"To have all that come crashing down, it hurt a lot. Real bad," senior linebacker Courtney Favors said. "This was supposed to be our year. And the way we worked, we were going to do it."
A meeting in which the Dallas district could approve an agreement to take on the Wilmer-Hutchins school district's students is scheduled for Monday.
The proposal being considered would split the high school students among Carter, South Oak Cliff and A. Maceo Smith.
The football players, who have no idea where the new attendance boundaries would be drawn, are dealing with their disappointment while wondering where to report when practice begins in less than two weeks.
University Interscholastic League officials have said Wilmer-Hutchins athletes would be eligible immediately at those three schools. Mark Cousins, athletic coordinator for the UIL, said the organization would also consider granting Wilmer-Hutchins players immediate eligibility at Lincoln and Skyline if DISD allowed them to enroll in those schools' magnet programs.
The Wilmer-Hutchins football program's performance last season was a shining light during a woeful year for the troubled district. The team had a 10-2 record, including an undefeated run through District 10-3A, and advanced to the 3A Division II regional semifinals.
Coaches and players expected the program's longest playoff run since its Class 4A state title in 1990 to be a springboard. Fifteen of 22 starters returned, including 10 seniors whom Mr. Robinson considers college prospects. Wilmer-Hutchins was ranked No. 4 in the 3A preseason poll in Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine.
"They were just like in a catatonic state," Mr. Robinson said of the players' reaction to last week's news. "It was just shock, disbelief. All that they worked for this summer ... all for nothing."
Added 6-foot-1, 380-pound senior defensive tackle Bryson Harris: "We were heartbroken. It was just really, really sad that day."
The district's academic, financial and legal problems have dominated headlines since August, when the district delayed the opening of school because several buildings were in disrepair.
A tax authorization vote failed in May, cutting the district's budget by 40 percent and putting the athletic program and other extracurricular activities in danger of being eliminated. Instead, the state-appointed school board decided it was in the district's best interest to ask Lancaster or Dallas to assume responsibility for Wilmer-Hutchins' students.
Lancaster rejected a proposed merger with Wilmer-Hutchins. Dallas has indicated a willingness to accept Wilmer-Hutchins students, as long as it doesn't cost the district money. Wilmer-Hutchins coaches were encouraged this month by DISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa's proposal to keep Wilmer-Hutchins High open for one more year.
The players blocked out the business and politics and concentrated on preparing for their season.
More than 40 players routinely arrived at the school's stadium every weekday this summer for voluntary workouts until informed of the school's closing. They ran, lifted weights and did conditioning drills. They also played 7-on-7 football two nights a week.
"We didn't worry too much about what was going on with the school board and all of that stuff," said Anthony Webb, a senior defensive back who was an all-state selection last season. "We were just trying to get ready to win football games."
The players, several of whom were second-generation Wilmer-Hutchins students, are now concerned about earning playing time and fitting in with a different team.
South Oak Cliff and Carter have two of DISD's most successful football programs. A. Maceo Smith has made one playoff appearance in the last decade.
South Oak Cliff coach J.B. Wallace Jr. has met with several Wilmer-Hutchins players to let them know they would be welcome in his program. Many of them have accepted Mr. Wallace's invitation to work out on South Oak Cliff's campus.
"We'll take every last one of them," said Mr. Wallace, adding that an influx of talent from Wilmer-Hutchins could make South Oak Cliff a 4A state championship contender. "They've got some tremendous ballplayers."
Several Wilmer-Hutchins players said they understand that they must move forward. Many hope their performances this season will lead to college scholarships.
But that doesn't make it any easier to split up with their friends and leave behind their dreams of winning a state title at Wilmer-Hutchins.
"It's going to be hard to put on another jersey," senior running back/wide receiver Bryant McKinney said. "The Eagles are always going to be on my mind."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JOHN F. RHODES/Dallas Morning News
Wilmer-Hutchins High football players Bryant McKinney (doing leg press), 17, and Torrance Hayslett, 15, work out at South Oak Cliff High. They're unsure which school they'll attend this fall.
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KEY DATES
Monday: DISD officials might approve a proposal to take on Wilmer-Hutchins' 2,700 students at a scheduled meeting.
Aug. 1: Carter begins football practice.
Aug. 8: A. Maceo Smith and South Oak Cliff begin football practice.
Aug. 15: School opens.
Aug. 26: South Oak Cliff opens its season against Madison.
Aug. 27: Carter opens its season against Arlington Sam Houston.
Sept. 1: A. Maceo Smith opens its season against Fort Worth South Hills.
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Rangers to lead inventory for W-H
Wilmer: Serial numbers compiled after items removed from district
By HERB BOOTH / The Dallas Morning News
HUTCHINS, Texas - Wilmer-Hutchins school district officials said Thursday that an inventory of campus equipment would start in earnest Monday and be headed by the Texas Rangers.
The inventory was prompted by a report in which WFAA ABC 8 cameras caught employees and other people loading district equipment into their personal vehicles on Wednesday.
The district had given recently fired employees a few days to get personal belongings out of classrooms, and officials have said that some of the equipment taken from the classrooms may belong to teachers.
But one unidentified woman loaded a television set into her vehicle, returning it at the urging of Lew Blackburn, the district human resources director. Dr. Blackburn witnessed the event.
Eugene Young, Wilmer-Hutchins interim superintendent, said technology staff members are compiling a list of serial numbers for the Texas Rangers. The technology director returns from vacation Monday.
Mr. Young wouldn't speculate about how long the inventory would take.
Thursday morning, a moving van was in front of the administration building. Mr. Young said Mike Robinson, the head football coach, moved cameras, headphones and other equipment to the administration building for safekeeping and for the technology department to record the serial numbers.
Wilmer: Serial numbers compiled after items removed from district
By HERB BOOTH / The Dallas Morning News
HUTCHINS, Texas - Wilmer-Hutchins school district officials said Thursday that an inventory of campus equipment would start in earnest Monday and be headed by the Texas Rangers.
The inventory was prompted by a report in which WFAA ABC 8 cameras caught employees and other people loading district equipment into their personal vehicles on Wednesday.
The district had given recently fired employees a few days to get personal belongings out of classrooms, and officials have said that some of the equipment taken from the classrooms may belong to teachers.
But one unidentified woman loaded a television set into her vehicle, returning it at the urging of Lew Blackburn, the district human resources director. Dr. Blackburn witnessed the event.
Eugene Young, Wilmer-Hutchins interim superintendent, said technology staff members are compiling a list of serial numbers for the Texas Rangers. The technology director returns from vacation Monday.
Mr. Young wouldn't speculate about how long the inventory would take.
Thursday morning, a moving van was in front of the administration building. Mr. Young said Mike Robinson, the head football coach, moved cameras, headphones and other equipment to the administration building for safekeeping and for the technology department to record the serial numbers.
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W-H merger at hand
Majority of Dallas ISD trustees feel good about plan; vote set tonight
By TAWNELL D. HOBBS / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - A majority of Dallas school trustees say they support educating students from the troubled Wilmer-Hutchins school district now that the state has promised to cover all of the costs.
Trustees will decide tonight whether to take on Wilmer Hutchins' 2,700 students – their last chance at a moderately normal school year. Under the proposal, the state would provide DISD with $15.2 million this year. Dallas also would be released from any legal liabilities related to Wilmer Hutchins' past. Trustee Hollis Brashear said Sunday that accepting the plan would show the board's strong character.
"It sends a good message to those advocates of public education that we're all in this together," Mr. Brashear said.
Dallas had been expected to make a decision last Wednesday. But that meeting was postponed because financial details were not as finalized as Dallas officials wanted.
The two big sticking points for Dallas trustees had been the costs and potential legal liabilities. Initially, Dallas was only to receive about $11.2 million from the state. By adjusting the funding formula and treating some of the Wilmer-Hutchins students as transfers and on-contract, the state was able to make up the difference, officials said.
With those hurdles out of the way, at least five trustees – the votes needed – said they feel good about the proposal. Trustees said only a few small details needed to be hammered out. Lew Blackburn, a Dallas trustee whose day job is Wilmer-Hutchins' human resources director, won't be voting on the issue.
"It looks like there's a deal in it to me," said trustee Jack Lowe.
Texas Education Agency Commissioner Shirley Neeley sent a letter to DISD trustees last week thanking them for their consideration. She also assured trustees that DISD would receive proper funding.
"TEA will do everything we can to support your efforts and make this a successful transition," Dr. Neeley wrote to Dallas trustees. "Your staff will be able to focus on the students and you will be funded."
Some Dallas trustees have expressed a desire to keep the Wilmer-Hutchins students after the year is up – and that is likely to happen. Dr. Neeley says it is her intention to officially order the consolidation of the districts in 2006-07. She will have that authority if Wilmer-Hutchins' TAKS results earn the district an "academically unacceptable" rating – something likely to occur.
"I can assure you that if my decision is to annex Wilmer-Hutchins to another district, it will be Dallas," she wrote.
Under the plan, the students will be bused to about 40 different campuses. But there is a proposal to keep the senior class together at Madison High School in South Dallas.
Trustee Ron Price said he made the Madison recommendation.
"It's not the kids' fault," Mr. Price said. "Those kids have been together for three years."
Dallas Superintendent Michael Hinojosa was out of town Sunday and could not be reached for comment. But he said last week that he felt good about the plan.
"We feel confident we can make it happen," Dr. Hinojosa said.
"We have to assess the cost-benefit situation, but we're really talking about children getting an education."
The Dallas vote will come just in time.
Wilmer-Hutchins leaders, battered by an unending series of crises over the last year, say they don't have the resources to be able to open school next month. If they are forced to open school, it probably wouldn't happen until October. A May decision by Wilmer-Hutchins voters crippled the district's already bleak budget by limiting its authority to generate tax revenue.
Since then, the district has been shopping its students around to neighboring districts. Lancaster got first dibs, but its board voted July 1 to reject the offer. Dallas is their last hope.
"I don't know of any other options floating around," Texas Education Agency spokeswoman Suzanne Marchman said last week. "I think they're nearing the end of the choices available if Dallas doesn't pull through."
Michelle Willhelm, who serves on the state-appointed Wilmer-Hutchins board of managers, said she has not seen the Dallas proposal.
"I would hope that we would have the opportunity to review, discuss, agree, disagree with and not be bound automatically," Ms. Willhelm said. "The main goal is to ensure those children have a quality education for this year."
She said she still believes a plan to resurrect Wilmer-Hutchins school district for 2006-07 could be done if voters approve a tax authorization proposal and a bond package. Voters rejected those items in May 2005 and September 2004, respectively.
District students' test results also would need to improve dramatically.
"There is some opportunity to salvage this school district," Ms. Willhelm said. "Those may be unrealistic goals, but I still have some hope."
Staff writers Herb Booth and Joshua Benton contributed to this report.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLAN DETAILS
•Wilmer-Hutchins students will be sent to at least 26 schools based on existing DISD attendance zones and feeder patterns.
•DISD will receive $15.2 million this year from the state to cover all costs associated with educating Wilmer-Hutchins' students.
•The TEA will give DISD more state aid to pay all outstanding debt that DISD incurs because of the consolidation. The debt includes, but is not limited to, the Wells Fargo loan (about $2.8 million), tax anticipation notes (about $800,000), and money owed to Dallas County Schools (about $400,000).
•This probably will not be a short-term relationship. State Education Commissioner Shirley Neeley says it is her intention to officially order the consolidation of the Wilmer-Hutchins and Dallas school districts effective 2006-07. She will have that authority if Wilmer-Hutchins' TAKS results earn the district an "academically unacceptable" rating this year – something likely to occur.
•The TEA will consult with DISD regarding the proposed sale of any Wilmer-Hutchins properties prior to the consolidation.
