DALLAS ISD

New DISD trustee Bruce Parrott said he received a call yesterday from the Texas Ethics Commission and was told that a complaint filed against him, by blogger Allen Gwinn, has been dropped.

Gwinn complained to the Commission back in November that Parrott filed a campaign finance report four days late. The complaint came as Parrott was in a contentious runoff for the District 3 seat against then-incumbent Leigh Ann Ellis.

Gwinn said he hasn't heard from the Commission but will find out why the case was dropped. Gwinn points out that in a similar case ethics officials ruled against the candidate involved and levied a fine.

"I think this other guy who got popped for the same thing can go back and claim disparate treatment," he said.

UPDATE: Parrott says he got a call today from a Texas Ethics Commission attorney, who told him that his case has not been dismissed. Parrott was surprised, saying he understood from a prior conversation that the case had indeed been dropped. He believes the attorney misspoke, giving him the idea that the case was over when it hadn't been dismissed. Tim Sorrell, the commission's spokesman and deputy general counsel, said today that ethics complaints are confidential, so he can't confirm whether the case is active or that it even exists. However, he said when a decision is made about an ethics case, the commission sends out letters to complainants and respondents. Parrott said he hasn't received such a letter.

Today's tray of hot district morsels ...

***The Dallas School Board elected officers last night, with trustee Adam Medrano remaining in the role of president with a unanimous vote from his colleagues. But there was division over which trustee would be board secretary, with newly-elected trustee Bruce Parrott ultimately chosen. See our story.

***Federal money could be coming our way to avert teacher layoffs. The U.S. House passed legislation earlier this week that creates a $23-billion "education jobs fund." Districts struggling with budget cuts, such as Dallas, could use the money for teacher salaries and benefits. The legislation also must be approved by the U.S. Senate, according to a story posted on Education Week's web site.

***Swine flu absences could mess up finances for schools districts, including Dallas, because state funding is tied to pupil attendance. Our story today says the state's education commissioner will decide next year how to deal with the situation.

***The Milwaukee School Board has voted to make condoms available for free to high school students, after a study showed nearly 63 percent of the system's high school students are sexually active. Taxpayer dollars will not be used to fund the program -- the district will find other sources of funding, according to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinal story. What do you think?

Got a link we missed or an item for the Daily Dish? Send it our way.

Today's tray of hot district morsels ...

** A student at W.T. White High School was arrested after being accused of masturbating in art class. Our crime blog has the details here.

**A teen speaks out for the first time about his alleged beating by a principal and assistant principal at Kimball High School. See our story today about Corey Sims' recollection of events.

**The school board in Plano quickly and unanimously approved controversial boundary changes, baffling parents who expected more discussion from their elected officials. What do you think? See today's story.

**The Dallas Observer weighs in on the recent Dallas school board elections and the changes that could come with new and outspoken trustees on the board.

**Do you want your child to attend a DISD magnet school? The competive enrollment process begins after the holidays. There's more info on DISD's web site.

Got a link we missed or an item for the Daily Dish? Send it our way.

It's final. The Dallas school board has two new members — Bruce Parrott and Bernadette Nutall. Nutall won in a landslide with 66 percent of the votes. Parrott received 54 percent of the votes in his race. Check out the results below. I'll link to our story for tomorrow as soon as we get it up on the website.

Final results in Dallas Independent School District runoff election

Bruce Parrott announced to his supporters Tuesday night that Leigh Ann Ellis had just called him to concede and to wish him luck on the school board. He played her comment on speaker phone for his supporters to hear. As Ellis congratulated him, the crowd clapped in agreement.

He gave a short speech and thanks his contributors for all of the their help in a race call called "not easy."

"Hopefully we will have better days in DISD, " he said. "I think we're to ask more questions."

He cited two reasons for his victory. He said voters did not appreciate that board members extended their terms and skipped the May election. And he said constituents told him they were frustrated at the district's inability to explain money issues that led to teacher layoffs last year.

"We need to have a little more due diligence on the board," he said.

From Reporter Diane Rado:

Leigh Ann Ellis was not conceding after the first round of election day results came in, but said she had to be "realistic."

Latest vote tallies showed the incumbent was trailing challenger Bruce Parrott by about 10 percentage points.

She said she expected voter turnout to be low and said the "angry votes" had come out against her Tuesday.

"Nobody told me I was doing a bad job. No one was mean," she said.

But she said during the campaign it was clear to her that voters did not understand the progress the district was making, and had been more focused on the district's budget debacle, P-card scandal and other problems of the past.

"All of this has been building for years. This is not something I created," she said.

Latest results (3,122 total ballots cast) include some election day votes. We don't know yet, if these are the final results, or only reflect some precincts.

In District 3:

Leigh Ann Ellis: 44.52 percent, 650 votes
Bruce Parrott: 55.48 percent, 810 votes

In District 9:

Sally Cain: 34.14 percent, 563 votes
Bernadette Nutall: 65.86 percent, 1,086 votes

From Reporter Diane Rado:

Incumbent Leigh Ann Ellis greeted supporters at Lovers Pizza with an acknowledgement that early votes had not leaned in her favor. She said she didn't know what the evening would bring, but was ready to see the full results.

From Reporter Tawnell Hobbs:

District 9 candidate Bernadette Nutall was surprisred upon hearing her lead in early returns. "I'm overwhelmed," she said.

Her supporters think she's got it in the bag.

"She has a commanding lead that I don't think can be overturned," said Michael MacNaughton, a Nutall supporter.

Nutall's supporters are beginning to trickle in at her watch party at a restaurant on Lamar, just south of downtown. At least one supporter is tracking the results on his cellphone.

The results are in from early voting (1,904 total ballots cast). Here is where it stands.

In District 3:

Incumbent Leigh Ann Ellis: 41.98 percent, 377 votes
Challenger Bruce Parrott: 58.02 percent, 521 votes

In District 9:

Bernadette Nutall : 65.39 percent, 650 votes
Sally Cain: 34.61 percent, 344 votes

DISD District 3 incumbent Leigh Ann Ellis is operating a landscape and design business that has not been properly registered with Dallas County, according to county officials.

