Three Dallas ISD trustees are demanding an immediate board meeting to discuss Superintendent Mike Miles’ decision to eject one of the trustees from a school Monday as tensions mounted in her district over the incident.
Bernadette Nutall, who was ousted from Dade Middle School, and trustees Lew Blackburn and Joyce Foreman said the full board must address the situation instead of allowing it to fester.
Foreman said she believes Miles violated his contract when he ordered DISD police to remove Nutall from the school. His contract requires him to meet “standards of professional conduct” and keep “an effective working relationship” with trustees, Foreman noted.
“There has to be a discussion by the board to understand exactly where his power stops,” Foreman said. “If the superintendent can remove a sitting board member from a school from where she is duly elected to represent, that means all of us can be removed by the superintendent if he so chooses.”
But board President Miguel Solis said he believes a meeting would be inappropriate because Miles acted “within his realm of responsibility.” However, if three trustees request a meeting, the board president must call one within 60 days. Solis said he will make a decision soon on their request.
The fallout continued Tuesday as South Dallas leaders called for Miles’ removal and arranged a public meeting to discuss what happened. Former DISD trustee Ron Price said he will host a meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, 2922 MLK Blvd. Fliers criticizing Miles were placed on cars outside Dade on Tuesday. And teachers group NEA-Dallas called Miles a bully.
“Dallas ISD needs new leadership and a fresh start,” NEA-Dallas president Angela Davis said.
Dallas ISD spokesman Jon Dahlander said Miles had the authority under the Texas Education Code and DISD board operating procedures to have Nutall removed. Dahlander refused to cite the specific laws and district policies.
Dahlander would not describe what Nutall did to warrant her removal, but he said Monday that the Dade meeting was between staff and the administration.
The school board’s attorneys — at Solis’ request — are researching whether Miles had that power and whether Nutall should have been allowed to stay at Dade. DISD board attorney Sonya Hoskins said she hasn’t found a state law or board policy that specifically states a superintendent can remove a trustee from a school building.
A DISD school board policy allows “the board or its authorized representative” to “eject any undesirable person” who refuses to leave district property.
The dustup at Dade came after Miles ordered massive staff changes at the school on Friday. After an unannounced visit last week, Miles replaced the principal, two assistant principals and 10 teachers because of academic concerns. It’s the fourth principal at the school — the third to be placed there by Miles — in two years.
Dade Middle School had an “academically acceptable” rating from the Texas Education Agency for the 2011-12 school year. But it has received a failing score of “needs improvement” the last two years. The school has 930 students in grades 6 through 8.
Nutall said she arrived at Dade about 6:30 a.m. to encourage and counsel staff and learn about the changes at a staff meeting. She said that when Miles saw her, he asked her to leave and accused her of trespassing. When she refused, he got three officers to toss her out, she said.
Nutall said Tuesday that she decided not to attend the meeting when she learned Miles was going to lead it. She said she was leaving Dade when she met up with Miles again in the main entrance. She said she asked him how replacing the principal after six weeks on the job would improve the school.
She said he refused to answer her questions and then asked police to remove her.
Such conflicts between superintendents and school board members are common, said Linda Villareal, a Texas-based consultant who trains school boards. She said school boards as a whole are supposed to govern, while the superintendent manages daily operations. But it’s not that easy.
Villarreal said it makes sense for Nutall to want to learn about major changes at a school in her district. It is also incumbent upon a superintendent to communicate effectively with the trustees, who are his bosses, she said. But the board should also allow a superintendent to implement their vision and mission.
“Anytime a board member has a question, we should as educators try to answer the questions to the very best of our ability and the most honest way possible,” said Villarreal, the former executive director of Region 2, a Texas Education Agency center that works with school districts in the Corpus Christi area. “But a board member needs to also understand and accept the answer.”
Blackburn said that a called school board meeting should take place soon.
“The board needs to talk with the superintendent about having a trustee escorted off a campus,” he said. “I have not known that to happen. And I’m going to assume that the superintendent has that right. But unless a board member is belligerent or outraged or committing some type of crime, I don’t think that anyone should tell a board member they need to leave the campus.”
Blackburn said he had lunch in the Dade cafeteria on Monday. He said he didn’t have Miles’ permission to be there, and no one kicked him out. “I have never and will never ask the superintendent for permission to visit a campus,” he said.
Trustee Nancy Bingham disagreed with the need for a board meeting. She said that “it is a conflict between she and he, and that conflict has been going on since Mr. Miles came on board.”
Trustee Mike Morath, who is Miles’ strongest supporter on the board, didn’t want to discuss the incident. “I don’t know that I have any thoughts on it,” he said.
Trustees Eric Cowan, Elizabeth Jones and Dan Micciche could not be reached for comment.
Follow Matthew Haag on Twitter at @matthewhaag and Tawnell D. Hobbs at @tawnell.
IN THE KNOW: State law and DISD procedures
The Texas Education Code describes how superintendents and their bosses — the school board members — are expected to operate. The law includes the following provisions:
— The superintendent handles daily operations and implements policies approved by the school board.
— The superintendent and trustees are supposed to work together, including advocating for high achievement.
— The school board is expected to operate as a “corporate body.”
— Individual board members, unless given the authorization, may not act on behalf of the board.
— Board members have an “inherent right of access” to information and records.
— Operating procedures for Dallas ISD set the following guidelines for when trustees visit a school:
— All visits should be coordinated with campus and district administration.
— Trustees should check in with principals upon arrival.
— Board members are to be escorted by a staff member designated by the principal.
— Trustees won’t participate in staff activities unless invited by a campus administrator.
SOURCES: Texas Education Agency; Dallas ISD
