Waco area under wind advisory
The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory until 6 pm for all of North Texas, including Waco and surrounding counties. Winds from the north to northwest of 25 to 30 mph are expected, with stronger gusts during daylight hours.
Home > Waco Breaking News > Archives > 2008 > August > 29 > Entry
WISD: Wiley pupils should go to new schools next week
DOCUMENT
- link: Read the ruling (PDF)
Judge Jim Meyer, of the 170th District Court, denied a temporary injunction that would have kept G.L. Wiley Middle School open through the duration of a formal lawsuit. Meyer’s ruling also dissolves the temporary restraining order, which had been keeping the school open since Monday.
Waco Independent School District plans to move forward with the closing of G.L. Wiley Middle School.
Wiley parents are being asked to enroll their students Tuesday at the school they would have attended under the closure of Wiley, before the temporary restraining order went into effect. For more information, parents should call the Office of Accountability and Instruction until 6 p.m. today at 755-9425.
In a decision issued this morning, Meyer ruled that unless a school board is breaking the law or or violating students’ legal rights, it’s not within a District Court’s authority to to second guess the school board’s decision.
Meyer found that, the school board was not in violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act for the Aug. 7 meeting, at which the vote to close Wiley was taken, because the board held another meeting Monday, and repeated the vote. Though Meyer granted a temporary restraining order based on open meetig violations, The school district corrected those violations at Monday’s special meeting by making the agenda item for the closure vote more clear to the public.
Meyer’s ruling states he did not find a probable right of recovery or a probable injury with regard to any of the plaintiff’s other claims, which included racial discrimination and violation of the Texas Public Education Code, as well as allegations irreparable harm that had been done to Wiley students.
Permalink | Comments (21) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines
Comments
By CONCERNED CITIZEN
August 29, 2008 11:03 AM | Link to this
OK!!!! Now lets get the ball rolling and educate these children. The judge has ruled, now Lester and his group can say they tried. Let the children enjoy the rest of school year meeting new people and broading their horizons. All parents want a better life for their kids and a better education is one of those things.
By Cameron
August 29, 2008 11:05 AM | Link to this
It would be my hope that the people pursuing the lawsuit could now put this issue to rest and concentrate on getting the kids integrated in a new learning environment and becoming involved in their new schools.
Sadly, given what I’ve seen over the last few days, I rather think this won’t be the case…
By null
August 29, 2008 11:22 AM | Link to this
Watch the first that the parents will say is that the judge is racist. =/ Seriously folks, let’s get those kids to a different school so they may start to get a better eduacation.
By Fred
August 29, 2008 12:08 PM | Link to this
The state could have done Waco a favor by just shutting down the school instead of giving them another year. The court made a good decision. Hope the parents will, as well.
By P** Teacher
August 29, 2008 12:14 PM | Link to this
Waco ISD made a poor decision and the judge supported it….
By P** Teacher
August 29, 2008 12:15 PM | Link to this
Waco ISD made a poor decision and the judge supported it….
By Truly Concerned
August 29, 2008 12:16 PM | Link to this
I’m glad it happened before they had gotten too far along in the school year. Let’s hear it for a better education and a brighter future. God be with you all!!!
By Cameron
August 29, 2008 12:36 PM | Link to this
@ P** Teacher: Waco ISD’s decision is irreverent in this case. The issue was whether or not WISD had acted legally. The Judge found that since they had had another meeting the following week to correct what was wrong with the first one, they had indeed acted legally.
If you had read the actual court ruling you would see that the Judge says it is not his place to interfere in the duties of elected school board officials so long as they were acting legally.
Long story short? Those who where battling to keep the school open were fighting the wrong case. All that drama with 14 witnesses and trying to drum up sympathy was for naught. They should have reconsidered their arguments and worked to prove that WISD acted illegally…not that they made a poor decision. The Judge had nothing to do with that decision and to say that he supports it is unfair to the judge.