•The TEA will not apply scores and accountability ratings involving former Wilmer-Hutchins students to DISD scores and ratings for three years beginning in 2005-06.
•The TEA ensures that all money previously distributed to Wilmer-Hutchins for special programs (like special education, bilingual education, kindergarten, pre-kindergarten, gifted and talented, career and technology programs) goes to DISD.
Majority of Dallas ISD trustees feel good about plan; vote set tonight
By TAWNELL D. HOBBS / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - A majority of Dallas school trustees say they support educating students from the troubled Wilmer-Hutchins school district now that the state has promised to cover all of the costs.
Trustees will decide tonight whether to take on Wilmer Hutchins' 2,700 students – their last chance at a moderately normal school year. Under the proposal, the state would provide DISD with $15.2 million this year. Dallas also would be released from any legal liabilities related to Wilmer Hutchins' past. Trustee Hollis Brashear said Sunday that accepting the plan would show the board's strong character.
"It sends a good message to those advocates of public education that we're all in this together," Mr. Brashear said.
Dallas had been expected to make a decision last Wednesday. But that meeting was postponed because financial details were not as finalized as Dallas officials wanted.
The two big sticking points for Dallas trustees had been the costs and potential legal liabilities. Initially, Dallas was only to receive about $11.2 million from the state. By adjusting the funding formula and treating some of the Wilmer-Hutchins students as transfers and on-contract, the state was able to make up the difference, officials said.
With those hurdles out of the way, at least five trustees – the votes needed – said they feel good about the proposal. Trustees said only a few small details needed to be hammered out. Lew Blackburn, a Dallas trustee whose day job is Wilmer-Hutchins' human resources director, won't be voting on the issue.
"It looks like there's a deal in it to me," said trustee Jack Lowe.
Texas Education Agency Commissioner Shirley Neeley sent a letter to DISD trustees last week thanking them for their consideration. She also assured trustees that DISD would receive proper funding.
"TEA will do everything we can to support your efforts and make this a successful transition," Dr. Neeley wrote to Dallas trustees. "Your staff will be able to focus on the students and you will be funded."
Some Dallas trustees have expressed a desire to keep the Wilmer-Hutchins students after the year is up – and that is likely to happen. Dr. Neeley says it is her intention to officially order the consolidation of the districts in 2006-07. She will have that authority if Wilmer-Hutchins' TAKS results earn the district an "academically unacceptable" rating – something likely to occur.
"I can assure you that if my decision is to annex Wilmer-Hutchins to another district, it will be Dallas," she wrote.
Under the plan, the students will be bused to about 40 different campuses. But there is a proposal to keep the senior class together at Madison High School in South Dallas.
Trustee Ron Price said he made the Madison recommendation.
"It's not the kids' fault," Mr. Price said. "Those kids have been together for three years."
Dallas Superintendent Michael Hinojosa was out of town Sunday and could not be reached for comment. But he said last week that he felt good about the plan.
"We feel confident we can make it happen," Dr. Hinojosa said.
"We have to assess the cost-benefit situation, but we're really talking about children getting an education."
The Dallas vote will come just in time.
Wilmer-Hutchins leaders, battered by an unending series of crises over the last year, say they don't have the resources to be able to open school next month. If they are forced to open school, it probably wouldn't happen until October. A May decision by Wilmer-Hutchins voters crippled the district's already bleak budget by limiting its authority to generate tax revenue.
Since then, the district has been shopping its students around to neighboring districts. Lancaster got first dibs, but its board voted July 1 to reject the offer. Dallas is their last hope.
"I don't know of any other options floating around," Texas Education Agency spokeswoman Suzanne Marchman said last week. "I think they're nearing the end of the choices available if Dallas doesn't pull through."
Michelle Willhelm, who serves on the state-appointed Wilmer-Hutchins board of managers, said she has not seen the Dallas proposal.
"I would hope that we would have the opportunity to review, discuss, agree, disagree with and not be bound automatically," Ms. Willhelm said. "The main goal is to ensure those children have a quality education for this year."
She said she still believes a plan to resurrect Wilmer-Hutchins school district for 2006-07 could be done if voters approve a tax authorization proposal and a bond package. Voters rejected those items in May 2005 and September 2004, respectively.
District students' test results also would need to improve dramatically.
"There is some opportunity to salvage this school district," Ms. Willhelm said. "Those may be unrealistic goals, but I still have some hope."
Staff writers Herb Booth and Joshua Benton contributed to this report.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLAN DETAILS
•Wilmer-Hutchins students will be sent to at least 26 schools based on existing DISD attendance zones and feeder patterns.
•DISD will receive $15.2 million this year from the state to cover all costs associated with educating Wilmer-Hutchins' students.
•The TEA will give DISD more state aid to pay all outstanding debt that DISD incurs because of the consolidation. The debt includes, but is not limited to, the Wells Fargo loan (about $2.8 million), tax anticipation notes (about $800,000), and money owed to Dallas County Schools (about $400,000).
•This probably will not be a short-term relationship. State Education Commissioner Shirley Neeley says it is her intention to officially order the consolidation of the Wilmer-Hutchins and Dallas school districts effective 2006-07. She will have that authority if Wilmer-Hutchins' TAKS results earn the district an "academically unacceptable" rating this year – something likely to occur.
•The TEA will consult with DISD regarding the proposed sale of any Wilmer-Hutchins properties prior to the consolidation.
•The TEA will not apply scores and accountability ratings involving former Wilmer-Hutchins students to DISD scores and ratings for three years beginning in 2005-06.
•The TEA ensures that all money previously distributed to Wilmer-Hutchins for special programs (like special education, bilingual education, kindergarten, pre-kindergarten, gifted and talented, career and technology programs) goes to DISD.
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W-H group speaks out against merger
Vote set tonight; majority of DISD trustees support plan
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A group of concerned Wilmer-Hutchins citizens spoke out Monday morning against a plan to send their students to Dallas Independent School District schools.
A majority of Dallas school trustees said they support educating students from the troubled Wilmer-Hutchins ISD now that the state has promised to cover all of the costs. Trustees will decide Monday night whether to take on Wilmer Hutchins' 2,700 students—their last chance at a moderately normal school year.
However, parents and grandparents of Wilmer-Hutchins students, along with others who form the group known as the Leadership and Accountability Committee, said Monday they do not want the students attending DISD schools, and are concerned about the childrens' welfare.
The group said they don't want the students bused long distances to DISD schools, which they say aren't much better-performing than WHISD schools.
"(The plan) needs to be put into a holding pattern, until all of the stakeholders - the property owners in DISD and all of the neighboring schools - can get a grasp on what the impact will be on our schools," said Sandra Crenshaw, spokesperson for the group.
Under the proposal, the state would provide DISD with $15.2 million this year. Dallas also would be released from any legal liabilities related to Wilmer Hutchins' past. Trustee Hollis Brashear said Sunday that accepting the plan would show the board's strong character.
"It sends a good message to those advocates of public education that we're all in this together," Mr. Brashear said.
However, some members of the Wilmer-Hutchins group at Monday morning's news conference said they are worried the extra money from the state would not go directly to support Wilmer-Hutchins students. They are also worried that the WHISD's top scholars and athletes would lose out in the transition.
Leadership and Accountability Committee members said they simply want the right to decide what's best for their children. They said they would like vouchers to send kids to neighborhood schools, or at the very least, charter schools.
"These children have been batted around in the public," Crenshaw said. "'I don't want 'em, you want 'em' ... we don't wanna go there."
Dallas had been expected to make a decision last Wednesday. But that meeting was postponed because financial details were not as finalized as Dallas officials wanted.
The two big sticking points for Dallas trustees had been the costs and potential legal liabilities. Initially, Dallas was only to receive about $11.2 million from the state. By adjusting the funding formula and treating some of the Wilmer-Hutchins students as transfers and on-contract, the state was able to make up the difference, officials said.
With those hurdles out of the way, at least five trustees – the votes needed – said they feel good about the proposal. Trustees said only a few small details needed to be hammered out. Lew Blackburn, a Dallas trustee whose day job is Wilmer-Hutchins' human resources director, won't be voting on the issue.
"It looks like there's a deal in it to me," said trustee Jack Lowe.
Texas Education Agency Commissioner Shirley Neeley sent a letter to DISD trustees last week thanking them for their consideration. She also assured trustees that DISD would receive proper funding.
"TEA will do everything we can to support your efforts and make this a successful transition," Dr. Neeley wrote to Dallas trustees. "Your staff will be able to focus on the students and you will be funded."
Under the plan, the students will be bused to about 40 different campuses.
Dallas Superintendent Michael Hinojosa was out of town Sunday and could not be reached for comment. But he said last week that he felt good about the plan.
"We feel confident we can make it happen," Dr. Hinojosa said. "We have to assess the cost-benefit situation, but we're really talking about children getting an education."
The Dallas vote will come just in time. Wilmer-Hutchins leaders, battered by an unending series of crises over the last year, say they don't have the resources to be able to open school next month. If they are forced to open school, it probably wouldn't happen until October. A May decision by Wilmer-Hutchins voters crippled the district's already bleak budget by limiting its authority to generate tax revenue.
Michelle Willhelm, who serves on the state-appointed Wilmer-Hutchins board of managers, said she has not seen the Dallas proposal.
"I would hope that we would have the opportunity to review, discuss, agree, disagree with and not be bound automatically," Ms. Willhelm said. "The main goal is to ensure those children have a quality education for this year."
She said she still believes a plan to resurrect Wilmer-Hutchins school district for 2006-07 could be done if voters approve a tax authorization proposal and a bond package. Voters rejected those items in May 2005 and September 2004, respectively.
District students' test results also would need to improve dramatically.
"There is some opportunity to salvage this school district," Ms. Willhelm said. "Those may be unrealistic goals, but I still have some hope."
WFAA-TV reporter Cynthia Vega and Dallas Morning News staff writers Tawnell D. Hobbs, Herb Booth and Joshua Benton contributed to this report.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALSO ONLINE:
Dallas ISD Official Site.
Wilmer-Hutchins ISD Official Site.
Vote set tonight; majority of DISD trustees support plan
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A group of concerned Wilmer-Hutchins citizens spoke out Monday morning against a plan to send their students to Dallas Independent School District schools.
A majority of Dallas school trustees said they support educating students from the troubled Wilmer-Hutchins ISD now that the state has promised to cover all of the costs. Trustees will decide Monday night whether to take on Wilmer Hutchins' 2,700 students—their last chance at a moderately normal school year.
However, parents and grandparents of Wilmer-Hutchins students, along with others who form the group known as the Leadership and Accountability Committee, said Monday they do not want the students attending DISD schools, and are concerned about the childrens' welfare.
The group said they don't want the students bused long distances to DISD schools, which they say aren't much better-performing than WHISD schools.
"(The plan) needs to be put into a holding pattern, until all of the stakeholders - the property owners in DISD and all of the neighboring schools - can get a grasp on what the impact will be on our schools," said Sandra Crenshaw, spokesperson for the group.
Under the proposal, the state would provide DISD with $15.2 million this year. Dallas also would be released from any legal liabilities related to Wilmer Hutchins' past. Trustee Hollis Brashear said Sunday that accepting the plan would show the board's strong character.
"It sends a good message to those advocates of public education that we're all in this together," Mr. Brashear said.
However, some members of the Wilmer-Hutchins group at Monday morning's news conference said they are worried the extra money from the state would not go directly to support Wilmer-Hutchins students. They are also worried that the WHISD's top scholars and athletes would lose out in the transition.
Leadership and Accountability Committee members said they simply want the right to decide what's best for their children. They said they would like vouchers to send kids to neighborhood schools, or at the very least, charter schools.
