Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Caraway and Martin Luther King III promote non-violence at youth summit

Posted on June 17, 2009 by Shawn Williams

DALLAS – Local leaders will join forces with parents and youth to promote citizenship and non-violence at the fourth annual youth summit on Saturday, June 20, 2009.

Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway will headline a panel of local elected officials as part of one local ministry’s commitment to stopping inner-city violence among teens and young adults. Martin Luther King, III, will also return for the fourth consecutive year to challenge youth and parents to get involved in their communities during the event titled, “Peace: the Final Frontier; Stopping the Cycle of Violence in our Community.”

“We envisioned this program as an opportunity to change lives,” said Rodney Dulin, Minister of Central Pointe Church of Christ in southern Dallas which has hosted and organized the previous three events. “We have graduating seniors who attended their first youth summit as freshmen who finished high school without on incident of violence on their records. We believe this program and others like it played a part in that.”

Free registration begins at 8:30 a.m. with the summit starting at 9:00 a.m. Lunch will be provided followed by a free basketball tournament featuring Utah Jazz star C.J. Miles, a graduate of Dallas’ Skyline High School. Local agencies and support groups for victims and their families affected by violence will also be available

“Much of what we become when we are older is directly related to the choices we make when we are younger,” said Miles, who attended last year’s summit. “I want to help kids in my hometown make good choices so they can be successful.”

Dulin hopes parents, teachers and those who work with youth will take advantage of the opportunity to gather information on how to stop the cycle of violence in the community, or maybe even in their own homes.

“Our children have so much potential if we can get them focused on the right things. In addition to showing them where a violent lifestyle can lead, we need to open their eyes to other opportunities provided by a disciplined, non-violent lifestyle choice.”

The summit is sponsored by the Multicultural Development Center in partnership with the Southern Youth Leadership Development Institute and will be hosted by the Central Pointe Church of Christ Youth Ministry, which is located at 7440 S. Westmoreland in Dallas. For more information, call (972) 296-5502.

Texas A&M President Elsa Murano resigns

Posted on June 15, 2009 by Shawn Williams

Yesterday we learned that the president of my alma mater (Class of ’96) Elsa Murano resigned. She had been in the lead role in Aggieland since January 2008.

Dr. Murano had received a poor review from A&M System Chancellor Mike McKinney for her work as leader of the university. Here is the Bryan-College Station Eagle’s recap of the appraisal.

On a scale of 1 to 5 — 1 being poor and 5 excellent — McKinney gives Murano a 1 for “team player,” 2 for “honesty/integrity” and a 3 for various personal attributes such as “acceptance of new ideas,” work ethic, judgment, loyalty and creativity. The review is broken up into five parts: leadership, management, constituent/customer relations, communication skills and personal attributes. Under the last two, she received no better than a 3, and nowhere in the review did she receive “excellent” marks.

The majority of the attributes — 23 — were ranked as average, and 13 were below average

This never seemed like a good match. Not because Dr. Murano was the first Hispanic president (Dr. Murano was born in Havana) or because she was the first woman to lead the university. And Murano had a long history with the school, first arriving on campus in 1995 which is always good in College Station.

But Murano was never embraced in a meaningful way by the university as a whole. I’m not sure who the blame lies with, but obviously McKinney thought it lied with Murano.

I began following this one as soon as the news broke of McKinney’s review a couple of weeks agoo. I’m president-elect of the Texas A&M Black Former Students (2011-2013) and was deeply concerned about the way that Murano had been treated after The Eagle requested a copy of the review..

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, Council of Principal Investigators and Texas A&M Hispanic Network all stood behind the embattled president. But in the end, she decided to step back into a faculty position rather than face a public discourse of her job performance.

Preservation Link’s “Through the Eyes of Our Children:Something Beautiful” opens at Dallas Museum of Art

Posted on June 9, 2009 by Shawn Williams

On Monday June 1st, Preservation Link’s Point of View photojournalism program held an awards program at the Dallas Museum of Art’s Horchow Auditorium. Preservatino Link is a nonprofit organization that looks to encourage an appreciation and an acknowledgment of community and culture through literacy, art, and technology education.

On the same night, the museum unveiled the exhibit Through the Eyes of Our Children: Something Beautiful, a collection of photos and videos from 5th graders who participate in the Preservation Link Program. Representatives of Preservation Link go to DISD schools throughout the year and help students to shoot photos and videos of their neighborhood. The result is Something Beautiful.