By Kim
August 29, 2008 12:49 PM | Link to this
Brazos middle school may have their head on the chopping block next. Lets hope the community takes an interest in these students before before its to late. The community should have been rallying around Wiley when those 1st TAKS scores came in years ago. Unfortunately the effort was to little to late.
By Mook
August 29, 2008 1:10 PM | Link to this
“irreverent”
=> irrelevant
By P. Flowers
August 29, 2008 1:22 PM | Link to this
For you Fred and others like you. Until you walk one day in my black skin, don’t ever think you can even grasp what we endure daily in this country. Howbeit that this is still the best country in this world to reside, you have no idea what we as apeople endure daily.
Again, this had nothing to do with Mr. Gibson. This was about our children that cried out to us to do something to help them. WISD admitted in court that they knew as soon as early June this closure was likely. They testified that each of the board members that voted to close Wiley had discussed it individually in June. This made for a “walking qourum” under the Open Meetings Act. However, they corrected the violation with the August 25th Special Meeting. They still violated the Act with ambigous wording.
What about those parents that sent their children to cheerleading camp at Baylor? They made sacrifices for that expense and the $150.00 they paid for the girl’s uniforms. WISD could have done this earlier before these parents and students went through this heartbreak. What if you were on the receiving in of this decision. Would not you want someone to fight for you? What if this was Lake Air Middle that the District was closing because they were spending too much money due to low enrollment and was sending your children to East Waco? Would your stupid comments be the same? The school wasn’t closed for poor performance. It was closed because the District didn’t want to fund it due to low enrollment. They don’t want to explain what happen to Bond Money that was suppose to go to Wiley never made it to Wiley; but was used at Waco High School. The District did too little, too late to help increase the enrollment.
Now, what happens to Brazos Middle School that is still unacceptable? You are sending these students to them. Tell me where this is better for the Wiley students? You are throwing good apples into the barrell of already tainted and rottening apples. Good decision WISD!
The decision, although bad, was not our case. The violation of the Open Meetings Act was the bulk of our case. That violation was proven, as Judge Meyer states in his ruling. The fact that WISD took a second vote in a meeting that was not in violation with the same results is why the judge ruled as he did.
Furthermore, Wiley only failed the science portion of the taks test. Because of their low enrollment, this could have been just one or two students that caused this failure. They were number two and number three in the Districts Middle Schools in two areas of the TAKS. So people, this school has performed exceedily well; especially where African American students are concerned. They exceeded all other Middle Schools in the area of African American students performance on the TAKS.
So you finger-pointing, don’t-even-know-where-Wiley-is people out there need to get your facts right. Remember, numbers can be manipulated to show what you want them to show. Also, A picture can be painted to depict the intent of the painter, not the viewer. Thus the phrase, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. Wiley was portrayed the way the District and the media wanted to portray it.
Our children will succeed inspite of this move by the District. They have experienced something that no other student in WISD has experienced and they will take this with them. I pray they will use this event as a catalyst to propell them in their future endeavors. They will remember what it was like to fight for what they believed in and stood boldly before the Board and spoke their minds. I am so proud of them for that.
To God be the glory!
By R. L.
August 29, 2008 1:47 PM | Link to this
As a parent I can sympathize with the families that now have to move their children to another school. However, I would also THINK that as a parent of these same children that I would be delighted that they’re going to be given a chance away from a school with such a poor performance rating. And this was an unacceptable rating earned for several years. It’s this overall rating that was received that should be the main concern and not the high scores in some of the TAKS areas. Indeed this is not the childrens fault, the blame is on the “” PARENTS “” for not making the school staff and WISD responsible and to fix the problem. Don’t make this out to be political, your school board is in place through your votes, they appoint the WISD heirarchy. Please remember..education has no color..a child will learn as long as his PARENTS share that same goal!!!
