Dallas attorney Mark Melton’s group releases proposed home-rule charter for Dallas ISD
Dallas attorney Mark Melton’s quest to repair the divisive home-rule initiative in Dallas ISD advanced Wednesday as he released a proposed charter for the district.
For the past week, Melton has led a five-member group that has considered how DISD could operate as a home-rule charter district. The result is a seven-page constitution that, except for three specific changes, keeps the district the same as it is today.
Melton’s group has proposed the following:
- DISD would have the option to start the school year before the state-mandated last Monday in August.
- Board members would not be allowed to serve for than three terms, or nine years.
- Trustees would face a recall election if at least 15 percent of voters in a board member’s district sign a petition requesting it.
- Board members would not be allowed to serve for than three terms, or nine years.
- Trustees would face a recall election if at least 15 percent of voters in a board member’s district sign a petition requesting it.
“The motivation for us was to stop the fighting,” Melton said in an interview Wednesday. “We aren’t doing anything crazy here. We are saying follow the education code and do that.”
In fact, the proposed charter wouldn’t overhaul Dallas ISD as much as the 1995 Texas law allows. The law authorizes a school district to transform into a home rule, which would be exempt from some state mandates and could implement a new system of governing.
Dallas ISD’s governance structure would remain nine school board members representing single-member districts. Home rules could also do away with some teacher rights, known as Chapter 21 in the Texas Education Code. No rights would be change in the group’s charter.
“It’s off the table,” Melton said.
Melton started the group, which met for the first time last week, because of his concerns about how Support Our Public Schools has led the home-rule initiative. He said he believes it has divided the city and inflicted damage.
And Melton’s group hopes that the proposed charter will calm tensions and go for voter consideration in November.
“As surprising as it may seem, some members of this group may, ultimately, oppose home-rule at the ballot box,” group member Thalia Matherson said in a statement. “The most important aspect of this debate is that we end it as quickly as possible by bringing home-rule to a vote so we can avoid a protracted, divisive fight that returns Dallas ISD to the days of recrimination and racial suspicion and, instead, allows us all to focus our efforts on the business of educating all of our community’s children as effectively as possible.”
In addition to Matherson and Melton, the group includes attorney and DISD parent Eric Cedillo, attorney Carla De Leon; and Chief Greywolf, the principal chief of the Sovereign Cherokee Nation Tejas.
The group’s proposed charter, however, may have little impact on the home-rule process in Dallas ISD. Support Our Public Schools turned in 48,000 petition signatures last week. Once the district verifies Dallas attorney Mark Melton’s group releases proposed home-rule charter for Dallas ISD | Dallas Morning News: