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Supporters Of Low-Performing School File Suit Save Email Print
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(August 20, 2008)—A hearing is scheduled Thursday in state district court in Waco on suit filed on behalf of a group of Waco residents who are fighting to keep the low-performing G. L. Wiley Middle School open.

The Waco School Board voted 4 to 3 on Aug. 7 to close the school immediately and to transfer students to other schools after G. L. Wiley was rated academically unacceptable for a fifth straight year.

Texas Education Agency Commissioner Robert Scott had already given the school a one-year waiver to improve, but board members who supported closure cited the school’s declining enrollment and poor test performance.

Gary Bledsoe, a civil rights attorney working with the group said the lawsuit was filed Wednesday afternoon in 170th District Court.

Bledsoe said the lawsuit is, "seeking to maintain the status quo so the good people who live in the Wiley neighborhood can go to school."

It seeks to block the district from closing the school.

Read Lawsuit Affidavit

The suit alleges the Waco ISD violated a number of laws including the Texas Open Meetings Act in deciding the fate of the school.

Bledsoe says the suit also alleges discrimination, and arbitrary and due process violations.

The hearing is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

The suit was filed on the same day the school district was holding open house at all middle schools to give parents generally and the parents of G. L. Wiley students in particular a chance to meet teachers and learn about the schools before classes begin.

The school board decided students from Wiley should be transferred proportionately to Carver Academy, Brazos Middle School and Cesar Chavez PDS Middle School, but parents may seek transfers.

Monday is the first day of the new school year in the Waco ISD.