By Null
August 29, 2008 1:48 PM | Link to this
Why does everything have to turn into a race issue? Your black, white, hispanic…. etc…. I believe we all bleed red. I believe that God has plans for each and everyone of those children and whether it be at Wiley or another school they will succeed if they choose to. We all have choices and no matter where you attend school the outcome of your life is solely in your hands no matter where you live or what your life has dealt you. I will pray for each of these children to find their way in life and though this a huge mountain to climb they will do it!! For ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST! TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
By R. L.
August 29, 2008 1:48 PM | Link to this
As a parent I can sympathize with the families that now have to move their children to another school. However, I would also THINK that as a parent of these same children that I would be delighted that they’re going to be given a chance away from a school with such a poor performance rating. And this was an unacceptable rating earned for several years. It’s this overall rating that was received that should be the main concern and not the high scores in some of the TAKS areas. Indeed this is not the childrens fault, the blame is on the “” PARENTS “” for not making the school staff and WISD responsible and to fix the problem. Don’t make this out to be political, your school board is in place through your votes, they appoint the WISD heirarchy. Please remember..education has no color..a child will learn as long as his PARENTS share that same goal!!!
By TooLoose
August 29, 2008 2:23 PM | Link to this
… ‘to little to late’. Do they still teach spelling in schools? Folks don’t seem to know the difference between ‘to’ and ‘too’ and ‘lose’ and ‘loose’ anymore.
By LIL MOM
August 29, 2008 3:05 PM | Link to this
They still have not gotten it yet, thanks P. Flowers it was not about the scores, it was about the enrollment. Stay on point people.
By JP
August 29, 2008 3:13 PM | Link to this
P Flowers:
“I pray they will use this event as a catalyst to propell them in their future endeavors.”
This is the only thing that makes sense of all your ramblings. I too hope that they seize the moment and do this for themselves… not just to prove someone else wrong. Your right, I don’t know what it is like to walk in your skin… but the same can be said for you knowing what it is like to be me. I’m Hispanic (4 generations AMERICAN)… yet I get lumped in with the illegals. I’ve heard it from the whites and the blacks… so do yourself a favor and drop the race card. Our society is not always fair, but what are you and yours going to do to change that mindset. Seize the day KIDS!!!
Regardless of what happens with the Wiley situation… To God ALWAYS be the glory!
By null
August 29, 2008 4:40 PM | Link to this
P flowers drop the race card you are making youself look stupid if brazos doesnt pass close the school down also
By WhosFoolinwho
August 29, 2008 6:29 PM | Link to this
Wow, I’ve never witnessed such racial disturbance in a blog. Concerned Citizen is really not concerned. He has a problem with Lester Gibson and need to take care of it with Lester.
By kal
August 29, 2008 9:18 PM | Link to this
I’ve been following this case and have seen the hatred and racism that still dwells in this community. It is sad that is still exist. Yes it is sad Wiley is closing yet the main reason and this was stated by principal Kermit Ward during the hearing “The lack of parental support”. Teachers can only do so much it is up to the parents and without their support the children will suffer. This was the case at Wiley at many other schools in WISD. The law suit only inlcuded 2 families where were th other 198 or more familes? As parents we need to support our children and encourage education.
By bcf
August 29, 2008 10:55 PM | Link to this
P. Flowers: I am sick to death of people like you thinking that everything in the world that happens is about race. Sometimes it’s about the fact that while this school was struggling, where were the parents? The sad fact is, that none of the parents who are so upset, and put upon now that the school is closing, gave a tinker’s damn before they found out that they were going to be inconvenienced because they were going to have to get up and get their kid to a bus stop, or get into the car and take their kid a few miles down the road. If they had been concerned enough earlier, then maybe they would have tried a little harder to make the help happen THEN, rather than whining about it now.
I know plenty of people in the black community who work, don’t expect a handout, and don’t bemoan the woes of a failing school, and how it’s all the white man’s fault. Instead, these people choose to be part of the solution, not the problem.
Good manners and hard work are rewarded, always! Think about it! You live in a country where the next presidential election will be decided between a black man and a woman vice president! How great is that!
Be part of the solution, not part of the problem!
By the way, there is no such word as “Howbeit”