Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles speaks about following week during a press conference on Ebola at Dallas County Commissioners Court in Dallas, TX on October 3, 2014. (Staff photo)
Exodus of DISD employees
Re: “Nutall-Miles clash fuels long board meeting — No action taken after hours-long discussion of trustees’ roles, duties,” Tuesday news story.
As a longtime Hispanic Dallas ISD employee, I am disgusted by the video of Trustee Nutall being physically ousted from Dade Middle School by two Hispanic officers.
There is a great exodus of school employees to surrounding districts, and I believe even more will depart after June.
The havoc which Miles is causing within the district is intolerable, except to the newcomers who know no better.
These new teachers are just happy to have a paycheck. Soon, they will burn out.
Dallas ISD needs experienced personnel.
The district children come to school with little or no early learning, and some with parents who believe that learning should occur only within the school walls.
They have no concept of parent-teacher partnerships and fight to avoid the concept.
I believe Dallas teachers are constantly bombarded with data meetings, walk-throughs and low marks after observations.
The rest of the time, they are teaching, or working on intervention plans for the many students below grade level.
And let us not forget that teachers got a 3 percent raise, while Miles, his cronies and the principals received significant raises.
Jon Marks, Dallas
I am writing to express my support for Mike Miles.
He is a professional educator with no incentive to act in any manner other than the best interests of the children of Dallas ISD.
On the other hand, I often find myself wondering if the school board trustees care more about the children or about the jobs of their personal friends.
Let’s allow Mr. Miles to do the job he was hired to do.
He is dragging the district out of a ditch that it took years to dig itself into.
It won’t always be pretty and certainly not easy. Micromanaging him is not helping.
Put the students first and Mr. Miles will support the teachers and administrators who are doing their part.
Sara Whipple, East Dallas
Re: Superintendent Mike Miles’ ousting of Trustee Nutall from Dade Middle School.
I believe this is something that was not appropriately handled by Miles, and a meeting between them should be allowed.
If Miles had been planning or considering removing Nutall from the school, he should have given notice in a timely manner, explaining the reasons for the removal, instead of abruptly removing her with assistance from police.
I believe law enforcement should have been involved only if the trustee began to exhibit violent behavior. Then the police would have needed to become involved.
The disagreement between Miles and the trustees was something that could have been resolved personally, allowing for solutions to be made as to straighten out the problem and was cause to be removed suddenly.
Liana Everett, Dallas
Nutall need not apologize
Re: “Miles, Nutall fail all in test of wills,” by James Ragland, Wednesday Metro column.
I believe James Ragland couldn’t be more wrong in saying that DISD Trustee Bernadette Nutall should apologize to Mike Miles.
First of all, she is an elected official who was evaluating a serious problem in her school district. She went to Dade Middle School representing her constituents.
I think the problem was created by Mike Miles himself.
He had fired four principals at Dade in the last two years, three of whom he had hired and placed at Dade himself.
On top of that, he had just replaced the principal, two assistant principals and 10 teachers.
I believe those actions would mandate the attention of any trustee elected to serve that district.
Most of all, this shows a lack of leadership on Mike Miles’ part. Mr. Ragland and all those who are criticizing Trustee Nutall should take one step back and ask themselves: Would Mike Miles have forcibly removed a trustee if they had been a man or a white woman?
I seriously doubt it.
Joan Smotzer, Uptown
Re: “Residents call for Miles to resign after trustee incident,” Thursday news story.
Friends and family members who work for DISD, and who agree with me, have advised me to let these messes work themselves out.
I have nothing to offer regarding the recent brouhaha between Miles and Nutall, other than that moves such as these take away from the business at hand.
However, in other instances, Miles has done exactly what former superintendents and-or administrators have neglected to do.
Current and former school board members know, or should have known, that Dade is one of a couple of schools in South Dallas that have been out of order for years.
Current and former school board members know, or should have known, that coaches were teaching courses in which they were not certified.
Current and former school board members know, or should have known, that boundary rules were being violated to secure desirable athletes.
I believe any in charge at DISD operated under a reciprocity clause in which they looked out for friends, even when those friends were not behaving in ways conducive to the education of our children.
Leave Mike Miles in place. He owes no one anything.
That just may be the problem: He can’t be convinced to play under the old rules.
Dr. Mary Loving, Oak Cliff
@PHLoving
It seems as if Dallas ISD goes through superintendents like popcorn at a good movie.
If the trustees really know so much, then get rid of the superintendent and let each trustee run their district.
That way, lots of hire/terminate/buyout money can be saved and put toward nepotism and marginally competent administration and failing schools.
Eliminates the quasi-race cards and the inference that NAACP and LULAC should come to the rescue.
Just a helpful thought. No apology intended.
Roy Underwood, Dallas/Lake Highlands
Rules apply to trustee, too
Is there an effort being perpetrated on Mr. Miles, DISD superintendent?
If a parent wanted to attend a meeting at one of the schools, they would not be welcome either.
I understand that the preferred method of contacting the school principal is to request permission to attend. A decision would then be made on whether to allow that parent to attend.
The most recent issue with Trustee Nutall indicates that she simply showed up to attend the meeting. She had not been invited because it was for teachers.
Ms. Nutall is not a teacher. She, too, is required to follow the process for invitation or clearance.
So why does it seem that many claim this episode so egregious that they feel a recall or dismissal of the superintendent is needed?
The limited amount of information presented by the media does not adequately present both sides of the story.
Gary Sawyer, Garland