Yours truly served as M.C. for the evening, and awards were presented by David Herman, Destinee Lews, and teachers from schools who participated in the program. The exhibit will run until August 23rd. Below are pictures from the event as well as poems from some of the participants.

__________________________________________________________

“Why Communities Don’t Succeed”
by Isaiah Smith – Dunbar Elementary School

I don’t like the way my community looks because we don’t recycle.

We spend more time fighting than trying to build our community.

When people fight- someone can get hurt or sometimes killed.

Let’s help our community by working together, instead of against
each other.

”The Life of a House”
by Antwone Womack – Dunbar Elementary School

Houses are places that provide shelter, safety, and storage. But when people abuse them they start to look:

Distressed, Dilapidated, Damaged, Dangerous, Decomposed, Dirty.

“My mom and dad influence me the most.” Donisha Waters – J.J. Rhoads Elementary

“DREAMS”
By Myajia English – Dunbar Elementary School

When I look around my neighborhood
I see lots of ice cream, cemeteries,
churches, and dreams.

Dreams of children having
a safe place to live, play and
go to school.

Dreams of nice homes
for families
to thrive and live in harmony.

The House of Hope Recognizes 2009 Graduates

Posted on June 5, 2009 by Shawn Williams

$20,000 Scholarship Recipient Honored

The House of Hope Church is celebrating all graduates! On Sunday, June 7, 2009 at 10 a.m., we will host Graduates Recognition Day on our campus at 1420 High Pointe Lane in Cedar Hill, Texas.

This event will honor every graduate with a particular focus on those graduating from Cedar Hill High School.

Special recognition also will be given to the newest recipient of the Cedar Hill High School/The House of Hope Church Georgetown College Scholarship. Kevonna Webb, has been awarded a $20,000 annual scholarship, which she will receive for four years, totaling $80,000.

This is the second year of the unique partnership between The House of Hope and Georgetown College. The total amount of scholarships awarded is over $200,000. Georgetown College is a private liberal arts college in Georgetown, Kentucky which has the distinction of being a part of Oxford University in Oxford, England. Students attending Georgetown have the opportunity to study abroad at Oxford during their junior year.

The partnership with Georgetown College is one of the community efforts by THOH to offer hope for a quality higher education to academically talented and economically challenged students.

We launched THOH two years ago in Cedar Hill in the Cinemark Movie Theatre and our goal is to offer hope for living in the Best Southwest Region. We recently moved into our new campus at 1420 High Pointe Lane, where we intend to continue serving our community.

THOH offers programs for children, youth and adults. We recently completed a spring class through the renowned Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University and just launched a special 13-week summer study through the same life-changing FPU course. Providing FPU at a subsidized rate enables us to offer hope for financial freedom during stressful economic times.

Our worship service is weekly at 10 a.m. on Sundays, with a special offering for children ages one through six years old during the same time. A Summer Hip-Hop Bible Study begins June 15, 2009 for students entering grades 7-12 this fall.

For more information about all THOH events and programs, please call 214. 417.0414.

Stage Right Raises the Curtain for Education and Spotlights Appreciation of the Arts through Experience and Positive Quality Lifestyles

Posted on June 4, 2009 by Shawn Williams

Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle and Michael Jenkins, President and Managing Director of Dallas Summer Musicals will hold a press conference Friday, June 5^th at 10 a.m. in the lobby of the Music Hall at Fair Park, to discuss the objectives and success of the Stage Right program that introduces at-risk youth ages 10-15 to arts and culture events as well as introducing them to the “Positive Action / Anti Gang” self improvement and self esteem building summer curriculum..

Michael A. Jenkins, President and Managing Director of Dallas Summer Musicals (DSM), who helped create the Stage Right initiative to reach out to at-risk students, and DPD Narcotics Detective Monty Moncibais, who heads up the program for DPD, will also speak.

Stage Right Steering Committee members who will attend include Chris Hawkins, Federal Bureau of Investigation; Darrell Fant and Jean Dean of the North Texas Crime Commission; Jody Dean, KLUV Radio, Ginger Allen, Channel 11 News, Gail Gray, Phoenix House; Lori Sirmen and Tiffani Oltmanns, Dallas Summer Musicals; Carolyn Jordan, Boys and Girls Club; Herbert Moncibais, Hispanic Business Alliance; Gloria Moncibais, Hispanic Business Alliance; and Susan Moncibais, community activist.