The law requires that businesses renew their registration after 10 years, but Ellis failed to do so, according to records at the Dallas County Clerk's office.

An intentional violation of the law is a misdemeanor offense, but Ellis says she didn't realize she needed to renew the registration for her business, called Ghost Dance.

County records show she registered back in 1990. "I have received no document saying I'm supposed to renew it. I pay my sales tax on it. No one has said it is not valid," Ellis said.

County officials say that small businesses such as the one Ellis runs must register if they operate under an "assumed name" such as Ghost Dance. The registration is important for establishing a bank account, paying taxes and other reasons.

UPDATE: Ellis just called to say that she went to the county clerk's office and registered her business.

Meanwhile, Ellis' opponent, Bruce Parrott, lists on his campaign website as well as in The Dallas Morning News' Voter Guide that he got a master's degree in Educational Technology from "TX A & M."

When the newspaper called Texas A & M University in College Station - in a routine check of candidates' educational backgrounds - the school had no record of Parrott graduating.

When the newspaper asked Parrott about the situation today, he said he got his master's from Texas A & M University - Commerce. This is a different - and less prestigious - school then Texas A & M in College Station. Officials at Texas A & M-Commerce confirmed that Parrott received his master's degree there.

"What are you going to say, I'm not being honest?" Parrott said. " It's not like I'm sending my transcript. That's just my bio."

He also stressed that Texas A & M -Commerce is part of the A & M system.
"I didn't know there was a distinct difference. I was told it was part of the umbrella of Texas A & M College Station. If I am mistaken, I apologize," he said.

Last week, Parrott was in the news when blogger Allen Gwinn -- an Ellis supporter -- posted a copy of a complaint he filed with the Texas Ethics Commission, accusing Parrott of filing a campaign finance report due in October four days late.

Blogger Allen Gwinn has posted a copy of the ethics complaint he filed against District 3 DISD candidate Bruce Parrott, alleging that Parrott filed a campaign finance report due in October four days late.

Gwinn supports incumbent Leigh Ann Ellis in the race, but said that wasn't his motivation in filing the complaint against Parrott with the Texas Ethics Commission. He's filed complaints against other candidates in the past, Gwinn said.

"When you decide to run for an office, you are held to a certain set of standards. And there are standards you agree to. If you're going to run for office you have to play by the rules for the office,'' he said.

He added, "If Leigh Ann had turned her report in late, as much as I like her, I would have filed against her too."

Parrott isn't buying that, because he knows Gwinn is an Ellis supporter. "He's looking for anything,'' said Parrott, who was the biggest vote-getter in the four-candidate District 3 race on Nov. 3. He and Ellis square off in the runoff election Dec. 8.

Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price says that a county vendor may have altered the outcome of DISD's Nov. 3 school board election. Some folks have complained about not being notified that their voting precincts had changed until the day of the election — or later. Apparently, a local printing company was late with the mailing because it ran out of paper. (That's one of several excuses being tossed around). Read more here on our Dallas City Hall blog.

Today's tray of hot district morsels ...

Note: Today's Daily Dish will focus on last night's DISD board election. Here goes:

** Our story today on last night's election. District 1 incumbent Edwin Flores wins re-election, while the District 3 and 9 seats go into a runoff. In those two races, Bruce Parrott and Bernadette Nutall received the most votes.

** A DMN editorial column today says incumbents paid a price at the polls yesterday. The column begins, "There was no escaping the elephant in the voting booth during yesterday's Dallas school board election. The sometimes-lackluster performance of the DISD Board of Trustees and the district's top employee, Superintendent Michael Hinojosa, weighed heavily on voters' minds. And incumbent candidates paid a price for having tested voters' patience. (That is, among the appallingly low number who bothered to vote.)"

** DMN columnist James Ragland chastises DISD voters in his column today for not showing up at the polls yesterday.

** DMN editorial editor Sharon Grigsby weighs in on the race issue in District 9 on the newspaper's Opinion blog. And over on the Education Front blog, DMN editorial columnist William McKenzie writes about two goals that the new board must meet.

** The Dallas Observer's Unfair Park blog gives this take on last night's election.

** Click here to see election results for Dallas County.

Got a link we missed or an item for the Daily Dish? Send it our way.

Reporters Tawnell Hobbs and Diane Rado will host a live chat at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday to talk about the outcome of Tuesday's contests and what lies ahead.

Enough results are in to call the school board races. District 1 candidate Edwin Flores has won another seat to the Dallas school board without the need of a runoff.

But there's no clear winner in the District 3 and 9 seats. District 3 incumbent Leigh Ann Ellis will face political newcomer Bruce Parrott in the Dec. 8 runoff. And in District 9, Bernadette Nutall will have a runoff with Sally Cain.

Congratulations to Flores and those who made the runoff.

More results just came in with the majority of precincts reporting.

In District 1, incumbent Edwin Flores probably has too healthy of a lead for Kyle Renard to catch. Flores has 52 percent of the vote with Renard coming in at 40 percent. (33 of 47 precincts have reported)

In District 3, Bruce Parrott and incumbent Leigh Ann Ellis appear headed for a runoff. Parrott has 37 percent of the vote, compared to Ellis' 29 percent. (35 of 44 precincts have reported)

In District 9, Bernadette Nutall is falling short of securing the seat with 46 percent of the vote. Coming in second is Sally Cain with 32 percent. Juanita Wallace is trailing far behind with 17 percent. (37 of 52 precincts have reported)

District 3 candidate Bruce Parrott is ready for these election to be over — with him the winner without a runoff.

"Not bad for a first timer," Parrott said in his showing so far with 38 percent of the votes with 10 of 44 precincts reporting.

Incumbent Leigh Ann Ellis has 31 percent. And candidate Bea Martinez has 13 percent and Penny Anderly has 18 percent.

Parrott acknowledges he doesn't know if he'll be able to pull it off without a runoff.

"I'd like to just win this thing," he said.

And as far as his showing in the race?

"I felt real good about it," Parrott said. "The people have been very, very supportive. You couldn't ask for more from something like this, especially for the number of people in the race."