Waco ISD Web Site

(Eli Ross contributed to this story)
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Posted by: Sam Bam Location: TX on Aug 28, 2008 at 06:41 PM
To Anonymous; Will not work! The only way is to arrest the parents, give them a white jump suit with a job they can't refuse and give the children to the state! Self condemning people must be handled to the extreme!
Posted by: Reality Check Location: Whack em Waco on Aug 22, 2008 at 12:36 PM
Way to Go Lester!!! Just proves to show how much of a racist you are!! Ignorance breeds ignorance! The ignorant parents obviously want their ignorant children to remain ignorant. What a great idea! Then they can blame the system and not take responsibility for their children when they turn out dumb. If this school remains open this year, then all extracurricular activities should be eliminated. Then these "under performing" children can have a chance to learn. A good parent wants their children to get the best education that they can get, not to chearlead!
Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 22, 2008 at 09:18 AM
I said all of that to say instead of bashing the parents who may not have known better, & who taught the kids, so now the kids don't know better either, how about pay more attention to the REAL ISSUES IN THEIR LIVES instead of the superficial behaviors & lets attack those problems & then change can begin. They need real counseling, they need more exposure to what life has to offer & more resources to make things happen. When a child wants to study but there's loud cursing going on at home, it's kind of difficult! When they want to study but they're hungry & all they had was a honeybun, it's pretty difficult. Many kids look forward to going to school for steady meals! Pay more attention to what's real! And I agree that waiting until it crumbled was TOO LATE! "WE" need to be more proactive and use the WHOLE VILLAGE TO RAISE OUR KIDS! If I could be that counselor in Wiley, I'd take that job!! What we think is minor in those kids lives is A MAJOR DAILY ISSUE! ACKNOWLEDGE THAT & LET'S FIT IT
Posted by: Anna Location: Centex on Aug 22, 2008 at 09:10 AM
Yvonne, this school has historically performed way below acceptable levels. Everything the school board has tried has failed, I suspect due to lack of parental participation. It is time to close the school and give these students an opportunity to obtain a decent education. They aren't getting it where they are for whatever reason. But I guess it's just a black thing that they don't care about education, just how inconvenienced they may be by getting it.
Posted by: Tihara Location: Waco on Aug 22, 2008 at 09:09 AM
My next point is many don't pay attention to the REAL UNDERLYING ISSUES!! These kids coming to school uninterested in their education, being disruptive, that's SUPERFICIAL BEHAVIOR for what's truly going on. IF ANYONE READING WAS A CHILDHOOD VICTIM IN ANY WAY, you know that although you may have made it and are successful now, WHERE WAS YOUR FOCUS WHEN YOU HAD TO THINK ABOUT BEING TOUCHED OR PUNCHED WHEN YOU GOT BACK HOME? WHERE WAS YOUR FOCUS WHEN YOU KNEW YOU HAD TO SHARE A JELLY SANDWICH WITH TWO OTHER KIDS? WERE YOU FOCUSED ON EDUCATION KNOWING THE PEOPLE IN YOUR HOME WERE FIGHTING, OR UP PARTYING ALL NIGHT? COULD YOU SLEEP? DID ANYBODY EVEN TELL YOU TO GO TO BED? DID THEY CARE? Tell me how kids can focus on the importance of education!! When BASIC NEEDS aren't met, that's what's important at the time, not a math problem. A MEAL!!! I don't know if there are counselors in the schools who deal with more specific issues such as those listed above but there needs to be!
Posted by: Tihara Location: Waco on Aug 22, 2008 at 09:02 AM
Having read most of the comments, many need to consider the issues that most forget about. Considering the demographics of this school, they are MOSTLY BLACK, MOSTLY UNDERPRIVILEGED. UNDERPRIVILEGED. I repeated that because "underprivileged" is not a cry to pity Blacks and blame Whites. But what it means is your talking about a group of people who don't have the resources that many of us have, like FOOD, TRANSPORTATION, EDUCATION, etc. Yes, some of "us" do abuse the system and refuse to seek to do better. But some of "us" desire to do better, "we" just don't have the resources, nor have "we" been exposed to many parts of life to even know there's a better life out there AND that that "better life" can be ours too!! I run across many children where I work that believe I must have been rich because I went to college, not knowing that someone simply kept pushing education in my ear. Their parents haven't done that for them. How could they? They don't know much more than their children.
Posted by: mom Location: centex on Aug 22, 2008 at 08:55 AM
I have to agree with some posters here! WHY would these parents want to leave thier children in a school that is "low performing" and "acedemically unacceptable"? Fight for a better school for your children....this has nothing to do with race...it seems it is about parenting....try to improve your children's future by educating them...and get them out of the "low income" neighborhoods. Seems like these parents are wanting to keep thier kids in the ghetto and prevent them from getting the education that other children recieve????If it was my child...I WOULD GLADLY MOVE THEM!!!! probably wouldn't take the school closing to get them out!!!!
Posted by: Mac Location: TX on Aug 21, 2008 at 07:59 PM
The building itself is in good shape. Now, lets see, we are now down to teachers and students/parents. Move all the educators there out and start with a fresh bunch and see what happens. Most likely, you will find out the students/parents are the problem! Now, how the hell do you correct that in a free society. In the old USSR they would be placed in the coal mines if they didn't make the grade,what an incentive! So, how do you make someone learn? It starts at home with parents giving their children attention. All normal children have a drive to learn but, lost the drive when parents are to busy, to lazy, care free, and will not teach social accepted behavior. So, don't blame the building, teachers, the system. Just look in the mirrow and there you will find the problem. Yes, it hurts, but it is the honest truth. Transfer the failures to the Cameron Zoo. They should be use to it, after all, teachers and keepers,at both of these locations, do the same job!
Posted by: Harold Location: Waco on Aug 21, 2008 at 07:05 PM
I feel the same way. Lester Gibson seems to always turn anything and everything into a race issue. I never met him, I'm sure he's a good man but when he starts talking, I have to change the channel.