"These children have been batted around in the public," Crenshaw said. "'I don't want 'em, you want 'em' ... we don't wanna go there."
Dallas had been expected to make a decision last Wednesday. But that meeting was postponed because financial details were not as finalized as Dallas officials wanted.
The two big sticking points for Dallas trustees had been the costs and potential legal liabilities. Initially, Dallas was only to receive about $11.2 million from the state. By adjusting the funding formula and treating some of the Wilmer-Hutchins students as transfers and on-contract, the state was able to make up the difference, officials said.
With those hurdles out of the way, at least five trustees – the votes needed – said they feel good about the proposal. Trustees said only a few small details needed to be hammered out. Lew Blackburn, a Dallas trustee whose day job is Wilmer-Hutchins' human resources director, won't be voting on the issue.
"It looks like there's a deal in it to me," said trustee Jack Lowe.
Texas Education Agency Commissioner Shirley Neeley sent a letter to DISD trustees last week thanking them for their consideration. She also assured trustees that DISD would receive proper funding.
"TEA will do everything we can to support your efforts and make this a successful transition," Dr. Neeley wrote to Dallas trustees. "Your staff will be able to focus on the students and you will be funded."
Under the plan, the students will be bused to about 40 different campuses.
Dallas Superintendent Michael Hinojosa was out of town Sunday and could not be reached for comment. But he said last week that he felt good about the plan.
"We feel confident we can make it happen," Dr. Hinojosa said. "We have to assess the cost-benefit situation, but we're really talking about children getting an education."
The Dallas vote will come just in time. Wilmer-Hutchins leaders, battered by an unending series of crises over the last year, say they don't have the resources to be able to open school next month. If they are forced to open school, it probably wouldn't happen until October. A May decision by Wilmer-Hutchins voters crippled the district's already bleak budget by limiting its authority to generate tax revenue.
Michelle Willhelm, who serves on the state-appointed Wilmer-Hutchins board of managers, said she has not seen the Dallas proposal.
"I would hope that we would have the opportunity to review, discuss, agree, disagree with and not be bound automatically," Ms. Willhelm said. "The main goal is to ensure those children have a quality education for this year."
She said she still believes a plan to resurrect Wilmer-Hutchins school district for 2006-07 could be done if voters approve a tax authorization proposal and a bond package. Voters rejected those items in May 2005 and September 2004, respectively.
District students' test results also would need to improve dramatically.
"There is some opportunity to salvage this school district," Ms. Willhelm said. "Those may be unrealistic goals, but I still have some hope."
WFAA-TV reporter Cynthia Vega and Dallas Morning News staff writers Tawnell D. Hobbs, Herb Booth and Joshua Benton contributed to this report.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALSO ONLINE:
Dallas ISD Official Site.
Wilmer-Hutchins ISD Official Site.
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Dallas ISD accepts W-H merger
By JOSHUA BENTON / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - The wandering students of Wilmer-Hutchins may finally have a home.
The Dallas school board voted Monday night to accept Wilmer-Hutchins' roughly 2,700 students into its existing south-end campuses.
The adoption was made necessary by Wilmer-Hutchins' mounting debts and budget problems. District leaders determined at the end of the last school year that the district could not proceed in its current financial state. They first asked Lancaster officials to take in their students, but Lancaster turned them down.
That left Dallas as the last choice available. Dallas trustees approved the deal 8-0 with almost no debate.
Had Dallas said no, Wilmer-Hutchins would likely have been forced to open this fall with a per-pupil budget less than half the size of any other area district.
The move happened in the nick of time: New Dallas teachers are scheduled to report to work today.
"These kids are going to be taken well care of," said Dallas board president Lois Parrott. "And they're very welcome in our schools."
Under the deal struck Monday, Wilmer-Hutchins students will be bused to dozens of schools in South Dallas. The specific schools were left up to Dallas Superintendent Michael Hinojosa, who will decide in the next few days so athletes can know their new assignments in time for football practice next week.
The Dallas high schools under consideration are South Oak Cliff, Roosevelt, Carter, and A. Maceo Smith. Madison High is also being considered as a home for Wilmer-Hutchins' seniors.
Madison is almost 10 miles away from the current Wilmer-Hutchins High, but it would have one of the state's top football teams if Wilmer-Hutchins' senior football players were added to its squad. Trustee Ron Price has advocated keeping the seniors together at one school.
"We will consider it strongly," Dr. Hinojosa said, adding that everything will be done to "minimize the impact on those students."
Finances had been a sticking point for Dallas trustees, who worried that taking in Wilmer-Hutchins' students could force Dallas to spend money it had planned to spend on its own students.
But Texas Education Agency officials agreed last week to sweeten the pot by upping the state funding Dallas would receive from $11.2 million to $15.2 million.
"It was a no-brainer that the kids of Wilmer-Hutchins deserve to be educated," said Dallas trustee Nancy Bingham. "But we had to make sure all the details were in place so we were being fair to our own taxpayers."
TEA officials have said that extra $4 million would come from Wilmer-Hutchins' already limited resources. Mr. O'Hanlon said Wilmer-Hutchins would likely have to sell some or all of its campuses and land holdings to raise funds.
The Wilmer-Hutchins board of managers will meet on Thursday to evaluate the deal. Also on the agenda: hiring a team of appraisers to determine how much the district's land could fetch on the open market.
At least one Wilmer-Hutchins manager, Donnie Foxx, has publicly opposed a land sale. Another manager, Sandra Donato, is a Dallas schools employee and, as a result, cannot vote on the deal. That means that if any one of the remaining three managers – Albert Black, Michelle Willhelm and Saundra King – opposes the deal, it will fail. None of the three were present at Monday's meeting.
Monday's deal could dampen the possibility of a proposal approved by the Wilmer-Hutchins board of managers last month. That proposal would have revived Wilmer-Hutchins schools in 2006 if taxpayers agreed to two tax increases and test scores improved markedly.
The deal with Dallas would likely mean a revived Wilmer-Hutchins would have even less money to spend in 2006-07 than it would have had in 2005-06. In addition, selling some or all of Wilmer-Hutchins' campuses to pay Dallas would make it more difficult for the district to reopen its doors.
Dallas officials had asked for more concessions to approve the deal. They wanted the TEA to pay off some of Wilmer-Hutchins' debts, including the $2.8 million it owes to Wells Fargo. But TEA said no.
The deal struck Monday covers only the coming school year. But it is expected that state Education Commissioner Shirley Neeley will make the marriage permanent this fall when Wilmer-Hutchins' poor test scores from last school year become official and she gains legal authority to force a merger.
When that happens, everything that belongs to Wilmer-Hutchins – including assets like its land and problems like its debts and legal liabilities – will belong to Dallas.
Undecided issues
Not all issues have been settled. For instance, it's still undetermined whether the test scores of Wilmer-Hutchins students will count against Dallas for school ratings purposes. And the board has not decided how to handle the drawing of trustees' districts, which would likely have to change if a permanent merger occurs next year.
The saga of Wilmer-Hutchins is still far from over. One lawsuit pending in district court argues that TEA never had the authority to appoint the board of managers in May. A key ruling in that case is expected in the next few days. If the suit is successful, it could mean the board of managers would be replaced with the district's ousted elected board. And all actions of the board of managers – such as the negotiations of Monday's deal – would be null and void.
Even if that suit fails, several residents threatened further litigation. "I believe the community is going find the necessary resources to battle this thing in court," said Cedric Davis, a former Wilmer-Hutchins police chief who was elected to the school board shortly before it was thrown out of office in May.
"You're going to see some children writing their legislators," he said. "And in upcoming elections, you're going to see our elected officials getting hurt at the ballot box because of this."
Pinkie Gardner, the oldest living black graduate of Wilmer-Hutchins, said she wasn't sure what to think about the deal. "The kids have got to go somewhere," she said. "But I want to think about the future. We could do great things in the future."
Staff writer Tawnell D. Hobbs contributed to this report.
MEI-CHUN JAU / Dallas Morning News
Ardie Allen of Wilmer and Sandra Crenshaw of Dallas attended the school board meeting Monday night.
By JOSHUA BENTON / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - The wandering students of Wilmer-Hutchins may finally have a home.
The Dallas school board voted Monday night to accept Wilmer-Hutchins' roughly 2,700 students into its existing south-end campuses.
The adoption was made necessary by Wilmer-Hutchins' mounting debts and budget problems. District leaders determined at the end of the last school year that the district could not proceed in its current financial state. They first asked Lancaster officials to take in their students, but Lancaster turned them down.
That left Dallas as the last choice available. Dallas trustees approved the deal 8-0 with almost no debate.
Had Dallas said no, Wilmer-Hutchins would likely have been forced to open this fall with a per-pupil budget less than half the size of any other area district.
The move happened in the nick of time: New Dallas teachers are scheduled to report to work today.
"These kids are going to be taken well care of," said Dallas board president Lois Parrott. "And they're very welcome in our schools."
Under the deal struck Monday, Wilmer-Hutchins students will be bused to dozens of schools in South Dallas. The specific schools were left up to Dallas Superintendent Michael Hinojosa, who will decide in the next few days so athletes can know their new assignments in time for football practice next week.
The Dallas high schools under consideration are South Oak Cliff, Roosevelt, Carter, and A. Maceo Smith. Madison High is also being considered as a home for Wilmer-Hutchins' seniors.
Madison is almost 10 miles away from the current Wilmer-Hutchins High, but it would have one of the state's top football teams if Wilmer-Hutchins' senior football players were added to its squad. Trustee Ron Price has advocated keeping the seniors together at one school.
"We will consider it strongly," Dr. Hinojosa said, adding that everything will be done to "minimize the impact on those students."
Finances had been a sticking point for Dallas trustees, who worried that taking in Wilmer-Hutchins' students could force Dallas to spend money it had planned to spend on its own students.
But Texas Education Agency officials agreed last week to sweeten the pot by upping the state funding Dallas would receive from $11.2 million to $15.2 million.
"It was a no-brainer that the kids of Wilmer-Hutchins deserve to be educated," said Dallas trustee Nancy Bingham. "But we had to make sure all the details were in place so we were being fair to our own taxpayers."
TEA officials have said that extra $4 million would come from Wilmer-Hutchins' already limited resources. Mr. O'Hanlon said Wilmer-Hutchins would likely have to sell some or all of its campuses and land holdings to raise funds.
The Wilmer-Hutchins board of managers will meet on Thursday to evaluate the deal. Also on the agenda: hiring a team of appraisers to determine how much the district's land could fetch on the open market.
At least one Wilmer-Hutchins manager, Donnie Foxx, has publicly opposed a land sale. Another manager, Sandra Donato, is a Dallas schools employee and, as a result, cannot vote on the deal. That means that if any one of the remaining three managers – Albert Black, Michelle Willhelm and Saundra King – opposes the deal, it will fail. None of the three were present at Monday's meeting.
Monday's deal could dampen the possibility of a proposal approved by the Wilmer-Hutchins board of managers last month. That proposal would have revived Wilmer-Hutchins schools in 2006 if taxpayers agreed to two tax increases and test scores improved markedly.
The deal with Dallas would likely mean a revived Wilmer-Hutchins would have even less money to spend in 2006-07 than it would have had in 2005-06. In addition, selling some or all of Wilmer-Hutchins' campuses to pay Dallas would make it more difficult for the district to reopen its doors.
Dallas officials had asked for more concessions to approve the deal. They wanted the TEA to pay off some of Wilmer-Hutchins' debts, including the $2.8 million it owes to Wells Fargo. But TEA said no.
The deal struck Monday covers only the coming school year. But it is expected that state Education Commissioner Shirley Neeley will make the marriage permanent this fall when Wilmer-Hutchins' poor test scores from last school year become official and she gains legal authority to force a merger.
When that happens, everything that belongs to Wilmer-Hutchins – including assets like its land and problems like its debts and legal liabilities – will belong to Dallas.
Undecided issues
Not all issues have been settled. For instance, it's still undetermined whether the test scores of Wilmer-Hutchins students will count against Dallas for school ratings purposes. And the board has not decided how to handle the drawing of trustees' districts, which would likely have to change if a permanent merger occurs next year.
The saga of Wilmer-Hutchins is still far from over. One lawsuit pending in district court argues that TEA never had the authority to appoint the board of managers in May. A key ruling in that case is expected in the next few days. If the suit is successful, it could mean the board of managers would be replaced with the district's ousted elected board. And all actions of the board of managers – such as the negotiations of Monday's deal – would be null and void.
Even if that suit fails, several residents threatened further litigation. "I believe the community is going find the necessary resources to battle this thing in court," said Cedric Davis, a former Wilmer-Hutchins police chief who was elected to the school board shortly before it was thrown out of office in May.
"You're going to see some children writing their legislators," he said. "And in upcoming elections, you're going to see our elected officials getting hurt at the ballot box because of this."
Pinkie Gardner, the oldest living black graduate of Wilmer-Hutchins, said she wasn't sure what to think about the deal. "The kids have got to go somewhere," she said. "But I want to think about the future. We could do great things in the future."
Staff writer Tawnell D. Hobbs contributed to this report.
MEI-CHUN JAU / Dallas Morning News
Ardie Allen of Wilmer and Sandra Crenshaw of Dallas attended the school board meeting Monday night.
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TexasStooge
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Wilmer-Hutchins seniors to stick together in Dallas ISD
DALLAS, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - Some 2,700 students from the Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School District learned their future Wednesday after the Dallas superintendent announced where the displaced youths will attend school.
All 160 Wilmer-Hutchins seniors, including 12 from the football team, will travel some 17 miles to attend Dallas’ South Oak Cliff High School, while the others will be assigned to 24 Dallas Independent School District campuses for the 2005-06 school year.
Superintendent Michael Hinojosa said that based on polling and discussions with Wilmer-Hutchins students and their parents, the “overwhelming sentiment is that the senior class should remain together for the 2005-06 school year."
"As a result of this input, we feel obliged and duty-bound to honor their request and will assign the entire WHISD senior class to South Oak Cliff High School,” Hinojosa said in a statement.
The football players in particular hoped to stay together after a strong season competing in 3A.
Last year, they went 10-2, including an undefeated run through District 10-3A, and advanced to the Division II regional semifinals.
The DISD adoption, approved Monday night, was made necessary by Wilmer-Hutchins' mounting debts, budget problems and scandal. After Lancaster schools turned down Wilmer-Hutchins’ request to take their students, DISD agreed to accept them.
Even with the Wilmer-Hutchins students, the Dallas campuses will be nowhere near maximum capacity, ranging anywhere from 38 percent to 94 percent.
DISD will begin sending letters Wednesday so the students will be notified about where they will attend school as soon as possible. Transportation plans are being developed.
"They have assured us they will have information for students and parents in short order,” Hinojosa said.
School opens Aug. 15.
JOHN F. RHODES/Dallas Morning News
Wilmer-Hutchins (above) will send its senior football players to South Oak Cliff.
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WHERE THE STUDENTS WILL GO
The number of Wilmer-Hutchins students assigned to each Dallas campus and the total capacity of each school that will be reached with the additions:
High schools
• 77 students, Carter, 92 percent
• 257 students, Roosevelt, 57 percent
• 150 students, Smith, 75 percent
• 203 students, South Oak Cliff, 79 percent
Middle schools
• 53 students, D.A. Hulcy, 46 percent
• 154 students, Oliver Wendell Holmes, 62 percent
• 127 students, Sarah Zumwalt, 80 percent
• 28 students, Boude Storey, 46 percent
Elementary schools
• 78 students, Birdie Alexander, 89 percent
• 53 students, Umphrey Lee, 71 percent
• 94 students, John Neely Bryan, 70 percent
• 66 students, B.F. Darrell, 87 percent
• 42 students, Martin Weiss, 94 percent
• 174 students, W.W. Bushman, 87 percent
• 113 students, Clara Oliver, 38 percent
• 104 students, N.W. Harllee, 69 percent
• 219 students, Albert Sidney Johnston, 84 percent
• 113 students, William B. Miller, 56 percent
• 130 students, Roger Q. Mills, 94 percent
• 168 students, J.P. Starks, 71 percent
• 88 students, Whitney M. Young Jr., 77 percent capacity
• 67 students, Harrell Budd, 96 percent
• 85 students J.N. Ervin, 85 percent
• 18 students, T.D. Marshall, 74 percent
• 41 students, Lisbon, 91 percent capacity
Source: Dallas ISD
DALLAS, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - Some 2,700 students from the Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School District learned their future Wednesday after the Dallas superintendent announced where the displaced youths will attend school.
All 160 Wilmer-Hutchins seniors, including 12 from the football team, will travel some 17 miles to attend Dallas’ South Oak Cliff High School, while the others will be assigned to 24 Dallas Independent School District campuses for the 2005-06 school year.
Superintendent Michael Hinojosa said that based on polling and discussions with Wilmer-Hutchins students and their parents, the “overwhelming sentiment is that the senior class should remain together for the 2005-06 school year."
"As a result of this input, we feel obliged and duty-bound to honor their request and will assign the entire WHISD senior class to South Oak Cliff High School,” Hinojosa said in a statement.
The football players in particular hoped to stay together after a strong season competing in 3A.
Last year, they went 10-2, including an undefeated run through District 10-3A, and advanced to the Division II regional semifinals.
The DISD adoption, approved Monday night, was made necessary by Wilmer-Hutchins' mounting debts, budget problems and scandal. After Lancaster schools turned down Wilmer-Hutchins’ request to take their students, DISD agreed to accept them.
Even with the Wilmer-Hutchins students, the Dallas campuses will be nowhere near maximum capacity, ranging anywhere from 38 percent to 94 percent.
DISD will begin sending letters Wednesday so the students will be notified about where they will attend school as soon as possible. Transportation plans are being developed.
"They have assured us they will have information for students and parents in short order,” Hinojosa said.
School opens Aug. 15.
JOHN F. RHODES/Dallas Morning News
Wilmer-Hutchins (above) will send its senior football players to South Oak Cliff.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHERE THE STUDENTS WILL GO
The number of Wilmer-Hutchins students assigned to each Dallas campus and the total capacity of each school that will be reached with the additions:
High schools
• 77 students, Carter, 92 percent
• 257 students, Roosevelt, 57 percent
• 150 students, Smith, 75 percent
• 203 students, South Oak Cliff, 79 percent
Middle schools
• 53 students, D.A. Hulcy, 46 percent
• 154 students, Oliver Wendell Holmes, 62 percent
• 127 students, Sarah Zumwalt, 80 percent
• 28 students, Boude Storey, 46 percent
Elementary schools
• 78 students, Birdie Alexander, 89 percent
• 53 students, Umphrey Lee, 71 percent
• 94 students, John Neely Bryan, 70 percent
• 66 students, B.F. Darrell, 87 percent
• 42 students, Martin Weiss, 94 percent
• 174 students, W.W. Bushman, 87 percent
• 113 students, Clara Oliver, 38 percent
• 104 students, N.W. Harllee, 69 percent
• 219 students, Albert Sidney Johnston, 84 percent
• 113 students, William B. Miller, 56 percent
• 130 students, Roger Q. Mills, 94 percent
• 168 students, J.P. Starks, 71 percent
• 88 students, Whitney M. Young Jr., 77 percent capacity
• 67 students, Harrell Budd, 96 percent
• 85 students J.N. Ervin, 85 percent
• 18 students, T.D. Marshall, 74 percent
• 41 students, Lisbon, 91 percent capacity
Source: Dallas ISD
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jasons2k
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Ya know, I've been watching this thing for the past year or so myself. I lived in Plano/Frisco before recently moving down to Houston.
Those people are idiots, plain and simple. They bring in the state to clean house and the first thing the board does is fire the interim Superintendent, even though the old one (who they wanted to keep) was a criminal.
The state got court order to reinstate the interim Superintendent and state oversight, and the board voted it down again. I can't figure out for the life of me how these people think they were doing a good job. The meetings they showed on TV were shouting matches. The board members and trustees they interviewed sounded less educated than my 14 year-old sister. How on earth can these people legally have any power? How on earth did these board members get elected in the first place?
At least now W-H will be no more. It should have been done a long time ago but unfortunately at the expense of the already struggling DISD.
In the 18 years I lived in the Metroplex, I don't think I have ever witnessed a faster downfall of a once great place to live. It's sad really, but I think that article a few years ago in the DMN called "Dallas at the Tipping Point" was right, and it tipped in about 1990.
Those people are idiots, plain and simple. They bring in the state to clean house and the first thing the board does is fire the interim Superintendent, even though the old one (who they wanted to keep) was a criminal.
The state got court order to reinstate the interim Superintendent and state oversight, and the board voted it down again. I can't figure out for the life of me how these people think they were doing a good job. The meetings they showed on TV were shouting matches. The board members and trustees they interviewed sounded less educated than my 14 year-old sister. How on earth can these people legally have any power? How on earth did these board members get elected in the first place?
At least now W-H will be no more. It should have been done a long time ago but unfortunately at the expense of the already struggling DISD.
In the 18 years I lived in the Metroplex, I don't think I have ever witnessed a faster downfall of a once great place to live. It's sad really, but I think that article a few years ago in the DMN called "Dallas at the Tipping Point" was right, and it tipped in about 1990.
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jasons2k
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- Joined: Wed Jul 06, 2005 12:32 pm
- Location: The Woodlands, TX
This is great, from above:
[When news 8 pointed out to the woman taking the TV that it was Wilmer-Hutchins property, she began to get upset.
"I see that on TV, you and me gonna have a problem," she said.]
Maybe the reporter should have replied:
"Guess what lady, you and me already have one!"
[When news 8 pointed out to the woman taking the TV that it was Wilmer-Hutchins property, she began to get upset.
"I see that on TV, you and me gonna have a problem," she said.]
Maybe the reporter should have replied:
"Guess what lady, you and me already have one!"
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TexasStooge
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W-HISD students transition into DISD schools
By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - The start of another school year began Monday across North Texas and thousands of students headed back to class today.
However, going back to school meant a whole new environment for 27,000 former students of the troubled Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School District as they transitioned into the Dallas Independent School District system.
But DISD said they are trying to make the move as smooth as possible for students and welcomed them across 25 campuses in the southern part of the district.
The district had only about four weeks to add the students from W-HISD, but said at a briefing this afternoon that day one of the merger went relatively well.
The new superintendent, Michael Hinojosa, walked the halls of South Oak Cliff High School where more than 200 former students of W-HISD student now attend. Hinojosa personally welcomed W-HISD students, including new transfer Ashley Scott.
"We are glad you're a golden bear now," he told Scott as he shook her hand as she sat in her seat in a classroom.
The entire senior class of W-HISD transferred together to South Oak Cliff High School. Anthony Miller, the former assistant principal at W-HISD, also transferred to the school and will assist with discipline.
"Yes, I know everyone that's here," Miller said of the ease of his transition to South Oak Cliff High School.
Meanwhile, W-HISD students who were in extra-curricular activities are being encouraged to participate by their new school.
"If a kid was a cheerleader on a Wilmer Hutchins team, they came here automatically as a cheerleader," said Donald Moten, the principal at South Oak Cliff High School.
He also said those on the dance team were also placed on the school's dance team.