Precinct results are starting to come in. District 1 incumbent Edwin Flores still has a good lead of about 51 percent in his race with 19 of 47 precincts reporting. Kyle Renard has 40 percent of the votes.

In the District 3 race, Bruce Parrott lost a bit of his lead and has 38 percent of the vote compared to incumbent Leigh Ann Ellis' 31 percent, and that's with 10 of 44 precincts reporting.

In the District 9 race, Bernadette Nutall maintains a healthy lead of 48 percent, with Sally Cain trailing at 24 percent and Juanita Wallace at 23 percent. Results from 7 of 52 precincts are reflected. If there is a runoff in the District 9 race, both Cain and Wallace are neck-and-neck in competing with Nutall.

It's still too early to call these races because too many precincts have yet to be counted. But I would say that Nutall has a good healthy lead in District 9.

Stay tuned...

I just got off the phone with reporter Diane Rado. She said it was kind of muted at District 1 candidate Kyle Renard's gathering at PoPoLos Restaurant on Royal Lane when the early results went online. Renard received 37 percent of the early votes, with incumbent Edwin Flores taking the lead with 50 percent.

At least one Renard supporter thought that more people would have voted during early election — just 1,316 people turned out. Anyway, Renard's supporters don't think Flores will continue his 50 percent lead and it will go into a runoff.

Dallas County just uploaded the early voting returns. District 1 incumbent Edwin Flores has the lead in his race, with 50 percent of the vote. Kyle Renard is in second with 37 percent.

In the District 3 race, Bruce Parrott is holding the lead with 41 percent of the vote. Incumbent Leigh Ann Ellis is trailing him with 29 percent.

In District 9, Bernadette Nutall has the lead with 48 percent of the votes. She's beinig followed by Sally Cain with 25 percent; and Juanita Wallace with 23 percent.

Keep in mind these are early returns, but elections administrator Bruce Sherbet has projected that 40-50 percent of the votes for these races would be from early voting.

Stay tuned...

I'll be blogging throughout the night on the election returns. We'll also be updating a chart with results, which you can access by clicking here.

Good luck to all of the candidates!

Three Dallas school board seats will be decided today (barring runoffs) when voters go to the polls from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Two incumbents hope to maintain their seats on the board.

District 1 incumbent and attorney Edwin Flores is fending off freelance writer Linus Spiller, retired salesman Melvin Cannon and homemaker Kyle Renard, who is also a nonpracticing pediatrician. District 1 covers Northwest Dallas.

In District 3, incumbent and landscape designer Leigh Ann Ellis is hoping to hold onto her seat in Northeast Dallas. She faces real estate broker Bea Martinez, retired video producer Bruce Parrott and consultant Penny Anderly.

The District 9 race has no incumbent because longtime trustee Ron Price decided not to seek re-election. Running for District 9, which includes South Dallas and parts of downtown, are retired school administrator Juanita Wallace, financial consultant Rossi Walter, educator-consultant Sally Cain and youth advocacy group executive director Bernadette Nutall.

Dallas County Elections Administrator Bruce Sherbet expects a low voter turnout of 3 percent. Only about $14,700 people voted early, he said, which is about 1.3 percent of voters. Sherbet says about 40-50 percent of the people who will vote in the election voted early.

Many observers believe there will be one or more runoffs with no one candidate receiving more than 50 percent of the votes.

Click here for a list of polling locations. And if you're still undecided, click here to check out the Dallas Morning News' voting guide and here for blog posts written about the races. To review a sample ballot go here.

Here's what I know so far:

*District 3 candidate Bruce Parrott will mark his "final campaign outreach" by greeting potential District 3 voters at the corner of Garland Road and Buckner Boulevard from 4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.

*District 3 incumbent Leigh Ann Ellis' camp plans on making more phone calls tomorrow and putting out additional campaign signs.

*District 9 candidate Bernadette Nutall's campaign is working the phones and trying to reach out to undecided voters.

*Phone canvassers are busy at Bea Martinez's headquarters reminding voters about tomorrow's election. The Martinez camp says that anyone wanting to help can come to 6500 Greenville Ave., Suite 120.

Know of any other last-day events by DISD candidates, shoot me an e-mail at thobbs@dallasnews.com, and I'll add them to this post.

The DISD special elections are tomorrow. Each of the three seats up for grabs — 1, 3 and 9 — has four contenders. The polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Click here for your polling place).

Dallas County Elections Administrator Bruce Sherbet has predicted an overall low 3% turnout for the county. But he now says some of the DISD races could reach a turnout of 5 percent because of the number of candidates in the races. (The average turnout is around 5-8 percent).

And because there are strong contenders vying for the seats, it's definitely possible that some races could end up in a runoff with no one person receiving more than 50 percent of the votes.

If you're still confused about who to vote for, click here to read past blog posts on the DISD races. Also, checkout the Dallas Morning News' voter guide that includes a Q&A with candidates and provides their background credentials.

On today's Dallas Morning News opinion page, trustee Edwin Flores has a column saying why incumbents should be re-elected. Former DISD trustee and retired state Rep. Harryette Ehrhardt provides an opposing column on why voters need to get rid of DISD's incumbents.

Check out Ehrhardt's column here and Flores' here.

In reading both of the columns, I have to say that Ehrhardt's would probably be easier to understand for the average reader not knowledgeable about DISD. I say that because she talks in plain language. Flores, like so many school officials (and education reporters included), gets caught up every now and then using "education speak." Most people outside education circles would not know what "Aligned instruction across grade level and established a common pacing across the district" means.

Today's tray of hot district morsels ...

** (New item) Bad news for DISD trustee Jack Lowe. Zale Corp., where he is chairman, is under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission for accounting matters.

**DISD Supt. Michael Hinojosa points out that passing state achievement tests doesn't mean kids are going to be ready for college. That makes sense given the news out of Washington that raises questions about Texas state tests. See Terrence Stutz' story today about the low bar set by Texas and several other states for being considered "proficient" in reading and math.

**Is closing a school the best answer for improving education? A new Chicago study shows that many kids displaced by a school closings ended up transferring to another low-performing school. On average, the move didn't significantly impact student achievement. The study by the Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago has implications for any school district considering closing poor-performing schools. I"ll disclose that I did some part-time work for the Consortium prior to coming to Dallas -- it does objective research and I wouldn't cite their work if it wasn't good.

