Dallas ISD – Page 2 – The Other Side Dallas

October 17, 2023October 17, 2023

Defenseless Dealey Surrenders Safety

Defenseless Dealey surrenders safety according to multiple sources at the North Texas elementary and middle school campus.

In April 2023, Dallas Independent School District conducted an active shooter drill at their north Dallas school.

One problem: at least one teacher was missing from their specials classroom when the drill began. The second problem is was a second teacher not supervising students.

The result? Twenty elementary age students chose how to respond to an active shooter on their own.

Multiple witnesses state some students chose to run across the hall to another teacher. Others state students left in a state of panic and fear.

One parent said they raised the issue with former Assistant Principal Jennifer Schneider who ignored them. She has since left the district for Garland ISD.

The other teachers immediately sought employment outside campus. The first was assigned to another Dallas ISD campus. The second left for Northwest ISD.

Dallas ISD refuses to release the after action reports on the event.

What is clear according to information developed from witness statements is a lack of supervision and training.

Defenseless Dealey Surrenders Safety Again

In December 2021, white protestors were allowed to bring firearms on campus during a mask mandate protest. This happened with a salon “culture officer” asking what is a better weapon – the M16 or the AK47 – for defense.

Dallas Police were criticized at the time for making up a First Amendment policy on the go.

Since April there have been several changes that further divide the Dealey campus and loosen its safety standards.

Middle school students are no longer required to pass through magnetotmeters, despite their presence on campus.

Additionally, Dallas ISD has failed state law and HB3 on the presence of law enforcement on campus.

These issues also arise in an environment where persons of Jewish faith are being targeted. Historically, Dealey has been located in an area with high Jewish population and residential concentration. The situation in the Middle East led to Friday the 13th attack warnings.

There was also the shooting at the State Fair of Texas last weekend too.

October 15, 2023October 11, 2023

TAG Campuses Quiet

TAG campuses quiet after Dealey Montessori schedules a hasty meeting to move to a Talented and Gifted campus.

Earlier this week, Dallas Independent School District‘s jewel Montessori campus had a community meeting. The goal was to become a Talented and Gifted campus despite having TAG programs already.

Statements from teachers say this follows the rushed announcement of Amber Garrett as principal.

It also follows what was the departure of one student who wanted to be TAG, but wasn’t qualified by testing. That student returned after being unsuccessful on another campus.

TAG Campuses Quiet

Neither Sudie Williams TAG, nor Travis TAG, representatives would respond to emails asking for comment.

PTA Presidents and Site Based Decision Making chairs were requested to comment about Dealey becoming a competing campus. Crickets was the response.

Annually, Dallas magnet schools complete against one another for the best and brightest students.

Sudie Williams SBDM Chair Lorin McGuire referred us to Dallas ISD coordinator of Strategic Communications.

Their office has previously refused to comment to us on multiple issues.

October 9, 2023October 9, 2023

Preferential Prechosen Principal

Preferential prechosen principal are the words out of staff members mouths from Dealey Montessori after a new principal was named.

The new principal was chosen after less than two weeks of interviews and deliberations.

Some staff members are already crying foul that Dallas Independent School District never moves this fast.

“This was a set up,” said one teacher, “Dallas ISD can’t turn on winter heat until March.”

“Everyone knows that this course of action was decided before they removed Ibarra,” said a second teacher. She continued “They wanted her out so they made up a reason.”

Garrett served as an Assistant Principal at Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy and instructional coach. She has not served as a principal on any campus to date and is not Montessori trained.

Nancy Bernardino who led the process has not responded to calls for comment about her leadership.

Internal documents though show she was deeply involved with the decision to oust Ibarra.

Preferential Prechosen Principal Process

The new principal selection announcement was supposed to take place this week, but was announced Tuesday last week. That was the same day Superintendent Elizalde was reported to be interviewing candidates.

At the same time, Other Side Dallas has learned of multiple grievances started by a former staff member all closed without cause. Bernardino though re-opened them per a source in Human Capital Management.

Official Dallas ISD will not respond to repeated inquiries and DISD Office of Transformation is silent.

October 6, 2023October 6, 2023

Sarah Weinberg Stiffs Dealey

Sarah Weinberg stiffs Dealey parents – at least half of them – of information about bond improvements. These reportedly affect the north Dallas ISD Montessori campus.

It is unclear why Dallas Independent School District employees can not manage the basics of an email list.