"We are going to take care of them, graduate them and take care of them just like South Oak Cliff kids," Moten said.
The rest of the W-HISD students were spread across 24 other DISD schools, but the district said they have not increased security on campuses with the new addition of students.
While officials insisted things went well, some parents said there were some transportation glitches and a handful of students were said to have went to the wrong school.
By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - The start of another school year began Monday across North Texas and thousands of students headed back to class today.
However, going back to school meant a whole new environment for 27,000 former students of the troubled Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School District as they transitioned into the Dallas Independent School District system.
But DISD said they are trying to make the move as smooth as possible for students and welcomed them across 25 campuses in the southern part of the district.
The district had only about four weeks to add the students from W-HISD, but said at a briefing this afternoon that day one of the merger went relatively well.
The new superintendent, Michael Hinojosa, walked the halls of South Oak Cliff High School where more than 200 former students of W-HISD student now attend. Hinojosa personally welcomed W-HISD students, including new transfer Ashley Scott.
"We are glad you're a golden bear now," he told Scott as he shook her hand as she sat in her seat in a classroom.
The entire senior class of W-HISD transferred together to South Oak Cliff High School. Anthony Miller, the former assistant principal at W-HISD, also transferred to the school and will assist with discipline.
"Yes, I know everyone that's here," Miller said of the ease of his transition to South Oak Cliff High School.
Meanwhile, W-HISD students who were in extra-curricular activities are being encouraged to participate by their new school.
"If a kid was a cheerleader on a Wilmer Hutchins team, they came here automatically as a cheerleader," said Donald Moten, the principal at South Oak Cliff High School.
He also said those on the dance team were also placed on the school's dance team.
"We are going to take care of them, graduate them and take care of them just like South Oak Cliff kids," Moten said.
The rest of the W-HISD students were spread across 24 other DISD schools, but the district said they have not increased security on campuses with the new addition of students.
While officials insisted things went well, some parents said there were some transportation glitches and a handful of students were said to have went to the wrong school.
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GalvestonDuck
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TexasStooge
- Category 5
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- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
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Fights erupt at Roosevelt High
Dallas: 13 sent home after brawls involving W-H transfers
By TAWNELL D. HOBBS / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - A pair of fights broke out Friday between groups of students at Roosevelt High School and transfer students from Wilmer-Hutchins.
The first brawl started with an altercation between two girls in the cafeteria, one from Wilmer-Hutchins and the other from Roosevelt, said Donald Claxton, Dallas Independent School District spokesman.
Other students joined in the fight, which included the throwing of food, Mr. Claxton said. Five of the students have been identified and are being charged with school disruption, a Class C misdemeanor, he said.
After the second fight, which occurred soon after, four citations were issued to students, Mr. Claxton said. Thirteen students were sent home in the two incidents, he said.
Mr. Claxton said more police officers would be stationed at the school.
DISD trustees agreed last month to educate the 2,700 students from the Wilmer-Hutchins school district, which didn't have the money to operate this year. Roosevelt High School in east Oak Cliff received 257 of the students – the most of any campus.Wilmer-Hutchins transfer Laquis McClain said she is scared to go back to Roosevelt High. The junior said she saw some of the fighting on Friday.
"My friend was walking and they just jumped her," the 16-year-old said.
Some parents have worried about how their children would be treated in the new schools.
Laquis' mother, Angela Ross, said she has been concerned about her daughter's safety. Ms. Ross said she has opted to drive her daughter to school rather than have her take the bus.
"I don't know what to do," said Ms. Ross, who has three children in three different schools in DISD. She said her children don't have a sense of belonging.
Mr. Claxton agreed that the fights are a concern.
"We want to have as smooth a transition as possible," he said. "We'll continue to encourage everybody to get along."
Mr. Claxton said the principal of the school also has warned that fighting would not be tolerated. He said that he knew of no other fights between Wilmer-Hutchins students and DISD students at any other campuses.
Dallas: 13 sent home after brawls involving W-H transfers
By TAWNELL D. HOBBS / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - A pair of fights broke out Friday between groups of students at Roosevelt High School and transfer students from Wilmer-Hutchins.
The first brawl started with an altercation between two girls in the cafeteria, one from Wilmer-Hutchins and the other from Roosevelt, said Donald Claxton, Dallas Independent School District spokesman.
Other students joined in the fight, which included the throwing of food, Mr. Claxton said. Five of the students have been identified and are being charged with school disruption, a Class C misdemeanor, he said.
After the second fight, which occurred soon after, four citations were issued to students, Mr. Claxton said. Thirteen students were sent home in the two incidents, he said.
Mr. Claxton said more police officers would be stationed at the school.
DISD trustees agreed last month to educate the 2,700 students from the Wilmer-Hutchins school district, which didn't have the money to operate this year. Roosevelt High School in east Oak Cliff received 257 of the students – the most of any campus.Wilmer-Hutchins transfer Laquis McClain said she is scared to go back to Roosevelt High. The junior said she saw some of the fighting on Friday.
"My friend was walking and they just jumped her," the 16-year-old said.
Some parents have worried about how their children would be treated in the new schools.
Laquis' mother, Angela Ross, said she has been concerned about her daughter's safety. Ms. Ross said she has opted to drive her daughter to school rather than have her take the bus.
"I don't know what to do," said Ms. Ross, who has three children in three different schools in DISD. She said her children don't have a sense of belonging.
Mr. Claxton agreed that the fights are a concern.
"We want to have as smooth a transition as possible," he said. "We'll continue to encourage everybody to get along."
Mr. Claxton said the principal of the school also has warned that fighting would not be tolerated. He said that he knew of no other fights between Wilmer-Hutchins students and DISD students at any other campuses.
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TexasStooge
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State to dissolve W-H district
Dallas: Merger with DISD needs OK from Justice Department
BY JOSHUA BENTON / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - The Wilmer-Hutchins school district is being put out of its misery.
State Education Commissioner Shirley Neeley announced Friday that the long-troubled district will cease to exist July 1. Its boundaries will be merged into the Dallas school district – which is already educating Wilmer-Hutchins' students, since Wilmer-Hutchins can't afford to.
The commissioner's move – which awaits federal approval – closes one of the most traumatic chapters that a Texas school district has faced. The district saw two indictments of its superintendent, the forced ouster of its school board, a widespread cheating scandal and a complete financial collapse.
"I think it's the most humane decision for the kids," said Eugene Young, the man that Dr. Neeley named the district's superintendent in May.
The commissioner's decision also turns the page on the nearly 80-year history of one of Texas' few majority-black districts. Wilmer-Hutchins has been battered by scandal, mismanagement and corruption charges for decades.
"How can you have an entire community without a school?" asked Joan Bonner, a former school board member and mother of a high school senior. "We have three jails, but we don't have a school?"
Of all Wilmer-Hutchins' problems, it was the cheating scandal that proved fatal. Last fall, a series of stories in The Dallas Morning News reported strong evidence that teachers in the district's elementary schools were helping students cheat on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills. Those stories prompted a state investigation, which found evidence that two-thirds of the district's elementary teachers were helping students cheat.
Those findings led Dr. Neeley to lower the district's state rating to academically unacceptable, the state's lowest. It also led her to order a team of test monitors to prevent cheating last spring. Wilmer-Hutchins' passing rates plummeted – in some cases by more than 50 percentage points.
That led to a second year of "unacceptable" status. Under state law, the commissioner has authority to shut down a district only after it is rated unacceptable for two straight years.
But changes would have been coming even without the cheating, because of Wilmer-Hutchins' financial crisis. It was twice unable to meet monthly payroll in the last 12 months, and teachers received July and August paychecks only after the TEA agreed to an unusual $3 million emergency loan. It owes about $2.8 million to Wells Fargo, which has sued to recover it.
And because of a decision by voters in May, Wilmer-Hutchins could only charge a tax rate of 90 cents per $100 of assessed property value. That's well below the $1.50 that nearly every other district in North Texas charges.
The result was that Wilmer-Hutchins had no way to open school this fall and offer something close to an acceptable education. The state-appointed team running the district began searching another district to take its children for the next year.
Lancaster backs out
Initially, Lancaster officials seemed ready to accept them and educate them in Wilmer-Hutchins campuses. But a group of Wilmer-Hutchins residents objected to the merger, believing their district could be kept alive. In the end, Lancaster trustees voted it down.
"Lancaster didn't turn down our kids – they turned down our adults," said Mr. Young, whose district's employment has dropped from 406 to 11 in the last year.
Wilmer-Hutchins officials then turned to Dallas. Dallas agreed, but on the condition that all Wilmer-Hutchins students would be bused to Dallas campuses. Those 2,700 students are going to nearly 40 schools in southern Dallas.
"Some parts of the community said we should fight to keep everything," Mr. Young said. "They fought to keep everything, and they ended up with nothing."
State officials have effectively been in control of the district since November, when a state management team was appointed. In May, the elected school board – which state officials considered an obstacle to progress – was thrown out of office and replaced with state appointees.
But some residents argue that state officials were uninterested in saving Wilmer-Hutchins and are happy to see it go. "They haven't given us a chance," Ms. Bonner said, noting that Texas Education Agency officials had approved a plan this summer that could revive the district if a number of financial and academic hurdles were met.
She and others pointed to an incident in June in which the state-appointed board wanted to ask voters for a tax increase that would have strengthened the district's finances. State officials asked them not to put it before voters, even though many residents believed it would have passed.
But Mr. Young said the district's problems were just too great to overcome. "The kids are going to be fine" in Dallas, he said. "It's the adults who can't let it go sometimes."
The biggest complaint of Wilmer-Hutchins residents has been about the distance they must travel to schools in Dallas. Some, particularly in the city of Wilmer, must be bused more than 20 miles.
Donald Claxton, the Dallas schools spokesman, said the district could consider renovating some of the old Wilmer-Hutchins schools or building new ones as part of a future bond package. "That's something we'd have to look at long term and discuss with trustees," he said.
Opponents of the district's deposed leadership welcomed the commissioner's decision, saying Wilmer-Hutchins had been too dysfunctional for too long.
"This is excellent news," said Lionel Churchill, a Wilmer-Hutchins board member in the 1970s. "This allows everyone to focus on the future and start planning and settling down."
A troubled history
Wilmer-Hutchins has been the target of more state interventions than any other district and arguably more investigations by law enforcement than any other district its size.
Dr. Neeley's decision must still be approved by the U.S. Department of Justice, which must determine whether the decision negatively affects the voting rights of Wilmer-Hutchins residents.
Mr. Churchill said the need for Justice Department approval might be one reason why Dr. Neeley gave the entire district to Dallas, rather than shaving off the southern sector for absorption into neighboring Ferris schools. Those southern areas have larger white and Hispanic populations than the rest of Wilmer-Hutchins, which could have raised race discrimination issues for federal officials.
The merger will become official July 1. At that point, all assets of Wilmer-Hutchins will become the property of Dallas – including the 10 school campuses, all in varying states of disrepair and all declared unusable by officials.
Some of those campuses may have to be sold to pay some of the district's bills, Mr. Young said. That would help lower the district's debt – a boon to Dallas, because any debts remaining by July also will become Dallas' problem.
Dallas: Merger with DISD needs OK from Justice Department
BY JOSHUA BENTON / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - The Wilmer-Hutchins school district is being put out of its misery.
State Education Commissioner Shirley Neeley announced Friday that the long-troubled district will cease to exist July 1. Its boundaries will be merged into the Dallas school district – which is already educating Wilmer-Hutchins' students, since Wilmer-Hutchins can't afford to.
The commissioner's move – which awaits federal approval – closes one of the most traumatic chapters that a Texas school district has faced. The district saw two indictments of its superintendent, the forced ouster of its school board, a widespread cheating scandal and a complete financial collapse.