**Elections are upon us on Tuesday. Check out our latest coverage, related to the issue of race in the District 9 trustee race. And one more reminder: Get out and vote. There's nothing worse than complaining about schools, then failing to get to the polls.

**Your teen may text like crazy, but do text messages really improve writing skills? Some researchers think so. Check out this story in U.S. News & World Report.

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I talked to Dallas school board District 9 candidate Sally Cain this week about concerns some blacks have with her being supported by trustee Jack Lowe. The fear is that Cain would be a slam dunk vote for Lowe, who is a big supporter of Superintendent Michael Hinojosa.

But Cain says that's not true.

"He knows that he can't buy my vote," she said of Lowe. "Jack Lowe knows I'm going to be an independent thinker. I intend to be in Superintendent Hinojosa's office all the time."

And could trustee Carla Ranger have an ally in Cain?

Cain said that she would ensure that Ranger has all the information she needs to make an informed vote. (That's in reference to questions asked by Ranger during board meetings that sometimes go answered by the administration).

"You have to have everybody satisfied before you take a vote," Cain said.

This Tuesday is election day and today is the last day to vote early.

Our story in today's Dallas Morning News looks at the concerns by black leaders that the District 9 seat — only ever held by a blacks — could be won by Cain, who is white. Cain's three opponents for the seat, commonly identified with South Dallas, are Juanita Wallace, Rossi Walter and Bernadette Nutall. They are all black.

Three candidates — Edwin Flores, Sally Cain and Penny Anderly — raised the most money in recent campaign finance reports due eight days before the Nov. 3 election. All three candidates are supported by trustee Jack Lowe.

District 9 candidate Sally Cain raised the most money of all the candidates — bringing in a whopping $22,250. She spent the most money at $18,351.50. Some of her notable contributors include Paul Coggins ($250); Laura Miller ($250); Florence Shapiro ($100); Edward Oakley ($100); J. McDonald Williams ($500); Ronald Steinhart ($500) and Ms. Jack Lowe ($500).

District 1 incumbent Edwin Flores wasn't too far behind Cain. He definitely rebounded from the last campaign finance report when he collected no money. Flores raised $22,125. He spent $13,756.23. Some of his notable contributors include Adelfa Callejo ($200); Tom Lazo ($400); Mary Lowe and Jack Lowe ($500); and J. McDonald and Ellen Carter Williams ($500).

In third place for fundraising is District 3 candidate Penny Anderly. She raised $13,425 and spent $6,417.90. Some of her notable contributors are Mr. and Mrs. Ron Steinhart ($500); J. McDonald Williams ($500) and the Real Estate Council ($1,000).

Here are the results for the other candidates:

District 1
Kyle Renard: Raised $5,832; spent $5,068.73 (Notable contributors: Maurine Dickey ($100))
Melvin Cannon: Raised $250
Linus Spiller: No campaign finance report on DISD's website

District 3
Bea Martinez: Raised $6,920 and spent $6,279.05 (Notable contributors: Adelfa Callejo ($250))
Leigh Ann Ellis: Raised $4,000 and spent $3,169.91
Bruce Parrott: No campaign finance report on DISD's website

District 9
Bernadette Nutall: Raised $2,718 and spent $2,444.23 (Notable contributors: Tom Luce III ($250) and Diane Birdwell ($50))
Juanita Wallace: Raised $800 and spent $759.71
Rossi Walter: No campaign finance report on DISD's website

Click here to review the campaign finance reports on DISD's website.

Juanita Wallace uses the title "Doctor" a lot in her campaign for District 9 — from her official website to campaign filings to a questionnaire filled out for the DMN.

But Wallace's doctorate is from Madison University, which isn't accredited by any federally recognized accrediting agency. Nor is it approved by education officials in Mississippi, where it's located. Madison even makes the list of institutions whose degrees are illegal to use in Texas.

Wallace said she didn't know her PhD was not recognized in Texas. "I've never gotten a question before, even from DISD." Wallace retired from DISD in 2006 and said she received no extra pay for the doctorate, which she said was earned around 2003.

Fred White of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board said he plans to confer with his agency's lawyers for possible referral to the state Attorney General's office. "She is using it (the PhD) to her advantage and it's a substandard degree," he said.

Wallace said she worked for her degree and stands by it. "I had to do a dissertation," she said. "I had to meet with professors. I had to read many, many books." And she wondered aloud if someone's trying to discredit her campaign.

Earlier this month, District 1 candidate Linus Spiller revised his resume after questions surfaced about his education credentials.

I talked to Dallas County elections administrator Bruce Sherbet today. He believes that turnout for the DISD special election Nov. 3 will be lower than he expected, at 3 percent, based on early voting so far, which ends this Friday.

Through this morning, 1,736 people had voted early for the District 1, 3 and 9 seats, according to Sherbet. He said based on past early voting results, he projects that early turnout numbers for DISD's races could be 35 to 45 percent of total votes. That would mean an estimated max of 4,000 people voting in all. The last time the seats were up in 2006, there were 5074 total votes.

The polls close at 7 p.m. Friday. Click here for polling locations.

Kyle Renard would easily take the District 1 seat. Bea Martinez and Bruce Parrott would have to battle it out for District 3 in a runoff, and Juanita Wallace would easily beat out her opponents in District 9.

Of course, the poll I put up back on Oct. 15 can't determine the outcome of this election, but I found the results interesting. People voted from as far away as Washington and New York. The District 3 race garnered the most attention with 3,937 votes tallied (and had the most allegations of people voting more than once). The District 1 race had 1,745 votes, while District 9 had 1,478, as of around 9:30 p.m. Sunday (Oct. 25).

To review a breakdown of actual votes and percentages by state, click on the links below. (Placing your mouse on the bar graph lines will reveal actual vote count).

District 1 votes by state

District 3 votes by state

District 9 votes by state

District 9 candidate Bernadette Nutall has been criticized lately for her nonprofit program, Circle of Support, Inc., which provides "mentoring, academic enhancement and life skills development" to Dallas students in the summer.