Also present at the conference will be Monty Mueller of Phoenix House, Anita N. Martinez of the Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico Company, Charles English of the Dallas Boys & Girls Club, Reginald Hurd of Dallas Parks and Recreation, Adam Mehl of the Dallas Mavericks, Billy Walker of Coca Cola Bottling of North Texas, and Eddie Campbell and Ed Campbell, of Campbell Concessions.

Stage Right’s mission statement is “Raising the curtain for education and spotlighting the appreciation of the arts through experience and positive quality lifestyles.”

The students are recommended by DISD teachers and counselors, Apartment and Church summer and youth programs including Boys & Girls Clubs, Girls Inc., and Dallas Recreation Centers as part of their ongoing efforts to keep students from joining gangs or engaging in other activities that prevent their enjoying success in school. “Stage Right” seeks to raise awareness of the arts, increase appreciation for different lifestyles and also increase self esteem.

Last year 400 students participated in Stage Right’s summer program, and this year’s attendance goal is to reach 800. For more information about Stage Right, please contact DPD Detective Moncibais at 214-537-8954. For more information about Dallas Summer Musicals, please call Lori Sirmen at 214-413-3961.

About Dallas Summer Musicals

Winner of 4 Tony Awards®, 2 Drama Desk Awards® and 2 Dallas Fort Worth Theatre Critics Forum Awards, Dallas Summer Musicals has been the premier presenter of Broadway shows in Dallas for nearly 70 years. DSM is the largest producer of live theatrical entertainment in the Southwest and the 4^th largest touring Broadway presenter in the nation following Kennedy Center in Washington, Lincoln Center in New York and Center Theater Group in L.A.

In addition to presenting national Broadway tours, DSM also produces shows on Broadway, presents and tours local productions and is involved in developing new works. Dallas Summer Musicals’ affiliates include DSM Management Group, Inc. (DSMMGI), which manages the Music Hall at Fair Park, the historical Majestic Theatre in downtown Dallas and the remodeled historical Texas Theater, scheduled to open in 2009.

As a non-profit organization, DSM relies on a variety of funding sources to bring the Best of Broadway to Dallas at affordable ticket prices, as well as to preserve the beautiful historic theatres, educate young audiences and create important community programs. In addition, the DSM Academy of Performing Arts offers professional theatre arts training and scholarships to talented students in need.

Ticket sales alone do not sustain these endeavors. Only support from committed businesses, foundations and individuals make these programs possible. For more information about Dallas Summer Musicals, presented by Comerica, visit their website at www.dallassummermusicals.org or call (214) 421-5678

Carla Ranger reportedly offered her job back

Posted on June 2, 2009 by Shawn Williams

In a message from a group known as “We Are Not Confused” supporting DISD Trustee Carla Ranger, LeVar “L.D.” Thomas says that DCCCD Chancellor Dr. Wright Lassiter has offered Ranger another position within DCCCD equal with the salary she was previously receiving. On May 15th, Ranger was informed that her position at DCCCD as District Director of Educational Partnerships was being dissolved.

Dr. Wright Lassiter

“In this new position,” Thomas states, ” she would be reporting directly to Dr. Lassiter.” Apparently the details are still being worked out. There was no mention of these developments on Ranger’s Blog, Dallas ISD Journal.

Mocha Moms to place reading nook inside “The Fade Shop” Saturday June 6th

Posted on June 2, 2009 by Shawn Williams

By Shanaci Cook Mocha Moms of North Dallas Chapter President

The Boys Booked On Barbershop (BBOB) is one of our chapter’s biggest annual outreach events. To help promote and improve literacy in the African-American community, the Mocha Moms of North Dallas implants reading nooks in local barbershops/beauty shops for the children to read books as they wait for their hair appointment.

We hope to instill in the youth the importance of reading and to help make reading books fun. Join us on June 6, 2009 from 10am-12pm at “The Fade Shop,” 18900 Dallas Pkwy, Dallas, as we launch our reading nook for 2009. There will be door prizes, light snacks provided, a special middle school student reading to the children and a local story teller for entertainment. This is a family event so don’t miss out.