"I think it's the most humane decision for the kids," said Eugene Young, the man that Dr. Neeley named the district's superintendent in May.
The commissioner's decision also turns the page on the nearly 80-year history of one of Texas' few majority-black districts. Wilmer-Hutchins has been battered by scandal, mismanagement and corruption charges for decades.
"How can you have an entire community without a school?" asked Joan Bonner, a former school board member and mother of a high school senior. "We have three jails, but we don't have a school?"
Of all Wilmer-Hutchins' problems, it was the cheating scandal that proved fatal. Last fall, a series of stories in The Dallas Morning News reported strong evidence that teachers in the district's elementary schools were helping students cheat on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills. Those stories prompted a state investigation, which found evidence that two-thirds of the district's elementary teachers were helping students cheat.
Those findings led Dr. Neeley to lower the district's state rating to academically unacceptable, the state's lowest. It also led her to order a team of test monitors to prevent cheating last spring. Wilmer-Hutchins' passing rates plummeted – in some cases by more than 50 percentage points.
That led to a second year of "unacceptable" status. Under state law, the commissioner has authority to shut down a district only after it is rated unacceptable for two straight years.
But changes would have been coming even without the cheating, because of Wilmer-Hutchins' financial crisis. It was twice unable to meet monthly payroll in the last 12 months, and teachers received July and August paychecks only after the TEA agreed to an unusual $3 million emergency loan. It owes about $2.8 million to Wells Fargo, which has sued to recover it.
And because of a decision by voters in May, Wilmer-Hutchins could only charge a tax rate of 90 cents per $100 of assessed property value. That's well below the $1.50 that nearly every other district in North Texas charges.
The result was that Wilmer-Hutchins had no way to open school this fall and offer something close to an acceptable education. The state-appointed team running the district began searching another district to take its children for the next year.
Lancaster backs out
Initially, Lancaster officials seemed ready to accept them and educate them in Wilmer-Hutchins campuses. But a group of Wilmer-Hutchins residents objected to the merger, believing their district could be kept alive. In the end, Lancaster trustees voted it down.
"Lancaster didn't turn down our kids – they turned down our adults," said Mr. Young, whose district's employment has dropped from 406 to 11 in the last year.
Wilmer-Hutchins officials then turned to Dallas. Dallas agreed, but on the condition that all Wilmer-Hutchins students would be bused to Dallas campuses. Those 2,700 students are going to nearly 40 schools in southern Dallas.
"Some parts of the community said we should fight to keep everything," Mr. Young said. "They fought to keep everything, and they ended up with nothing."
State officials have effectively been in control of the district since November, when a state management team was appointed. In May, the elected school board – which state officials considered an obstacle to progress – was thrown out of office and replaced with state appointees.
But some residents argue that state officials were uninterested in saving Wilmer-Hutchins and are happy to see it go. "They haven't given us a chance," Ms. Bonner said, noting that Texas Education Agency officials had approved a plan this summer that could revive the district if a number of financial and academic hurdles were met.
She and others pointed to an incident in June in which the state-appointed board wanted to ask voters for a tax increase that would have strengthened the district's finances. State officials asked them not to put it before voters, even though many residents believed it would have passed.
But Mr. Young said the district's problems were just too great to overcome. "The kids are going to be fine" in Dallas, he said. "It's the adults who can't let it go sometimes."
The biggest complaint of Wilmer-Hutchins residents has been about the distance they must travel to schools in Dallas. Some, particularly in the city of Wilmer, must be bused more than 20 miles.
Donald Claxton, the Dallas schools spokesman, said the district could consider renovating some of the old Wilmer-Hutchins schools or building new ones as part of a future bond package. "That's something we'd have to look at long term and discuss with trustees," he said.
Opponents of the district's deposed leadership welcomed the commissioner's decision, saying Wilmer-Hutchins had been too dysfunctional for too long.
"This is excellent news," said Lionel Churchill, a Wilmer-Hutchins board member in the 1970s. "This allows everyone to focus on the future and start planning and settling down."
A troubled history
Wilmer-Hutchins has been the target of more state interventions than any other district and arguably more investigations by law enforcement than any other district its size.
Dr. Neeley's decision must still be approved by the U.S. Department of Justice, which must determine whether the decision negatively affects the voting rights of Wilmer-Hutchins residents.
Mr. Churchill said the need for Justice Department approval might be one reason why Dr. Neeley gave the entire district to Dallas, rather than shaving off the southern sector for absorption into neighboring Ferris schools. Those southern areas have larger white and Hispanic populations than the rest of Wilmer-Hutchins, which could have raised race discrimination issues for federal officials.
The merger will become official July 1. At that point, all assets of Wilmer-Hutchins will become the property of Dallas – including the 10 school campuses, all in varying states of disrepair and all declared unusable by officials.
Some of those campuses may have to be sold to pay some of the district's bills, Mr. Young said. That would help lower the district's debt – a boon to Dallas, because any debts remaining by July also will become Dallas' problem.
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Wilmer-Hutchins maintains sliver of hope
Board of troubled district might seek tax hike to build schools
By JOSHUA BENTON / The Dallas Morning News
HUTCHINS, Texas - Wilmer-Hutchins isn't quite dead yet.
At its meeting tonight, the district's board of managers will consider asking voters to raise their taxes and spend millions on building new schools.
That's despite the fact that state officials have announced their intention to drive the school district out of legal existence by this time next year. Not to mention the fact that the district currently doesn't have any students.
"I was surprised to see that on the agenda," board member Michelle Willhelm said. "But we do have to be prepared for the future."
Wilmer-Hutchins' problems – academic and financial – led to the district being unable to open this fall. Wilmer-Hutchins students are instead being bused to schools in the Dallas district.
On Sept. 2, state Education Commissioner Shirley Neeley announced that Wilmer-Hutchins' decades of underperformance and scandal had gone on too long, and she invoked a rarely used power to dissolve the district altogether, effective July 1.
But that decree must be approved by the U.S. Department of Justice, which generally must approve governmental changes that could affect voting rights. Although federal officials have approved the state's two previous sanctions against Wilmer-Hutchins, a formal ruling could be several weeks away.
In the meantime, the board is proceeding in the belief that Wilmer-Hutchins will be around for the long term.
On tonight's agenda are nearly a dozen items related to a new construction program and a bond package that would fund it. Such a bond issue would have to be approved by voters. The agenda also includes consideration of a separate tax election that would raise the maximum property tax rate from 90 cents per $100 of assessed value to $1.50.
Wilmer-Hutchins voters have rejected the district's last two attempts to seek more cash, both by wide margins.
But those elections came when the district's unpopular elected school board was in office. Dr. Neeley removed the board in May and replaced it with her own appointees. Several district residents have said they would reconsider their past votes if it meant keeping an independent Wilmer-Hutchins.
"The emotional attachment is so strong," Ms. Willhelm said.
She said she would consider approving new elections, but only if the Justice Department rejects the district's dissolution. "We have to be ready to react no matter what Justice does," she said. "We would be negligent if we were not prepared for that eventuality."
The district could run into a timing problem. It's already too late for the district to put either issue on the November ballot.
Ms. Willhelm said that, if an election goes forward, she hopes it would be held relatively soon so the district has time to plan the 2006-07 school year if voters approve more funding. She said waiting until May, the next major scheduled election date, would be too long.
But a new Texas law, approved by the Legislature this year, appears to eliminate the possibility of an earlier vote. House Bill 57 removed school districts' power to call special elections for bond packages. That means the soonest Wilmer-Hutchins could ask voters for more money is in eight months.
"They're stuck on May," Dallas County Elections Administrator Bruce Sherbet said. "They don't have a choice."
If the Justice Department approves Wilmer-Hutchins' demise after an election is called, the district could easily rescind its order, Mr. Sherbet said.
Board of troubled district might seek tax hike to build schools
By JOSHUA BENTON / The Dallas Morning News
HUTCHINS, Texas - Wilmer-Hutchins isn't quite dead yet.
At its meeting tonight, the district's board of managers will consider asking voters to raise their taxes and spend millions on building new schools.
That's despite the fact that state officials have announced their intention to drive the school district out of legal existence by this time next year. Not to mention the fact that the district currently doesn't have any students.
"I was surprised to see that on the agenda," board member Michelle Willhelm said. "But we do have to be prepared for the future."
Wilmer-Hutchins' problems – academic and financial – led to the district being unable to open this fall. Wilmer-Hutchins students are instead being bused to schools in the Dallas district.
On Sept. 2, state Education Commissioner Shirley Neeley announced that Wilmer-Hutchins' decades of underperformance and scandal had gone on too long, and she invoked a rarely used power to dissolve the district altogether, effective July 1.
But that decree must be approved by the U.S. Department of Justice, which generally must approve governmental changes that could affect voting rights. Although federal officials have approved the state's two previous sanctions against Wilmer-Hutchins, a formal ruling could be several weeks away.
In the meantime, the board is proceeding in the belief that Wilmer-Hutchins will be around for the long term.
On tonight's agenda are nearly a dozen items related to a new construction program and a bond package that would fund it. Such a bond issue would have to be approved by voters. The agenda also includes consideration of a separate tax election that would raise the maximum property tax rate from 90 cents per $100 of assessed value to $1.50.
Wilmer-Hutchins voters have rejected the district's last two attempts to seek more cash, both by wide margins.
But those elections came when the district's unpopular elected school board was in office. Dr. Neeley removed the board in May and replaced it with her own appointees. Several district residents have said they would reconsider their past votes if it meant keeping an independent Wilmer-Hutchins.
"The emotional attachment is so strong," Ms. Willhelm said.
She said she would consider approving new elections, but only if the Justice Department rejects the district's dissolution. "We have to be ready to react no matter what Justice does," she said. "We would be negligent if we were not prepared for that eventuality."
The district could run into a timing problem. It's already too late for the district to put either issue on the November ballot.
Ms. Willhelm said that, if an election goes forward, she hopes it would be held relatively soon so the district has time to plan the 2006-07 school year if voters approve more funding. She said waiting until May, the next major scheduled election date, would be too long.
But a new Texas law, approved by the Legislature this year, appears to eliminate the possibility of an earlier vote. House Bill 57 removed school districts' power to call special elections for bond packages. That means the soonest Wilmer-Hutchins could ask voters for more money is in eight months.
"They're stuck on May," Dallas County Elections Administrator Bruce Sherbet said. "They don't have a choice."
If the Justice Department approves Wilmer-Hutchins' demise after an election is called, the district could easily rescind its order, Mr. Sherbet said.
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TexasStooge
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Funds misspent, W-H audit finds
Money for kids used for loveseat, locksmith
By JOSHUA BENTON / The Dallas Morning News
HUTCHINS, Texas - A baritone horn from a pawnshop. A $7,700 set of murals. A pizza crisper, cookie-dough scoops, and a Queen Anne loveseat for the principal's office.
According to state auditors, those are some of the ways Wilmer-Hutchins officials spent more than $270,000 in federal education funds – money that was supposed to pay for reading and math instruction for the district's weakest students.
In addition, the audit found that Wilmer-Hutchins officials defrauded state taxpayers of about $185,000 by overstating the number of students they were instructing.
It also found evidence of gross misspending on things like computers and TV sets – all at a time when district officials complained the state was not giving them enough money to operate schools.
"I wish there was a way that these people could receive an indictment for each child in this district," said former board member Joan Bonner, who was a frequent critic of Wilmer-Hutchins' administration during the 2003-04 school year, the period the Texas Education Agency audit examined. "There are 2,700 students they hurt, and they should be punished for each one."
Eugene Young, who took over as the district's state-appointed superintendent in June, said this week that the district did not dispute the findings or the $455,000 it now must repay state and federal governments. "We owe the money, and it will be paid," he said.