Some folks believe that Nutall's program would cause her to have a conflict of interest if she was to win in the Nov. 3 election. But others see it as a bonus that Nutall has such a program to help DISD students. Nutall posted a comment on a previous blog post addressing some concerns, and I've pasted it on the jump of this post. In a nutshell, she says: "...people there is no conflict of interst. Once again, WE receive NO money from Dallas ISD. Thank you for your time."

One commenter had this question for Nutall: "Will you recuse yourself when votes come forward on the DISD board regarding these foundations you personally do business with." I'll chime into say that Nutall wouldn't be the first DISD trustee to recuse himself/herself from a board vote because of conflict of interest. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, just stating a fact.

Also, some folks want financial information on Nutall's organization. Click here to review the Circle of Support's Form 990, an IRS form used for tax-exempt organizations.

Early voting starts today for three DISD school board seats. And I'm sure candidates are doubling their efforts today as I've talked to enough to know that they want their supporters to get to the polls early. The actual election day falls during the work week on Nov. 3, a Tuesday, and many folks won't get off work until an hour or two before the polls close at 7 p.m. (Click here for more information on early voting, which runs through Oct. 30).

I've wondered about the turnout for the election, though. I decided to call Bruce Sherbet, Dallas County elections administrator. He told me he's expecting a low turnout — possibly around 4-5 percent — for DISD's special elections. He said there are no big countywide "controversial" items on the ballot to get more people to the polls. (The average turnout is around 5-8 percent).

Today's tray of hot district morsels ...

** (New item) DISD is among about two-dozen districts targeted by the ACLU of Texas and the United Sikhs to receive letters making them aware of Sikh students' right to wear certain religious articles. DISD spokesman Jon Dahlander told the Unfair Park blog that he isn't aware of any incidents in the district. Read the letters to school administrators here.

** The controversy over DISD trustee Jack Lowe's "ideal" board candidates continues, with trustee Carla Ranger (who is not up for election) saying on her blog: "It is very important for citizens to Vote for the candidate of their choice - not a candidate who has made secret 12-point deals with current Trustees seeking to continue imposing a narrow, destructive and self-serving agenda on the district."

And speaking of elections: See today's story on candidates vying for the open District 9 seat (Current trustee Ron Price isn't running for re-election.)

** If you've been following the debate/saga over social studies standards in Texas, see our latest update in today's newspaper, about whether more religion should be mentioned in government and history classes. This is important stuff: The decision on what and what's not included in the standards will impact schoolchildren for the next decade.

** Is it safe for your child to walk to school? Check out the Chicago Tribune's story on the dangerous walk to school for Chicago kids who face drugs, gangs and violence on the way to school.

Got a link we missed or an item for the Daily Dish? Send it our way.

The Dallas Morning News' editorial board was heavily criticized on an earlier blog post for recommending that two incumbents be returned to their seats in the Nov. 3 special election. I'd like to hear from you on who you think should hold the seats. Please take the polls below.

The editorial board of the Dallas Morning News endorsed DISD board candidates in today's newspaper. The winners are:

Edwin Flores, District 1 (incumbent)
Leigh Ann Ellis, District 3 (incumbent)
Bernadette Nutall, District 9

The endorsements for the incumbents came with a little chastisement from the editorial board. Click on the candidate's name above to read the corresponding endorsement.

The NEA-Dallas employees association is endorsing District 1 candidate Kyle Renard and District 9 candidate Bernadette Nutall in the Nov. 3 special Dallas school board elections.

But the organization has chosen not to endorse any candidate in the District 3 race.

"We were unable to come to a consensus on which of these candidates to support," NEA-Dallas president Dale Kaiser said in a prepared statement. "Candidates Penny Anderly, Bea Martinez and incumbent Leigh Ann Ellis all have their respective strong points, and weaknesses. We felt that our members, and the voters in District 3, should carefully consider all of these candidates and support the candidate of their choice."

Kaiser also encouraged voters to go to the polls this coming election. Early voting starts Oct. 19.

"For all of those who are upset with the direction the District, and this Board, has taken over the last few years, now is the time to make sure their voices are heard," he wrote.

More information: NEA-Dallas president Dale Kaiser said the association forgot to include District 3 candidate Bruce Parrott's name on the information above. He said that he has spoken to Parrott and offered his apologies "for inadvertantly not including his name as he did participate in the candidate interviews that we conducted."

The Dallas Morning News' voter guide is now online. It allows you to do side-by-side comparisons on where DISD candidates stand on various issues, such as the superintendent's performance and using test scores to evaluate teachers.

Candidates also are asked about any personal, financial or professional ties that they or any of their friends or relatives have with any DISD staffers or district vendors. Biographical information, such as education background, also is included.

Click here to check out the guide.

DISD trustee Jack Lowe has drafted a list of 12 qualities he believes makes the "Ideal Dallas ISD Board Candidate." Lowe said he put the list together because he "was trying to find good candidates to run."

Lowe's list touches on fundamental traits of a good trustee, such as working to improve the whole district. But it also includes more pointed requirements — such as the candidate being willing to support Superintendent Michael Hinojosa continuing in his role as long as he's "significantly improving student achievement and generating a financial surplus."

But perhaps the "biggest stretch" (Lowe's words) on the list is #12, which states: "Support Edwin Flores as Board President for the next two and a half years."

Lowe, the board's immediate past president, said he has chosen to endorse District 1 candidate Edwin Flores, District 3 candidate Penny Anderly and District 9 candidate Sally Cain. He said those candidates were more in line with what he considers good candidates for the DISD board — but that they didn't necessarily agree with everything on the list.

"I'm not sure any of these candidates we found hit all 12 bullets," Lowe said.

Click here to read Lowe's list. (Lowe said the list targets District 3 and District 9 races because he already knew he would be supporting Edwin Flores in District 1).

As of this morning, District 1 School Board candidate Linus Spiller had a resume posted on his campaign website stating that he is a "Bachelor of Arts Candidate, December 2009" at the University of Texas at Arlington.

That's incorrect, according to the university. Spokeswoman Sue Stevens said Spiller is not a candidate for graduation in December and is not currently enrolled as a student.