Posted by: Ginger Location: Waco on Aug 21, 2008 at 04:11 PM
Is this not the same school that has been in trouble before??? If they have had previous warnings shouldn't something have been done to improve the situation.
Posted by: Tony Location: Waco on Aug 21, 2008 at 03:47 PM
To the G.L. Wiley parents, here's another fine example you're setting for your children...if things aren't going your way and all else fails, PLAY THE RACE CARD. RIDICULOUS!!!
Posted by: Outsider Location: US on Aug 21, 2008 at 03:37 PM
The reason why the parents don't want the school to close is because they are too lazy to make sure their kids get to another school further away. Its just too much work for them. Who cares if the kids don't get a good education? So long as they can sit home and smoke crack and not have to go pick up little DeShawn or DeShawnda everything is cool.
Posted by: Kenneth Location: Waco on Aug 21, 2008 at 03:08 PM
These parents obviously want their kids to remain as dumb as ever. They are not fit to raise children.
Posted by: CHAD Location: BEVERLY HILLS on Aug 21, 2008 at 02:38 PM
HERE GOES THE WHOLE RACE CARD AGAIN. EVER WONDER WHY RACISM WONT DIE ? BECAUSE THOSE WHO CLAIM TO BE THE VICTIMS CONTINUE TO BRING IT TO LIGHT.LESTER GIPSON IS A PRIME EXAMPLE, BEING QUOTED IN THE WACO TRIB PREVIOUSLY STATING" THERE NEEDS TO BE A DIFFERENT TAKS TEST FOR MINORITIES BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT AS SMART AS WHITE CHILDREN !" IF I WERE A MINORITY REPRESENTED BY THIS MAN, I WOULD BE FURIOUS ! WISD HAS DISCUSSED BEFORE THE CLOSING OF THIS SCHOOL BECAUSE OF POOR TAKS SCORES. DID ANYONE STOP AND THINK THAT MAYBE,JUST MAYBE THERE IS A LACK OF PARTICIPATION FROM THE PARENTS ? DISCIPLINE AND EDUCATION BEGIN IN THE HOME. STOP LETTING OTHERS BEAR ALL THE BURDEN OF TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN HOW TO ACT. WISD CANT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RATIO OF AFRICAN AMERICANS AND HISPANICS THAT LIVE IN THAT PARTICULAR SCHOOL DISTRICT. THEY BUILD THE SCHOOL, SUPPLY THE TEACHERS AND MATERIALS TO GIVE EQUAL OPPERTUNITY TO ANY CHILD ATTENDING TO RECEIVE AN EDUCATION. STOP CRYING AND LET WISD FIX IT !
Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 21, 2008 at 02:00 PM
If these students were in a classroom with higher standards, maybe they would learn more. If teachers were able to teach on grade level, have few disruptions so that all required material could be covered, the TAKS should be no problem. When my daughter took the test her Sophmore year in high school, and passed with flying colors, she told me she didn't understand what the big deal was. She told me the test covered stuff she learned in 6th grade. My daughter was not a straight A student, she was an A-B student and she had to work and study to get that.
Posted by: Yvonne Location: Waco on Aug 21, 2008 at 01:46 PM
I just wonder, if this school was in a so called "white" neighborhood would the school board have given it another year before closing it? What is the rush, what are the real causes of student failure that are not being dealt with? We want schools in our neighborhood just like everyone else does. Poor areas of town need special attention and usually don't get it. It is all about money these days. What a shame!
Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 21, 2008 at 01:21 PM
It's not the teachers, it's not the school...it's these kids that don't care about learning and the parents who aren't raising their kids properly... I don't know why they want to stay in this run down school anyways, the basement floods and there's mildew all over, it's an unhealthy environment and they should close it down. Maybe if these kids will be around better peers now that actually want to learn and that will rub off on them... (I worked at this school for a bit...I have first-hand knowledge...I had several girls treat me very disrespectfully and was told by a coworker that if I contacted their mothers I would get the same disrespect - the parents should be more concerned about how THEY are raising their kids... One of these girls almost attacked me...
Posted by: Erica Location: Waco on Aug 21, 2008 at 12:35 PM
Why get those kids hopes up. You had five years to fix the problem. Nothing happened. Now everyone wants to complain about it. Your a day late and a dollar short. Now that dollar is coming out of our pockets to pay for the court costs of trying to keep the school open. Get over it. Let those kids move on to a better school for the best education possible.
Posted by: The Patriot Location: Texas on Aug 21, 2008 at 11:48 AM
Has anybody read this lawsuit? Seriously, it sounds like something coming out of the 60's and desegragation reversed. It actually claims that forcefully dislocating a large number of at-risk minority Black students from their "racially identifiable school" to another with different social, economic and racial identity would cause "irreparable harm" to these Wiley students in terms of social and academic adjustment.... What???? Gee, way to go there Wiley parents! Sue on... Dude is right, a good education means they might be expected to actually succeed and do something in life. By all means, keep it open. You will only bring down the other schools.
Posted by: Richard Location: Here in Waco on Aug 21, 2008 at 11:17 AM
Why would you want your kids going to a school that isn't helping them and has no extra curricular activity for them? The state has cut their funding, due to poor test scores over the past 5 years. Personally I don't want to pay twice as much ($20,000.00 per student /per year)for a child that has no incentive to learn. I think it's up to the parents to make sure that the child is learning all he can. I also understand that most of the kids going to Wiley have grandparents or aunts & uncles as their guardians, as most of the parents are in prison or jail or have just deserted their children because they could not take care of them. This really sends a poor message to the children doesn't it? Not to mention being taught that their is no hope for them other than being poor and rejected by the very ones who they look up to the most- their parents. Get a clue and take responsibility for your children.
Posted by: Anonymous Location: killeen on Aug 21, 2008 at 09:30 AM
What is important to the child now is not what is important to the child as an adult. We really need to impress upon the parents of these students that education is the most important thing that these kids can have in todays world. The parents need to start to think do i want my child to do better than me or do i want them to grow up to be running the streets and fliping burgers