The biggest problems outlined in the audit related to the improper spending of three pools of federal funding: Title I money, which is aimed at schools with high concentrations of poor students; school improvement money, which goes to schools that have had low test scores for several consecutive years; and special-education money.
All three types of funds are strictly proscribed in how they can be spent. All are supposed to be used for academic purposes or, in the case of special-ed dollars, for the purchase of equipment designed for children with disabilities.
Instead, school improvement dollars dedicated to Kennedy-Curry Middle bought several pieces of furniture for the principal's office: a $422 chair-and-pillow combination, a $1,094 bookcase and a $509 Queen Anne loveseat.
Money from that fund also bought a $1,155 custom-made mat for the school's entry, $958 worth of furniture for the teacher's lounge, and a $2,029 keyboard for playing music in the school gym. In all, nearly $54,000 was spent improperly at Kennedy-Curry, according to the audit report.
Special-ed funds were used to pay an electrician working at Wilmer-Hutchins High and to buy a software package the district didn't have any computers capable of running.
The Title I money went to a range of kitchen, athletic and construction equipment, including basketballs, trumpets, spatulas, serving tongs, Sheetrock and caulk. More than $600 went to a locksmith who changed locks on classrooms.
District personnel told audit investigators they were sometimes told to alter the books to shift the funding source for items from the general fund to the federal money "because there were insufficient funds available in the general fund." By the end of the 2003-04 school year, Wilmer-Hutchins was completely broke, unable to pay its bills on time for the opening of school last fall.
"It's this kind of activity that led them to financial collapse," TEA spokesman Suzanne Marchman said.
Wilmer-Hutchins didn't have enough money to open its doors this fall; its students are bused to Dallas each morning.
The improper use of federal funds could put district personnel in trouble with federal authorities. Last September, a team of FBI agents raided the district's offices – the second such raid in the last decade. No federal charges have been filed in the investigation. An FBI spokeswoman was unavailable for comment.
Ms. Bonner said she hopes officials are indicted and that those who spent educational funds on loveseats and bronze statues will be forced to repay the money themselves.
"I don't care if they have to sell a kidney, they need to pay this money back," she said. "We know they don't have a heart or a brain, but a kidney might be usable."
The faked attendance data has been suspected since an inquiry began last fall. The audit found that that district officials intentionally inflated the number of students in attendance every day as a way to get the district more state money than it deserved.
Auditors found that teachers were specifically told not to mark students absent even if they stayed home. Even when teachers did mark a child absent, office personnel sometimes changed that marking before forwarding
Texas public schools are funded based on how many students they enroll and how many days those students actually attend. If a student skips school, the campus doesn't receive money for the absence. Auditors say the fraudulent reporting led to Wilmer-Hutchins receiving $185,000 in state tax dollars it did not deserve.
The alleged tampering led to the indictment of the district's former superintendent, Charles Matthews, in March. The charge is a second-degree felony carrying a potential sentence of 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Dr. Matthews, through his attorney, has denied the charges.
In 2003-04, the year of the alleged fraud, Wilmer-Hutchins' attendance rate was 95.4 percent, up almost two percentage points from the year before. But it's possible even the earlier year's data may have problems. In 2002-03, Wilmer-Hutchins had the largest increase in its attendance rate of any independent school district in Texas.
Dr. Matthews had a personal financial incentive to boost attendance rates. According to his employment contract, he would have received a bonus of nearly $9,000 if every school in the district reported an attendance rate of 95 percent or better. In 2003-04, seven of the district's 10 campuses met that level.
One obvious sign of the attendance fraud, according to auditors: All the seniors at Wilmer-Hutchins High School were still marked present for three days after graduation, even though no senior classes were held.
The audit also found several other problems:
•The district did a poor job tracking its equipment. It spent $1,953 on hand-held computers that never arrived. It bought a number of new TVs in 2004 despite having 19 new sets sitting untouched, still in their boxes, in a storage room.
•The district had no tracking system for most of its equipment – including 20 laptop computers that were stolen, allegedly by an employee. Auditors found several former employees who still possessed district equipment.
•Wilmer-Hutchins did not track the travel costs of its employees or board members. On several occasions, employees and board members were given advance checks for travel expenses but not required to show receipts to prove the money had been spent on district business.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WILMER-HUTCHINS AUDIT
Among the findings of the Texas Education Agency's latest audit of the Wilmer-Hutchins school district:
Attendance: Officials intentionally overstated how many students they were teaching every day to get more state money – about $185,000 in 2003-04.
Travel: The district paid board members and employees in advance for travel but didn't require them to verify that the travel ever took place.
Equipment: Wilmer-Hutchins had no good system of tracking its equipment, like computers and other technology. Some of that equipment is missing.
Spending: The district spent more than $273,000 in federal money on items not allowed by law – including principal's office furniture, volleyballs, pizza cutters, piccolos, a gooseneck lamp, and $10,700 in window shades. The money was supposed to be spent on academic instruction for poor and disabled children.
Money for kids used for loveseat, locksmith
By JOSHUA BENTON / The Dallas Morning News
HUTCHINS, Texas - A baritone horn from a pawnshop. A $7,700 set of murals. A pizza crisper, cookie-dough scoops, and a Queen Anne loveseat for the principal's office.
According to state auditors, those are some of the ways Wilmer-Hutchins officials spent more than $270,000 in federal education funds – money that was supposed to pay for reading and math instruction for the district's weakest students.
In addition, the audit found that Wilmer-Hutchins officials defrauded state taxpayers of about $185,000 by overstating the number of students they were instructing.
It also found evidence of gross misspending on things like computers and TV sets – all at a time when district officials complained the state was not giving them enough money to operate schools.
"I wish there was a way that these people could receive an indictment for each child in this district," said former board member Joan Bonner, who was a frequent critic of Wilmer-Hutchins' administration during the 2003-04 school year, the period the Texas Education Agency audit examined. "There are 2,700 students they hurt, and they should be punished for each one."
Eugene Young, who took over as the district's state-appointed superintendent in June, said this week that the district did not dispute the findings or the $455,000 it now must repay state and federal governments. "We owe the money, and it will be paid," he said.
The biggest problems outlined in the audit related to the improper spending of three pools of federal funding: Title I money, which is aimed at schools with high concentrations of poor students; school improvement money, which goes to schools that have had low test scores for several consecutive years; and special-education money.
All three types of funds are strictly proscribed in how they can be spent. All are supposed to be used for academic purposes or, in the case of special-ed dollars, for the purchase of equipment designed for children with disabilities.
Instead, school improvement dollars dedicated to Kennedy-Curry Middle bought several pieces of furniture for the principal's office: a $422 chair-and-pillow combination, a $1,094 bookcase and a $509 Queen Anne loveseat.
Money from that fund also bought a $1,155 custom-made mat for the school's entry, $958 worth of furniture for the teacher's lounge, and a $2,029 keyboard for playing music in the school gym. In all, nearly $54,000 was spent improperly at Kennedy-Curry, according to the audit report.
Special-ed funds were used to pay an electrician working at Wilmer-Hutchins High and to buy a software package the district didn't have any computers capable of running.
The Title I money went to a range of kitchen, athletic and construction equipment, including basketballs, trumpets, spatulas, serving tongs, Sheetrock and caulk. More than $600 went to a locksmith who changed locks on classrooms.
District personnel told audit investigators they were sometimes told to alter the books to shift the funding source for items from the general fund to the federal money "because there were insufficient funds available in the general fund." By the end of the 2003-04 school year, Wilmer-Hutchins was completely broke, unable to pay its bills on time for the opening of school last fall.
"It's this kind of activity that led them to financial collapse," TEA spokesman Suzanne Marchman said.
Wilmer-Hutchins didn't have enough money to open its doors this fall; its students are bused to Dallas each morning.
The improper use of federal funds could put district personnel in trouble with federal authorities. Last September, a team of FBI agents raided the district's offices – the second such raid in the last decade. No federal charges have been filed in the investigation. An FBI spokeswoman was unavailable for comment.
Ms. Bonner said she hopes officials are indicted and that those who spent educational funds on loveseats and bronze statues will be forced to repay the money themselves.
"I don't care if they have to sell a kidney, they need to pay this money back," she said. "We know they don't have a heart or a brain, but a kidney might be usable."
The faked attendance data has been suspected since an inquiry began last fall. The audit found that that district officials intentionally inflated the number of students in attendance every day as a way to get the district more state money than it deserved.
Auditors found that teachers were specifically told not to mark students absent even if they stayed home. Even when teachers did mark a child absent, office personnel sometimes changed that marking before forwarding
Texas public schools are funded based on how many students they enroll and how many days those students actually attend. If a student skips school, the campus doesn't receive money for the absence. Auditors say the fraudulent reporting led to Wilmer-Hutchins receiving $185,000 in state tax dollars it did not deserve.
The alleged tampering led to the indictment of the district's former superintendent, Charles Matthews, in March. The charge is a second-degree felony carrying a potential sentence of 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Dr. Matthews, through his attorney, has denied the charges.
In 2003-04, the year of the alleged fraud, Wilmer-Hutchins' attendance rate was 95.4 percent, up almost two percentage points from the year before. But it's possible even the earlier year's data may have problems. In 2002-03, Wilmer-Hutchins had the largest increase in its attendance rate of any independent school district in Texas.
Dr. Matthews had a personal financial incentive to boost attendance rates. According to his employment contract, he would have received a bonus of nearly $9,000 if every school in the district reported an attendance rate of 95 percent or better. In 2003-04, seven of the district's 10 campuses met that level.
One obvious sign of the attendance fraud, according to auditors: All the seniors at Wilmer-Hutchins High School were still marked present for three days after graduation, even though no senior classes were held.
The audit also found several other problems:
•The district did a poor job tracking its equipment. It spent $1,953 on hand-held computers that never arrived. It bought a number of new TVs in 2004 despite having 19 new sets sitting untouched, still in their boxes, in a storage room.
•The district had no tracking system for most of its equipment – including 20 laptop computers that were stolen, allegedly by an employee. Auditors found several former employees who still possessed district equipment.
•Wilmer-Hutchins did not track the travel costs of its employees or board members. On several occasions, employees and board members were given advance checks for travel expenses but not required to show receipts to prove the money had been spent on district business.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WILMER-HUTCHINS AUDIT
Among the findings of the Texas Education Agency's latest audit of the Wilmer-Hutchins school district:
Attendance: Officials intentionally overstated how many students they were teaching every day to get more state money – about $185,000 in 2003-04.
Travel: The district paid board members and employees in advance for travel but didn't require them to verify that the travel ever took place.
Equipment: Wilmer-Hutchins had no good system of tracking its equipment, like computers and other technology. Some of that equipment is missing.
Spending: The district spent more than $273,000 in federal money on items not allowed by law – including principal's office furniture, volleyballs, pizza cutters, piccolos, a gooseneck lamp, and $10,700 in window shades. The money was supposed to be spent on academic instruction for poor and disabled children.
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W-H audit: Funds misspent (Updated)
Money for kids used for loveseat, locksmith
By JOSHUA BENTON / The Dallas Morning News
HUTCHINS, Texas - A baritone horn from a pawnshop. A $7,700 set of murals. A pizza crisper, cookie-dough scoops, and a Queen Anne loveseat for the principal's office.
According to state auditors, those are some of the ways Wilmer-Hutchins officials spent more than $270,000 in federal education funds – money that was supposed to pay for reading and math instruction for the district's weakest students.
In addition, the audit found that Wilmer-Hutchins officials defrauded state taxpayers of about $185,000 by overstating the number of students they were instructing.
