North Texas
(2009-10-29)
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In most elections, incumbents breeze through re-election. But in Dallas's 3rd School District, Leigh Ann Ellis faces a fight. KERA's Bill Zeeble reports it is thanks to last year's disastrous budget deficit, teacher layoffs, and a vote to extend her term of service.
Ellis' three challengers all say they're driven first by last year's 84 million dollar budget deficit that could have ballooned to nearly twice that if nothing changed. To fix it, Ellis and other trustees ok'd drastic budget and teacher cuts. Business woman and long-time school volunteer Bea Martinez, who is married to a DISD administrator, says she had enough.
Bea Martinez, DISD Trustee candidate, District 3: The biggest issue for all of us - all the candidates - our financial situation. But we should be concerned with our dropout situation also.
Retired video producer Bruce Parrott, whose wife Lois Parrott - past school board president who lost to Leigh Ann Ellis 3 years ago, is running as a fiscal watchdog. He says he'll bring to the office what others cannot.
Bruce Parrott, DISD Trustee candidate, District 3: Time. I've got the time.
Parrott grew up in Dallas, attended DISD schools before going off to the University of North Texas, and then earned a Masters degree from Texas A&M.
Consultant Penny Anderly has business backing and support from trustee Jack Lowe, past board president. Anderly wants to see a student leadership program in schools.
Penny Anderly, DISD Trustee candidate, District 3: That would take kids who have leadership skills that sometimes end up leading in the wrong direction, and get them involved in programs where they can make a difference in their school and their community.
Leigh Ann Ellis, who runs her own landscape business, says she remains the best candidate for kids.
Leigh Ann Ellis, District 3 Trustee: Our District, District 3, is doing academically better than it ever has. Our schools are performing at such a higher level than ever before.
Ellis says she was as shocked as the others when she learned of the deficit, but says she's helping to solve the problem. When she voted to extend trustee terms - including her own - from 3 to 4 years, Ellis says that was also a partial solution to the deficit. She says DISD attorneys said it was legal, there was no constituent opposition, and it would save more than a quarter million dollars.
Ellis: Again the intent was to save money for the administration. There was nothing sinister or any agenda behind it. I believe it's something I could live with. I had no qualms about it.
Harryette Ehrhardt, Member, Friends of Public Education PAC: Then how about let's never have elections? Because elections are expensive.
Harryette Ehrhardt, former Dallas school board member and State Representative, recently helped form a non-partisan Political Action Committee, The Friends of Public Education. She doesn't buy Ellis's explanation, and the PAC does not endorse the incumbent.
Ehrhardt: So let's just do away with electing and just have lifelong mayors and presidents & elect an emperor and get on with it. That's ridiculous. Elections are expensive unless you compare it to the alternative. In which case they're quite cheap.
Ehrhardt says she's fed up with trustees who failed to scrutinize the Superintendent, missed the fiscal mistakes when oversight is their job, and who tolerated other possible policy violations. But Ellis isn't backing down.
Ellis: Criticism is cheap. Anyone can throw it out like a can of Spam. All they have is a bag of almost Halloween tricks to throw out. It's just not valid to me.
Next Tues, November 3rd, Ellis will find out if voters agree with her, or prefer one of her challengers.
In other DISD races, District One incument Edwin Flores faces 3 challengers, and in District Nine, 4 candidates hope to fill the open seat. For Dallas Trustee candidate biographies and responses to questions, please visit the League of Women Voters site: lwvdallas.org/2009_voters_guide.html
For more election information, please see KERA's Voters Voice page
Email Bill Zeeble
© Copyright 2009, KERA