There have been a number of issues with Dealey for years, but it is unusual for Weinberg to speak about a local matter in an email.

Earlier she emailed one parent saying board members do not handle local decisions such as the hiring and firing of principals.

Sarah Weinberg Stiffs Dealey After Principal Removal

Dallas ISD officials recently reassigned Principal Christina Ibarra with a half baked announcement. That announcement also went out to only half the parent population.

We will note that when a gun came onto another Dallas ISD campus that principal was not removed or reassigned.

Zenaida Martinez is still working as principal at Chapel Hill Prep despite a significant incident that went widely underreported. Additionally, the principal at Kimball High School is still in place after a video became public of a staff member beating a student.

Shortly thereafter Ibarra released what was referred to as a hostage letter.

October 2, 2023October 3, 2023

Dallas Football Officials Silent

Dallas football officials silent since the Friday night incident that has earned media attention from Sports Illustrated and other media organizations.

The incident where it appears a football official intentionally ripped the helmet off a teenage player went viral this weekend.

The University Interscholastic League did issue a statement Saturday saying they were investigating the incident.

The Dallas football officials silent treatment is being taken as an admission of guilt by some.

Dallas Football Officials Association Not Responding

The Dallas Football Officials Association has not responded to a request for comment about the incident.

DFOA claims to be “one of the largest and premier chapters of football officials in Texas and the United States.”

They state they have approximately 700 members who officiate football not only in the Dallas & Ft. Worth surrounding areas but also throughout the State of Texas.

The Texas Association of Sports Officials has also been silent on the issue and not responded to requests for comment.

September 30, 2023October 3, 2023

Official Rips Player Helmet

Official rips player helmet in an incident in Seagoville last night between Whitney High and Madison High of Dallas.

The post on X, formerly known as Twitter, is going viral as she asks “how is this allowed from a ref!!!!!!!”

The incident is viral after the player’s mom recorded the event from the stands at Seagoville Stadium in Dallas.

The video shows her son drop into pass coverage as Madison’s quarterback scrambles out of the pocket.

The player pursued on the backside and bumped into the umpire in the middle of the field. After the collision, the official ripped off the player’s helmet and threw a penalty flag on the defender.

The official then ejected the player. There is no word on charges for the official.

Dallas ISD’s Madison High School is now 2-4.

Official Rips Player Helmet In Most Awkward Play Of Year

The full social media post is below.

@uiltexas how is this allowed from a ref!!!!!!! And then you eject MY SON and you literally assaulted him!!!!!!! @kwtxsports @kwtx @FoxNews @25NewsKXXV @CoachHaynesJr @WacoTribSports pic.twitter.com/W2vQQikXmp
— Karla Haynes (@KarlaAHaynes) September 30, 2023

Other Side Dallas is waiting for word from the Dallas Football Officials Association.

September 16, 2023September 16, 2023

Failing DISD Sues TEA

Failing DISD sues TEA over its new standards which show Dallas schools unable to educate students on a basic level.

Dallas Independent School District is joining other school systems in Texas to sue the Texas Education Agency over the state’s new report card.

Dallas ISD has 233 campuses and 145,000 students. On the last state report card roughly ten percent of these received a D or F grade from the state.

In an interview with NBCDFW, Superintendant Stephanie Elizalde said, “I would never have any evaluation of any member of my team based on previous evaluation criteria, and at the end of the period of time that I’m going to evaluate them say I’ve changed my mind I’m going to evaluate you on something else.”

However, Dallas ISD has done this – repeatedly.

Most recently, a principal was suddenly removed from a successful Dallas ISD school with no clear reason or cause.

Additionally, since at least 2020, Dallas ISD students have been shown to be failing at basic math and reading.

Dallas ISD’s answer then was not to improve education or seek innovation. They chose to lower standards.

Dallas ISD administration now seems surprised the state is holding them accountable while fewer students are heading to college.

Failing DISD Sues TEA

Mike Morath, former Dallas ISD Trustee, and current TEA Commissioner told media “small changes always happened.”

He said the new system incorporated several larger changes that will allow longitudinal views of student success.

One parent, Anna Ramirez, said TEA’s change is positive.

“Dallas ISD talks about teacher accountability all the time,” she said, “but never about the bureaucrats in administration who do things on a whim.”

“It’s about time parents got some choice after more than a decade of Dallas ISD spending tax dollars recklessly on crony capitalism,” she continued.