It also found evidence of gross misspending on things like computers and TV sets – all at a time when district officials complained the state was not giving them enough money to operate schools.
"I wish there was a way that these people could receive an indictment for each child in this district," said former board member Joan Bonner, who was a frequent critic of Wilmer-Hutchins' administration during the 2003-04 school year, the period the Texas Education Agency audit examined. "There are 2,700 students they hurt, and they should be punished for each one."
Eugene Young, who took over as the district's state-appointed superintendent in June, said this week that the district did not dispute the findings or the $455,000 it now must repay state and federal governments. "We owe the money, and it will be paid," he said.
The biggest problems outlined in the audit related to the improper spending of three pools of federal funding: Title I money, which is aimed at schools with high concentrations of poor students; school improvement money, which goes to schools that have had low test scores for several consecutive years; and special-education money.
All three types of funds are strictly proscribed in how they can be spent. All are supposed to be used for academic purposes or, in the case of special-ed dollars, for the purchase of equipment designed for children with disabilities.
Instead, school improvement dollars dedicated to Kennedy-Curry Middle bought several pieces of furniture for the principal's office: a $422 chair-and-pillow combination, a $1,094 bookcase and a $509 Queen Anne loveseat.
Money from that fund also bought a $1,155 custom-made mat for the school's entry, $958 worth of furniture for the teacher's lounge, and a $2,029 keyboard for playing music in the school gym. In all, nearly $54,000 was spent improperly at Kennedy-Curry, according to the audit report.
Special-ed funds were used to pay an electrician working at Wilmer-Hutchins High and to buy a software package the district didn't have any computers capable of running.
The Title I money went to a range of kitchen, athletic and construction equipment, including basketballs, trumpets, spatulas, serving tongs, Sheetrock and caulk. More than $600 went to a locksmith who changed locks on classrooms.
District personnel told audit investigators they were sometimes told to alter the books to shift the funding source for items from the general fund to the federal money "because there were insufficient funds available in the general fund." By the end of the 2003-04 school year, Wilmer-Hutchins was completely broke, unable to pay its bills on time for the opening of school last fall.
"It's this kind of activity that led them to financial collapse," TEA spokesman Suzanne Marchman said.
Wilmer-Hutchins didn't have enough money to open its doors this fall; its students are bused to Dallas each morning.
The improper use of federal funds could put district personnel in trouble with federal authorities. Last September, a team of FBI agents raided the district's offices – the second such raid in the last decade. No federal charges have been filed in the investigation. An FBI spokeswoman was unavailable for comment.
Ms. Bonner said she hopes officials are indicted and that those who spent educational funds on loveseats and bronze statues will be forced to repay the money themselves.
"I don't care if they have to sell a kidney, they need to pay this money back," she said. "We know they don't have a heart or a brain, but a kidney might be usable."
The faked attendance data has been suspected since an inquiry began last fall. The audit found that that district officials intentionally inflated the number of students in attendance every day as a way to get the district more state money than it deserved.
Auditors found that teachers were specifically told not to mark students absent even if they stayed home. Even when teachers did mark a child absent, office personnel sometimes changed that marking.
Texas public schools are funded based on how many students they enroll and how many days those students actually attend. If a student skips school, the campus doesn't receive money for the absence. Auditors say the fraudulent reporting led to Wilmer-Hutchins receiving $185,000 in state tax dollars it did not deserve.
The alleged tampering led to the indictment of the district's former superintendent, Charles Matthews, in March. The charge is a second-degree felony carrying a potential sentence of 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Dr. Matthews, through his attorney, has denied the charges.
In 2003-04, the year of the alleged fraud, Wilmer-Hutchins' attendance rate was 95.4 percent, up almost two percentage points from the year before. But it's possible even the earlier year's data may have problems. In 2002-03, Wilmer-Hutchins had the largest increase in its attendance rate of any independent school district in Texas.
Dr. Matthews had a personal financial incentive to boost attendance rates. According to his employment contract, he would have received a bonus of nearly $9,000 if every school in the district reported an attendance rate of 95 percent or better. In 2003-04, seven of the district's 10 campuses met that level.
One obvious sign of the attendance fraud, according to auditors: All the seniors at Wilmer-Hutchins High School were still marked present for three days after graduation, even though no senior classes were held.
The audit also found several other problems:
•The district did a poor job tracking its equipment. It spent $1,953 on hand-held computers that never arrived. It bought a number of new TVs in 2004 despite having 19 new sets sitting untouched, still in their boxes, in a storage room.
•The district had no tracking system for most of its equipment – including 20 laptop computers that were stolen, allegedly by an employee. Auditors found several former employees who still possessed district equipment.
•Wilmer-Hutchins did not track the travel costs of its employees or board members. On several occasions, employees and board members were given advance checks for travel expenses but not required to show receipts to prove the money had been spent on district business.
MICHAEL AINSWORTH / Dallas Morning News
The Wilmer-Hutchins school district spent $7,700 on murals like this one.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WILMER-HUTCHINS AUDIT
Among the findings of the Texas Education Agency's latest audit of the Wilmer-Hutchins school district:
Attendance: Officials intentionally overstated how many students they were teaching every day to get more state money – about $185,000 in 2003-04.
Travel: The district paid board members and employees in advance for travel but didn't require them to verify that the travel ever took place.
Equipment: Wilmer-Hutchins had no good system of tracking its equipment, like computers and other technology. Some of that equipment is missing.
Spending: The district spent more than $273,000 in federal money on items not allowed by law – including principal's office furniture, volleyballs, pizza cutters, piccolos, a gooseneck lamp, and $10,700 in window shades. The money was supposed to be spent on academic instruction for poor and disabled children.
Money for kids used for loveseat, locksmith
By JOSHUA BENTON / The Dallas Morning News
HUTCHINS, Texas - A baritone horn from a pawnshop. A $7,700 set of murals. A pizza crisper, cookie-dough scoops, and a Queen Anne loveseat for the principal's office.
According to state auditors, those are some of the ways Wilmer-Hutchins officials spent more than $270,000 in federal education funds – money that was supposed to pay for reading and math instruction for the district's weakest students.
In addition, the audit found that Wilmer-Hutchins officials defrauded state taxpayers of about $185,000 by overstating the number of students they were instructing.
It also found evidence of gross misspending on things like computers and TV sets – all at a time when district officials complained the state was not giving them enough money to operate schools.
"I wish there was a way that these people could receive an indictment for each child in this district," said former board member Joan Bonner, who was a frequent critic of Wilmer-Hutchins' administration during the 2003-04 school year, the period the Texas Education Agency audit examined. "There are 2,700 students they hurt, and they should be punished for each one."
Eugene Young, who took over as the district's state-appointed superintendent in June, said this week that the district did not dispute the findings or the $455,000 it now must repay state and federal governments. "We owe the money, and it will be paid," he said.
The biggest problems outlined in the audit related to the improper spending of three pools of federal funding: Title I money, which is aimed at schools with high concentrations of poor students; school improvement money, which goes to schools that have had low test scores for several consecutive years; and special-education money.
All three types of funds are strictly proscribed in how they can be spent. All are supposed to be used for academic purposes or, in the case of special-ed dollars, for the purchase of equipment designed for children with disabilities.
Instead, school improvement dollars dedicated to Kennedy-Curry Middle bought several pieces of furniture for the principal's office: a $422 chair-and-pillow combination, a $1,094 bookcase and a $509 Queen Anne loveseat.
Money from that fund also bought a $1,155 custom-made mat for the school's entry, $958 worth of furniture for the teacher's lounge, and a $2,029 keyboard for playing music in the school gym. In all, nearly $54,000 was spent improperly at Kennedy-Curry, according to the audit report.
Special-ed funds were used to pay an electrician working at Wilmer-Hutchins High and to buy a software package the district didn't have any computers capable of running.
The Title I money went to a range of kitchen, athletic and construction equipment, including basketballs, trumpets, spatulas, serving tongs, Sheetrock and caulk. More than $600 went to a locksmith who changed locks on classrooms.
District personnel told audit investigators they were sometimes told to alter the books to shift the funding source for items from the general fund to the federal money "because there were insufficient funds available in the general fund." By the end of the 2003-04 school year, Wilmer-Hutchins was completely broke, unable to pay its bills on time for the opening of school last fall.
"It's this kind of activity that led them to financial collapse," TEA spokesman Suzanne Marchman said.
Wilmer-Hutchins didn't have enough money to open its doors this fall; its students are bused to Dallas each morning.
The improper use of federal funds could put district personnel in trouble with federal authorities. Last September, a team of FBI agents raided the district's offices – the second such raid in the last decade. No federal charges have been filed in the investigation. An FBI spokeswoman was unavailable for comment.
Ms. Bonner said she hopes officials are indicted and that those who spent educational funds on loveseats and bronze statues will be forced to repay the money themselves.
"I don't care if they have to sell a kidney, they need to pay this money back," she said. "We know they don't have a heart or a brain, but a kidney might be usable."
The faked attendance data has been suspected since an inquiry began last fall. The audit found that that district officials intentionally inflated the number of students in attendance every day as a way to get the district more state money than it deserved.
Auditors found that teachers were specifically told not to mark students absent even if they stayed home. Even when teachers did mark a child absent, office personnel sometimes changed that marking.
Texas public schools are funded based on how many students they enroll and how many days those students actually attend. If a student skips school, the campus doesn't receive money for the absence. Auditors say the fraudulent reporting led to Wilmer-Hutchins receiving $185,000 in state tax dollars it did not deserve.
The alleged tampering led to the indictment of the district's former superintendent, Charles Matthews, in March. The charge is a second-degree felony carrying a potential sentence of 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Dr. Matthews, through his attorney, has denied the charges.
In 2003-04, the year of the alleged fraud, Wilmer-Hutchins' attendance rate was 95.4 percent, up almost two percentage points from the year before. But it's possible even the earlier year's data may have problems. In 2002-03, Wilmer-Hutchins had the largest increase in its attendance rate of any independent school district in Texas.
Dr. Matthews had a personal financial incentive to boost attendance rates. According to his employment contract, he would have received a bonus of nearly $9,000 if every school in the district reported an attendance rate of 95 percent or better. In 2003-04, seven of the district's 10 campuses met that level.
One obvious sign of the attendance fraud, according to auditors: All the seniors at Wilmer-Hutchins High School were still marked present for three days after graduation, even though no senior classes were held.
The audit also found several other problems:
•The district did a poor job tracking its equipment. It spent $1,953 on hand-held computers that never arrived. It bought a number of new TVs in 2004 despite having 19 new sets sitting untouched, still in their boxes, in a storage room.
•The district had no tracking system for most of its equipment – including 20 laptop computers that were stolen, allegedly by an employee. Auditors found several former employees who still possessed district equipment.
•Wilmer-Hutchins did not track the travel costs of its employees or board members. On several occasions, employees and board members were given advance checks for travel expenses but not required to show receipts to prove the money had been spent on district business.
MICHAEL AINSWORTH / Dallas Morning News
The Wilmer-Hutchins school district spent $7,700 on murals like this one.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WILMER-HUTCHINS AUDIT
Among the findings of the Texas Education Agency's latest audit of the Wilmer-Hutchins school district:
Attendance: Officials intentionally overstated how many students they were teaching every day to get more state money – about $185,000 in 2003-04.
Travel: The district paid board members and employees in advance for travel but didn't require them to verify that the travel ever took place.
Equipment: Wilmer-Hutchins had no good system of tracking its equipment, like computers and other technology. Some of that equipment is missing.
Spending: The district spent more than $273,000 in federal money on items not allowed by law – including principal's office furniture, volleyballs, pizza cutters, piccolos, a gooseneck lamp, and $10,700 in window shades. The money was supposed to be spent on academic instruction for poor and disabled children.
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