When I contacted Spiller today about the discrepancy between his resume and the school's response, he said he hasn't been a student at UT Arlington since 1988.

However, the 45-year-old Spiller plans to take the two courses he says he needs to graduate in the upcoming "winter intersession" at UT Arlington. That session goes from Dec. 14 to Jan 8, 2010, with final exams scheduled on Jan. 11. Spiller said he hasn't registered for those classes yet because he wants to wait until the school board campaign is over. When he does register, he says, he'll apply for graduation at the same time.

As he spoke to me on the phone, Spiller changed the wording of his resume. Now, the resume posted on his campaign website reflects the number of credit hours he says he has accumulated and adds that he anticipates completing his bachelor's program in January 2010 and applying for graduation next month.

Spiller also posted a note on his resume, providing what he says is a "clearer picture" of his academic background and adding, "I don't want to give the impression that my academic credentials are anything more or less than what they are."

Spiller also says that his education credentials have been overstated in the past, in mistakes made by the Dallas Morning News.

Go to the jump to read Spiller's note.

Here's some campaign information related to the upcoming DISD school board elections:

*District 1 candidate Kyle Renard's website is www.kylerenard.com.

*In case you haven't noticed, this blog has a direct link to all DISD election-related posts. (It's on the right of this website under the "Spotlight" section).

*The League of Women Voters of Dallas has released its voting guide on the Dallas school board races. Click here to check it out. Also the LWV will host a series of candidate forums beginning this week. For more information, go to the organization's calendar of events right here.

*A forum will be held for District 9 candidates from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 20 at Park South YMCA, 2500 Romine Ave. in Dallas. Dallas Morning News columnist James Ragland will moderate at the event, hosted by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Click here to read the flyer.

Our story in today's Dallas Morning News looks at campaign contributions and expenditures for all 12 school board candidates running in the Nov. 3 election.

District 9 candidate Bernadette Nutall led the pack in receiving more in contributions of all candidates in all races at $8,550. In the District 1 race, Kyle Renard received the most contributions at $2,200; and in District 3, Bea Martinez beat out her competitors by receiving $7,830 in donations.

Click here to read the story and here for a breakdown of contributions and expenditures by candidate.

DISD District 3 candidate Bruce Parrott has been going round and round with district officials on whether he should be allowed to participate in Bryan Adams High School's homecoming parade this Saturday. Trustee Leigh Ann Ellis, who is running for re-election in November against Parrott and two other candidates, will be in the parade.

I talked to DISD spokesman Jon Dahlander about this situation earlier today. He told me that a DISD attorney said that as long as Ellis isn't waving a campaign sign she can participate, considering she's a current trustee.

Parrott, a BA alumnus, said he was told by Jack Elrod, DISD's general counsel, that he nor the other two candidates can participate and that Ellis was invited by students.

Parrott said that his wife, former DISD board president Lois Parrott, didn't have such an easy time participating in events at the school during election time.

"When Lois was trustee, they refused to even let her go on campus during the campaign, so funny how things have changed," he said.

So, I'd like to hear what you think about this. Someone on another post has suggested picketing at the parade with signs against Ellis. BA teacher Diane Birdwell doesn't think that's a good idea. Birdwell also weighed in on the issue on another post, which I've included on the jump.

DISD District 3 incumbent Leigh Ann Ellis spent time Tuesday counteracting criticism by her three opponents during an endorsement interview with the Dallas Morning News' editorial board.

Ellis faces real estate broker Bea Martinez, retired video producer Bruce Parrott and consultant Penny Anderly in the Nov. 3 special election.

We'll likely find out within a couple of weeks which candidate will receive the endorsement. I sat in on the meeting and was pretty surprised — all four candidates did better than I expected.

I say that because it was the first time at the table for Martinez, Parrott and Anderly, but you couldn't tell. And Ellis was ready for the tough questions, such as answering to why the board extended their terms to four years — only to reverse the decision later after an unfavorable opinion from the Texas attorney general.

I've summarized what was said during the meeting on the jump. (I'm going out of order as to get directly to what I found most interesting &mdash the candidates' feelings about Superintendent Michael Hinojosa).

As soon as DISD District 3 trustee Leigh Ann Ellis' campaign literature hit mailboxes, talk began about comments she included in the mailer.

On the same page of the mailout that Ellis uses to make the case that DISD schools are improving, she has this to say about her opponents in a fill-in-the-blank sort of way:

"The opponents in this election include the wife of a controversial DISD administrator. Another is the campaign manager for another DISD trustee. Still another is a husband of a former board member. We deserve this opportunity to keep our strong momentum going forward without political agendas or disruptions."

Click here to read the mailer.

Here's some campaign information related to the upcoming DISD school board elections:

*District 3 candidate Penny Anderly's website is at www.pennyanderly.com.

*District 9 Sally Cain has a website at www.sallycain.com.

Alliance-AFT in Dallas, the district's largest employee association, announced its endorsements today for three school board seats up for grabs on Nov. 3.

The group endorsed Kyle Renard for District 1; Bruce Parrott for District 3 and Bernadette Nuttall for District 9.

If you've been paying attention, these same candidates also were endorsed by Dallas Friends of Public Education, a new PAC that is targeting DISD school board elections.

Here's some campaign information related to the DISD District 1 school board race:

*District 1 candidate Linus Spiller has his campaign website up at www.linusspiller.net.

*District 1 incubment Edwin Flores also has a website at www.edwinflores.com.

Is it really a good idea for DISD to send out mailers just days before the Nov. 3 election that, other than touting district accomplishments, includes photos of individual trustees with a personal message from each one? Well, trustee Carla Ranger definitely has concerns and she's posted them on her blog right here.

Ranger questions whether the mailouts could be seen as political advertising in violation of the Texas Election Code. Trustees will consider approving whether to pay up to $300,000 for printing and postage for the fall and spring issues of "Dallas ISD Newsline," which was first distributed in June. (That seems like a lot of dough in these tight budget times for something that the district also puts on the internet).

The publication is tailored to each trustee district. Click here to check out the June issue of Newsline for District 4.

Also, here is a quick guide on the state's election code. In part, it states:

"A school district board member or employee would violate the prohibition by "spending or authorizing the spending of public funds" for political advertising. Not only does this mean that the school district may not purchase or authorize the purchase of new materials for use in creating political advertising, it also means that a school district board member or employee would violate the prohibition by using existing paper and machinery to generate, display, or distribute political advertising."

What do you think? Could this be seen as political advertising?

Update: DISD spokesman Jon Dahlander says the district has no intention of sending out the mailout before the November election. He said it's on the agenda now because it will need board approval because of the associated costs.

This just in — The political action committee called Dallas Friends of Public Education has made its endorsements in the Nov. 3 School Board races. They are:

District 1: Kyle Renard, a pediatrician and DISD parent;
District 3: Bruce Parrott, a retired video producer and former DISD parent;
District 9: Bernadette Nutall, co-founder of a nonprofit that sponsors summer learning programs.

The group says it was impressed with the caliber of all candidates, but felt these three "best reflect our values and share the concerns and interests of parents and taxpayers," according to a press release.

There are 12 candidates in all for the three races.

Incument Edwin Flores, Melvin Cannon and Linus Spiller also are running for the District 1 seat; Incumbent Leigh Ann Ellis, Penny Anderly and Beatrice Alba Martinzez also are running for District 3; and Sally Cain, Juanita Wallace and Rossi Walter also are running in District 9.

When it comes to elections, more is better. Voters need to be armed with as much information as possible to make an informed decision in the voting booth.

In that regard, The Dallas Morning News needs your help in assembling questions for Dallas school board candidates.

We want to provide extensive information and coverage of the Nov. 3 elections. We have three seats up for grabs - District 1, District 3 and District 9 - and 12 candidates. That is so exciting to me - the last local school board election I covered in Illinois had so many uncontested seats that it was pathetic. Voters had very few choices when it came to influencing what I think is the important local government board in any town. Look closely at your tax bill - the largest portion of it is probably school taxes.

We are working on a developing a series of questions for candidates in each of the races. We'd appreciate any and all input.

Commenter Mike MacNaughton did this blog a favor by redoing the logo we've been using for DISD election-related posts. Mike hated that logo — and so did I. Thanks much, Mike. Mike's logo appears at left (the one we will be using from now on); my logo is at right.

Here's some campaign information related to the DISD school board races:

**District 9 candidate Bernadette Nutall has a website that can be accessed at www.votebernadette.com.

**District 9 candidate Juanita Wallace's website is at www.juanitawallacecampaign.weebly.com.

**The League of Women Voters in Dallas has information on important election dates right here.

Bruce Parrott, a District 3 school board candidate, is not happy about a call to his home today from the Dallas County Elections office. The election office rep. was looking for Lois Parrott, Bruce's wife and former DISD board president. Lois wasn't home, so Bruce said that he took the call.

Bruce said the representative proceeded to notify him that the election office had received Lois' call requesting that her ballot be mailed to her residence and that it would be mailed later today so she can cast her vote in the Nov. 3 election. Problem is, Bruce said, Lois never made such a request — and she's probably not the only one this has happened to, he said.

Basically, Bruce believes that the guilty person(s) could be working for another candidate in the District 3 race. This wouldn't be the first case of election fraud, when some unsuspecting person receives an absentee ballot in the mail and then a visit from someone willing and ready to help them fill it out.

"It's possible that somebody could show up on my doorstep and say, `We're here to help you fill out your ballot," Bruce Parrott said.

Bruce Sherbet, Dallas County elections administrator, said the elections office did receive a voice message from a Lois Parrott asking for "two applications" for absentee ballots. Sherbet said if there is some shenanigans going on this early into the race, "it is a sign that [this race] can get pretty heated."

Here's some information that I've received from candidates vying for seats on the Dallas school board:

** For a bio and other information on District 3 candidate Bea Martinez, go to either of these websites: www.beaforthekids.com or www.beatricemartinez.com.

** District 1 candidate Linus Spiller's resume and announcement of his candidacy.

** District 9 candidate Rossi Walter self discloses a tax lien that he is trying to get resolved.

DISD trustee Edwin Flores had this to say today about people who have accused him of using his last name to his political advantage: "It's much ado about less than nothing."

Some folks have commented on this blog that Flores' name is 'Edwin Flores Troy,' and that he has avoided using the name Troy to curry favor with Hispanics for political reasons.

Flores debunked the allegation by saying that District 1 is like 80 percent Anglo and the rest is about evenly split between African Americans and Hispanics. He said if he was doing what people have accused him of, he'd be using "Edwin Flores Troy" in the race for the District 1 seat.

Flores said that in Mexico it's very common to use your father's last name and mother's maiden name. His mother's last name is Troy.

Flores, an attorney, is running for re-election to the District 1 seat in Northwest Dallas. He faces three opponents: freelance writer Linus Spiller, retired salesman Melvin Cannon and homemaker Kyle Renard, who is also a board-certified pediatrician.

Here's some information that I've already received from a few candidates:

**District 9 candidate Rossi Walter's bio. His website may still be under construction, but the address is www.rossiwalter.com.

**District 1 candidate Kyle Renard outlines her platform for running and provides her bio.

**District 3 candidate Bruce Parrott's announcement of his candidacy. His website is www.bruceparrott.com.

The filing period is over and the campaigning for three DISD board seats is officially on. Twelve candidates, including two incumbents, are running for the posts that will be decided on Nov. 3. Each race has four contenders.

The races promise to be lively, with trustee Edwin Flores fighting to hold onto the District 1 seat, and trustee Leigh Ann Ellis doing the same in District 3. Trustee Ron Price is not running for re-election in District 9. Depending on how this shakes out, the board could have up to three new trustees — and will definitely have one new member. (Click here to go to DISD's website to read applications filed by the candidates).

I'll be posting literature from candidates on this blog as I get it. There will be much to discuss as we get to know the contenders. It's the first race for some, so this may be a learning curve as they are introduced to the public arena, thus becoming "public" persons.