Who: Mocha Mom’s of North Dallas

What: Boys Booked on Barber Shop

Where: The Fade Shop, 18900 Dallas Pkwy (Dallas)

When: Saturday June 6th, 10am-noon

Why: To instill in the youth the importance of reading

Perry signs bill making UNT Dallas independent

Posted on June 1, 2009 by Shawn Williams

Legislation paves the way for new construction, acceptance of freshmen class in 2010

DALLAS – The University of North Texas Dallas Campus became a stand-alone institution May 27 after Gov. Rick Perry signed Senate Bill (SB) 629, which allows three university system centers in the state to expand into full-fledged universities. The bill also allows the schools to issue tuition revenue bonds (TRBs) to pay for new facilities.

For the UNT Dallas Campus, which will open as the University of North Texas at Dallas and begin accepting freshmen and sophomores in 2010, the bill means the release of $25 million in TRBs to fund a second building on the school’s 264-acre campus.

SB 629 fits into the state’s “Closing the Gaps by 2015” Higher Education Plan, establishing educational sites in areas where the population is rapidly increasing. This strategy will increase the number of citizens in the North Texas region with bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

The bill also allows for the expansion of Texas A&M University-Central Texas in Killeen and Texas A&M University-San Antonio. All three campuses, UNT Dallas included, recently met the 1,000 full-time-equivalent student enrollment benchmark set by the state legislature to qualify for stand-alone status. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board certified the UNT Dallas Campus’ qualifying enrollment April 30.

John Ellis Price, vice chancellor of the UNT Dallas Campus and president-designate of the new university, said watching Gov. Perry sign the legislation at the capitol was an historic occasion.

“It was a great honor to be present as Gov. Perry signed Senate Bill 629 officially making us the University of North Texas at Dallas,” Price said. “This is a great day for the City of Dallas. We are thrilled that we can now begin construction on our much-needed second building on campus, which will allow us to admit freshman and sophomores in the fall of 2010.”

UNT Dallas becomes the first four-year public university in the City of Dallas.

DISD Board President Election Was Un-American

Posted on May 29, 2009 by Shawn Williams

“One person, one vote.” It’s simple really. This is a basic principle of any democratic body.

Now the words I used in the title of this post are a serious charge. At least they are in my book. Dallas South is not a shock blog, but if we get people stirred up from time to time that’s fine. Yet what I witnessed…or should I say listened to, last night at the DISD board meeting made me sick to my stomach.

I was in a time crunch on Thursday night, but I wanted to stop by the DISD board meeting because I knew there was a lot on the agenda; electing new officers, deciding what to do with the magnet schools and academies, and determining whether or not Board President Jack Lowe put a hit out on Carla Ranger’s career.

I arrived at the meeting about 10 minutes early and needless to say there were about 200 people outside either waiting to get in or protesting DISD’s position on the magnet schools. There was a loudspeaker set up, so I chose to listen in the courtyard rather than try to fight my way in with media credentials.

From the outset, Carla Ranger was pressing Lowe and her colleagues. Ranger made a motion to remove items related to the magnet schools from the agenda due to lack of sufficient time of the board to educate themselves on the matter.

Ms. Ranger correctly cited Robert’s Rules of Order, to ask that the items be dropped before the board adopted the agenda for the evening. However, DISD policy (apparently) has been that the agenda of the board president and superintendent is not adopted before each meeting. So while I think Ms. Ranger’s suggestion was a good one, I was not opposed to the “board’s” decision to move on with the agenda as previously crafted.

A DISD lawyer made an interesting comment at that point. He said “DISD Policy has precedence over Robert’s Rules of Order.” That was fine too, until the board tried to use Robert’s Rules of Order to hide behind their un-American officer elections.

“it is necessary for the tellers to see that no member votes twice.” (Robert’s Rules of Order)

The election went down so fast, if you did not have a good grasp on proper meeting procedure, it would have been easy too miss what actually happened. But in college we used Robert’s Rules much more effectively at our frat meeting than any attempts I heard around the horseshoe on Thursday night. Here’s what happened in the election of DISD Board President:

Jack Lowe excused himself from the chair.

Lowe passed the gavel to Michael Hinojosa.

Hinojosa opened the floor for nominations for the position of Board President.