There are several smaller school districts already in the lawsuit. Fort Worth ISD will vote next week on joining the suit.

September 13, 2023September 13, 2023

Dealey Divided

Dealey divided again after the reassignment of Cristina Ibarra from the campus. The school is now seeking a sixth principal in four years.

Other Side Dallas has reached out to Cristina Ibarra, but she has not responded to multiple requests for comment.

On Tuesday. a letter was posted by Dr. Nancy Bernardino, who is leading the process to find her replacement. This is reportedly from Ibarra, but we have been unable to confirm.

One parent described it as a hostage letter.

The statement posted does not appear to match Principal Ibarra’s own tone or direction as late as Sunday, September 3.

Bernardino is the Dallas Independent School District director assigned to oversee the campus transition.

Bernardino previously oversaw the Solar Prep choice program.

Some parents believe the change is good. One parent we heard from said, “it must be a very bad situation for [the district] to move her immediately.”

Other Side Dallas could not find evidence of anything bad and Dallas ISD is only calling this a personnel matter.

We will note that when a gun came onto another Dallas ISD campus that principal was not removed.

https://youtube.com/shorts/-57MX3VWgLM

These issues call into question Dallas ISD’s commitment to due process and transparency.

Dealey Divided – Response Not

Other Side Dallas would like to thank the more than dozen parents and staff members that have contacted the website.

We heard from those for and against the reassignment of Cristina Ibarra and learned much more about the campus.

The parents and staff providing information paint a concerning picture of a campus in distress since Beverly Lusk was at the helm. Coincidentally, her husband, Brian Lusk, is the Executive Director over choice and magnet schools.

September 12, 2023September 11, 2023

We Want You

We want you to help us now, today, and hereon. Other Side Dallas is actively working several stories and need your input.

Right now Other Side Dallas is actively working multiple stories here in Dallas.

We are working a police violence story in Dallas Police Department.

We are learning about financial irregularities, nepotism, violence, and total ineptitude in emergency management procedures in Dallas Independent School District.

We also are seeking information to follow up to a US Attorney’s Office blockbuster.

If you have a story we should be on we need to hear it. All of ther above will be seen by the public. Right now we are waiting for subjects to respond to inquiries.

Thankfully we have honest cops, teachers and Dallas ISD administrative staff providing information on background. This information developed with other sources provides the real stories that matter.

We Want You And Your News

You can contact Other Side Dallas thru our Contact form. We will respond through one of several people who are best able to research your concerns.

Our response will likely be thru a secure server and we always use Virtual Private Networks for your protection.

September 7, 2023September 7, 2023

Dealey Montessori Disaster Again

Dealey Montessori disaster again as second year principal Cristina Ibarra was reassigned without explanation Tuesday afternoon.

Some parents learned of the Dallas Independent School District decision through an email Tuesday afternoon. The email went to less than half the school population.

Parents are now asking if Dealey will continue to have a revolving door after this incident. The removal of Ibarra will bring a sixth principal in four years counting interims staff members.

Ibarra has been an effective principal for Dealey Montessori turning around a campus that was slowly fading.

School based parental “leaders” sent out an email to a separate email list later in the evening. They had to send a second with corrections after the first was misworded.

Parents on a Facebook group described “disappointment”, “shock” and “outrage” over the decision.

The decision casts doubt on Dallas ISD’s ability to lead. Neither Dallas ISD staff, nor Trustee Sarah Weinberg, has returned emails to Other Side Dallas.

Officials are reportedly calling the move a “personnel issue,” but some parents are not buying the explanation.

One parent who requested anonymity said principals at other schools stayed assigned to their campus despite reports of sexual assault. (The reference to the Geneva Heights and Lipscomb story that Other Side Dallas reported in 2022.)

The parent continued, if this is about impropriety “why are they moving her to another school?”

Dealey Montessori Disaster Again Follows Years Of Missteps

The move of Ibarra, who had calmed tensions at the north Dallas campus, follows years of poor management by Beth Wing.

Wing was criticized by parents for her failures in handling Lauren Davis’ attacks on Dealey Montessori at the start of the school year in 2021 and again in December when Dallas Police Department actively worked to protect white “no mask” protestors over the safety of children at the school.

Wing was later transferred to WT White in which many called a promotion despite widespread complaints from parents about her failures in communicating and responding to a situation she helped escalate.

Her lack of leadership continued at WT White where she placed a student assaulted into the same classroom as her assaulter.