As we discuss, let's stick to the facts and at all costs avoid unsubstantiated personal attacks. Now, I'm not saying that someone's personal background is off limits. After all, folks need to know as much as possible about the candidates to make an informed decision on election day. I even conduct background checks (criminal, delinquent taxes, etc.) on those running and write articles about each race. But we should deal in the facts and get as informed as we can about the candidates &mdash why do they want the seat? And why are they the best candidate? Nov. 3 will be here before we know it.

Candidates can help us get to know them by providing their website addresses and campaign literature. As I've said, I'll post the information online. Campaign literature can be sent to me at thobbs@dallasnews.com or by mail: Tawnell Hobbs, P.O. Box 655237, Dallas, Texas 75265.

Also, I have some good news. I'm getting some help on this beat. Diane Rado, a former Chicago Tribune reporter with experience covering urban education, will be our second DISD reporter. She starts Tuesday. Yay!

Two leaders of civil rights groups, a board-certified pediatrician, and the wife of a former state senator are among 12 candidates vying to fill three seats on the Dallas school board.

The filling period ended at 5 p.m. today for the Nov. 3 election. Two of three incumbents -- trustees Leigh Ann Ellis and Edwin Flores -- are running to retain their seats, while trustee Ron Price announced this week that he would not seek another term.

The races are expected to be more high-profile than in past years, with several candidates with name recognition battling for the seats. Interest in this election was spurred by a contentious past year in Dallas ISD, which included a financial debacle that resulted in hundreds of teachers being laid off and position cuts at some magnet campuses and all learning centers.

(Click here to read Ron Price's speech he gave today.)

Tawnell D. Hobbs just phoned in to report that Ron Price has confirmed an earlier television report that he's leaving the DISD board of trustees.

"I will not be seeking re-election," he said at an afternoon news conference.

He then offered the reason frequently heard in these situations: "I want to spend time with my family."

Price, who has served on the school board since 1997, would have been up for re-election on Nov. 3. In that contest, he faced the prospect of stiff opposition, including the possibility that at least one of his opponents would win the support of a political action committee whose stated goal is to shake up the DISD board.

In his District 9, which includes South Dallas and parts of downtown, local NAACP president and retired DISD administrator Juanita Wallace has already announced her candidacy, as have Rossi Walter, a financial consultant, and Bernadette Nutall, who heads a youth advocacy group.

And Sally Cain, the wife of former state Sen. David Cain, D-Dallas, is considering joining the race, her husband said today. The filing deadline for candidates is 5 p.m. Wednesday.

His advice this afternoon to those who would succeed him is that they shouldn't run because they want to challenge the status quo.

They should do it, he said, out of a sincere desire to help the students of DISD.

"If it's not in your heart to help children ... don't run," he said.

Earlier this year, Price unsuccessfully sought a seat on the Dallas City Council. He made it into a runoff with incumbent council member Carolyn Davis, but she thumped him in that June 13 runoff.

This morning I saw former state Sen. David Cain at DISD headquarters. He confirmed that his wife, Sally Cain, is "exploring" a run for the District 9 seat that includes South Dallas and parts of downtown Dallas. Cain said the he was actually at district headquarters to pick up the filing package in case she decides to run.

District 9 is currently held by trustee Ron Price, who is expected to announce he's not running for re-election at a 2 p.m. news conference today.

Others in the District 9 race include Dallas NAACP president and retired DISD administrator Juanita Wallace, Harvard graduate and financial consultant Rossi Walter and Bernadette Nutall, a director of a youth advocacy group.

WFAA-TV (Channel 8) is reporting that DISD trustee Ron Price will announce at the news conference this afternoon today that he is stepping down for "family reasons."

Price, who would have been up for re-election in November, has served on the board since 1997.

Details to come.

A self-styled education reform group said today that it will remain active in Dallas school board politics long after this November's special election.

"We don't plan on being a short-term group. It is our intention to remain active ... for all school board elections," said Harryette Ehrhardt, a former state legislator and former Dallas school board member.

She spoke at a news conference to discuss the goals of Dallas Friends of Public Education, a political action committee that says it represents reform-minded parents, teachers and taxpayers.

The group said earlier that it planned to be active in the Nov. 3 special election in which three school board members &mdash Leigh Ann Ellis, Ron Price, and Edwin Flores &mdash are up for re-election. Ellis and Flores have filed to run again, while Price has been mum.

A new political action committee, called Dallas Friends of Public Education, has formed to apparently support candidates in the Nov. 3 DISD school board election. I've heard that the group could announce at least one candidate that will be a contender in the election at a press conference scheduled for 10:30 a.m. tomorrow at DISD headquarters. Update: I just talked to Brooks Love, a consultant for the PAC, and he said a candidate won't be announced tomorrow. He said the group will determine which candidates to support through informal interviews.

The backers of the PAC are parents, teachers and concerned taxpayers &mdash to include State Sen. John Carona and retired State Rep. Harryette Ehrhardt, according to a press release.

This is an interesting development. Dale Kaiser, president of NEA-Dallas, said some of his members are a part of the PAC.

Kaiser said "there's got to be a change" on the board. He said some trustees cater to the administration on matters that adversely affect students and the district.

"We all know as long as this administration can count to five [votes], they're going to do what they want to do," he said.

Kaiser said the group is not only looking for candidates in the November election, but also the regular election in May 2010.

The deadline to file to run in the DISD board election is at 5 p.m. this Wednesday. The seats up for grabs are In District 1 (Northwest Dallas); District 3 (Northeast Dallas); and District 9, which includes South Dallas and parts of downtown Dallas.

Bruce Parrott has made it official. The husband of former DISD board president Lois Parrott says he is running for the District 3 seat, currently held by trustee Leigh Ann Ellis.

The race for the Northeast Dallas seat will be one to watch. Ellis, a trustee since 2006, wants to hold onto the post. But LULAC district director Beatrice Alba Martinez also wants the seat. And now Parrott has thrown his name into the mix.

Click here to read Bruce Parrott's announcement of his candidacy. More info: A helpful commenter provided this link to Bruce's campaign website.

Also, the filing deadline is 5 p.m. this Wednesday to run for the seats in District 3, District 1 (Northwest Dallas), and District 9, which includes South Dallas and parts of downtown Dallas.