Dr. Edwin Flores, Adam Medrano, and Dr. Lew Blackburn were nominated.

Hinojosa announced that votes be cast until someone was elected by majority.

Hinojosa called for a vote for Dr. Flores

Jack Lowe, Dr. Flores, Jerome Garza, and Nancy Bingham voted for Flores

Hinojosa called for a vote for Mr. Medrano

Jack Lowe, Dr. Edwin Flores, Mr. Medrano Jerome Garza, Nancy Bingham voted for Medrano

Hinojosa declared a majority vote for Mr. Medrano and declared him as the new Board President (if you don’t believe me check the DISD website, it has already been changed).

Leigh Ann Ellis, Carla Ranger, Ron Price, and Dr. Lew Blackburn are not even recorded in the record as casting a vote.

Has anyone, anyone, every heard of anything like this? I have never heard of anyone casting two votes in an election. I have never heard of an election where members were not allowed to cast a vote.

If this is the way that the Dallas Independent School District is run, the I see why it has been plagued with so many problems. When Dr. Hinojosa was called into question for members voting twice, he said Robert’s Rules of Order was followed. I have yet to see where Robert’s Rules (which are best used as a guide rather than absolute) allows for voting for more than one candidate.

If people in Dallas feel like this is O.K., then I guess I should either get with the program or rethink my decision to become a DISD parent. This board probably came in wanting to elect Mr. Medrano president. Fine. But to see a blatant disrespect for democracy in order to do so is sickening. They should have just nominated Medrano and Blackburn and been done with it.

Could someone please tell me that I’m wrong about this?

Carla Ranger supported by community, terminated by Dallas County Community College District

Posted on May 26, 2009 by Shawn Williams

On Saturday morning, leaders from the African-American community gathered at St. Luke’s Community Church to discuss the Dallas County Community College’s termination of the contract of DISD school board member Carla Ranger. According to Ms. Rangers Blog (Carla Ranger DISD Journal), this was the letter she received after 20 years of service.

To: Carla Ranger, District Director of Educational Partnership

From: W.G. Garland, Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs

CC: Luis Camacho, Associate Vice Chancellor of Human Resources

Dr. Andrew Jones, Executive Vice Chancellor of Educational Affairs

Date: May 15, 2009

Re: Reorganization of Educational Partnerships

_____________________________________________________________

Mrs. Ranger,

As a result of budget constraints and the reorganization of the Educational Affairs Division, it has become necessary to eliminate the position of the District Director of Educational Partnerships. Regretfully, this means that your contract will not be renewed for the upcoming fiscal year and your last day with the District will be effective on August 31st 2009.

Should you have any questions or need to seek clarification related to your benefits, etc. Please contact the District Human Resources office.

Hand Delivered – Monday, May 18, 2009

Saturday’s meeting was facilitated by Joyce Foreman and Rev. Tyrone Gordon, St. Luke’s Senior Pastor. It was an opportunity for members of the community to express their frustratiosn, strategize for how they will advocate on Ms. Ranger’s behalf, and a chance for her to speak to her supporters.

I arrived just as Ranger was finishing up. She excused herself from the meeting once she was done. For the next hour and a half, citizens discussed their frustrations with both DCCCD and DISD. It was assumed by most everyone in attendance that Ranger’s termination was due to her outspoken nature on the DISD school board and it really does have the markings of a political hit. Ranger has recently found herself at odds with fellow board members who voted to extended their terms and are considering pulling funds from DISD magnet schools and academies.

Speakers at Saturday’s meeting included Rev. L. Charles Stovall, Juanita Wallace of the NAACP, and Levar “L.D. Thomas, former city council candidate. There were other community organizers, educators, clergy, former school board members and others in the room. I was encouraged by those who came out for such a meeting early on a Saturday morning, but it shows the type of impact that Ranger has had on the community. LULAC was also represented and one member pledged the groups’ support.

A steering committee was formed and over $1,000 was raised on behalf of Ms. Ranger. St. Luke agreed to take care of the funds until an account was set up by the committee.

While a plan of action is being formulated, attendees were urged to come out to the next DISD school board meeting (the DCCCD meeting isn’t until next week) Thursday May 28th @ 5:30 3700 Ross Avenue in the auditorium to show their support for Ms. Ranger