Posted by: SD Location: HH on Aug 21, 2008 at 09:20 AM
Open it back up! Give all of the parents a waiver for their kid to attend any school in WISD. Let the responsible parents make the choice for their kids. If they want to leave them in a non-productive, deadend school that will keep the kid on the same socially destructive path that the parent is already on. Sometimes I believe that these parents are afraid that their kid will actually become a better person than the parent with education and outside help. They tell the kid that they are acting "white" if they do well in school or put academics above athletics or the hood. I know this first hand. However, I don't think it's as much a black-white thing as a class status thing. Most trailer park trash doesn't place a premium on education either.
Posted by: El Guapo Location: Around on Aug 21, 2008 at 08:27 AM
"Bledsoe said the lawsuit is, "seeking to maintain the status quo so the good people who live in the Wiley neighborhood can go to school." - Why would we want to "maintain a status quo" that was failing to educate "the good people that live in the Wiley neighborhood" for the last 5 years. Sometimes the right decision is not always the popular decision, nor is it the easy decision...but it's still the right decision. - El Guapo
Posted by: Just sayin is all Location: Ft Hood on Aug 21, 2008 at 07:52 AM
WHY? Why was this school underperforming? Was it the teachers fault? The Students? Was it because the current students have been failing at other schools prior to being there? I read that scores have been going up. Was it incrementally? If it was going up each year maybe it just took a few years to get out the old "bad" students and have them replaced by students coming up through the system. If so, I worry about the studentw who came FROM Wiley and how they did or are doing in High School. Maybe its the faculty. Find out those teachers whose students are performing poorly and do something about it. Personally I think the testing is ludacris and out of control.My son spends half the time practicing for the TAKS and the other half taking it. A schools fate should not rest on a middle schoolers ability to take a test.
Posted by: Lisa Location: Waco on Aug 21, 2008 at 07:52 AM
I really don't understand why parents and the community want to leave these kids in an under performing school. The children are being under served. I understand that enrollment here is very low because many parents have voluntarily moved their children to better schools and that this school is spending nearly twice per student what other schools spend. It's not fair to the kids to make them have this sort of education.
Posted by: dude Location: texas on Aug 21, 2008 at 07:51 AM
why would anyone support something that doesnt work, the supporters dont seem to want to give they cheerdrens any chance of success. i guess if they started getting a good education someone might expect more out of them, we just cant have that, can we. who is keeping who down?????
Posted by: sarah Location: killeen on Aug 21, 2008 at 07:47 AM
Maybe I just dont understand, but why would you want to keep your child going to a unacceptable school like this. I have lived in an area before that had low scores and i chose to send my kids elsewhere, and I know that some that it proves to put a burden on the family but in this case wouldnt the county take the child to and from the new school? Dont you want your child to have a better chance to strive for their future? This is not a criticism, I honestly want to hear if there is more to this story because I am oblivious.
Posted by: at Location: wackko on Aug 21, 2008 at 07:07 AM
I don't understand if it is such a bad school, why are u fighting 2 keep it open, am I missing a part of the story....
Posted by: Wacoan on Aug 21, 2008 at 02:58 AM
I just think it's important to pray for the community of all those affected by the closure of this school. I pray that the young people involved find healing and are comforted by knowing that there are people out there who care about their well-being. This is an opportunity for a new beginning and a fresh start. I pray that God will help bring together new and old students at the middle schools in WISD and give them a spirit of teamwork and encouragement as they grow into young adults. I pray that each child has an enriching learning experience at every school, and I pray for the teachers as they embark on the new school year.
Posted by: Anonymous Location: killeen on Aug 21, 2008 at 02:54 AM
will it help to move these students from this school? I've been reading about this school for years since I've come to Killeen it sounds like they are trying but it is the performance of the students I don't blame it on the teachers, so moving them to another school will only possible bring the scores to these other school down. There has to be more behind this then what is being stated to the public, Yes it has been low performing for several years find out why just don't take the students school away and move them to other school were they my not feel confontable.
Posted by: why play Location: the race card on Aug 21, 2008 at 01:43 AM
wow, everything is racial against blacks these days huh? that school needed to be closed whether it was primarily black, mexican, or white. they cant get up to standards and repeatedly fall short and fail miserably. period. way to go lester, something else to play your race card on. the school should be closed. period. keep the race out of it, crybabies. period. analyze that.
Posted by: Me Location: Central Texas on Aug 20, 2008 at 10:01 PM
"Bledsoe says the suit also alleges discrimination..." I knew they'd find some way to blaming their ignorance/stupidity on Whitey.
Posted by: Jessie Location: Waco on Aug 20, 2008 at 08:32 PM
It is simply amazing how many people come out of the woodworks when you take away a school that is underperforming. you would think the public outcry would have come out five years ago when the school got its first under par review. Did I read right? Did it say discrimination? You would think the parents would want the children to get a better education at a good school and not worry about the "My daughter was going to be a cheerleader" bullcrap!!! Remember people it is better to let people think you are stupid than to open your mouth and remove all doubt!!! Let's all scream Racist!!!!
Posted by: Lin Location: Lorena on Aug 20, 2008 at 07:55 PM
If education was important to me for my children I'd want them to attend where they had better opportunities.
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