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Judge Blocks Middle School Closing Save Email Print

(G. L. Wiley supporters filled a Waco courtroom Thursday.)

A | A | A

(August 21, 2008)—A state district judge issued a temporary restraining order Thursday afternoon that will keep the doors of Waco’s low performing G. L. Wiley Middle School open for at least 14 more days.

Classes will begin Monday at the school, but it will be up to the court to decide whether the students who start the new school year at G. L. Wiley will finish it there.

A hearing on an injunction against the school district is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday.

Meanwhile the Waco School Board plans to meet Monday to vote again on the closure, evidently in hopes of erasing any questions about the legality of the original vote, which a lawsuit filed Wednesday challenges.

The 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.

On Wednesday, supporters of the school filed the suit in Waco’s 170th District Court seeking to block the district from closing the school.

Gary Bledsoe, a civil rights attorney working with the group said the lawsuit is, "seeking to maintain the status quo so the good people who live in the Wiley neighborhood can go to 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.

A hearing will be held next week on whether to grant a permanent injunction against the district.

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.
This is part of the statement issued on Waco ISD's website:

"Waco ISD will have sufficient faculty, staff, administrators, materials, equipment, resources and other support that are necessary for school to begin at G.L. Wiley Middle School on August 25, 2008.

In discussing the scope of the temporary restraining order, Judge Meyer made it clear that Wiley students who have registered, been placed or transferred to other Waco ISD middle schools may remain at their new school and are not required to return to Wiley.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

My child was planning to attend Wiley prior to board action on August 7, 2008. Can he/she return to the school?

Yes. G.L. Wiley Middle School will be open for school on August 25, 2008.

Will all of the teachers previously assigned to Wiley prior to board action on August 7, 2008 return to the school?
Not necessarily. The number of teachers returning to Wiley will be determined by the number of students who choose to return to the campus.

With the court's ruling coming just four days prior to the start of school, what will the first day be like at G.L. Wiley?
Upon arriving at school, students should report to the auditorium where staff will be available to develop their class schedules. Administrators, teachers and support staff will work hard to make sure the needs of all students are addressed.

Will the school be open for the entire 2008-2009 school year?
The answer to this question is not yet known pending the outcome of the temporary injunction hearing and any action that might be taken by the Waco ISD Board of Trustees.

If Wiley does not remain open for the entire 2008-2009 school year, where will my child attend school?

Should Wiley not remain open for the entire school year, your child will return to the campus to which he/she was placed prior to the temporary restraining order.

My child was already reassigned to and looking forward to attending another Waco ISD middle school. May he/she stay there?
Yes.

Will all of the teachers previously assigned to Wiley prior to board action on August 7, 2008 return to that school?
Not necessarily. The number of teachers returning to Wiley will be determined by the number of students who choose to return to the campus.

Who will be the principal at Wiley?
Kermit Ward will return as principal at Wiley.

Will there be enough teachers, desks, computers, books, equipment and support staff at Wiley to start school?
Yes

What extra-curricular activities will be offered at Wiley?
Extra-curricular activities will be offered based on student interest.

If my child chooses to attend Wiley, will he/she be provided transportation?

Transportation will be provided for students who live two or more miles from their school or would be subject to hazardous traffic conditions if they walked to school.
(Board Policy CNA Local)

If my child chooses to attend the middle school at which he/she was placed after August 7, 2008, will he/she be provided transportation?

Transportation will be provided for students who live two or more miles from their school or would be subject to hazardous traffic conditions if they walked to school.
(Board Policy CNA Local)

If I requested and my child was granted a transfer to a middle school other than his/her assigned middle school campus, will he/she be provided transportation?

Student transportation is not provided if a parent-requested transfer is granted.
(Board Policy FDA Local)"

Waco ISD Web Site

(Dallas Cook contributed to this story)

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Posted by: me Location: here on Aug 24, 2008 at 09:52 PM
while the Waco school board 'gave' this school FIVE years to improve, did this pathetic school board give this school any SUPPORT to help correct the problems, did they give them more money for better programs, or ensure that the faculty was ACTUALLY appropriate for the kind of education these children need?? Shame on the school board, shame on the school district! What you ignornant, self righteous fools do NOT understand is, that the children that you are stepping on now, are the future, that will stomp you in to the ground when you are old and feeble. Just remember this! The adults are responsible for the future, and the way things are looking, we are soooooooo screwed!!!! Thanks for looking out for our kids.

Posted by: COMMON SENSE on Aug 24, 2008 at 01:26 PM
It makes no sense to keep this school open. Regardless of how knowledgable a teacher is the bottom line lies with the student and parents. A parent has to take an interest in the students education. Without a doubt there are students at the school that perform excellent and learn. Unfortunately they are overshadowed by those that dont. As far as the comments on race and neighborhood are concerned, I am undecided. Race has nothing to do with learning ability. Living conditions do. to the people taht live in this area of Waco I say, clean your neighborhood up. You can cry social injustice and racism all you want but you live there. You have the ability to change your neighborhood. If you dont want people look down on you and your neighborhood then do something about it. Its easy to cry racism when you dont want to look in the mirror and blame yourself.

Posted by: Anon Location: Waco on Aug 24, 2008 at 10:59 AM
I agree with others that why would you want your child attending a school that has been rated unacceptable for the past 5 years. It just shows how ignorant the administration for Waco ISD really is. They are not thinking before they act as usual. This school needs to get a whole makeover (take kids out for 1 year) and get new staff in place and set up new curriculum and then try to reopen. Just because these kids parents don't want to have to get up a little earlier and get their kids to a school bus to go to another local school shouldn't be the reason why they keep it open. The school is not teaching and obviously isn't much of nothing. Shut it down, who cares.

Posted by: anonymous W Location: Tx on Aug 23, 2008 at 01:02 PM
i see how far the media's freedom of speech goes' you shouldn't even have this web site blog if your are not going to allow people to place their opinion on here what a bunch of hipocrites these people are

Posted by: Texas Location: Texas on Aug 22, 2008 at 04:15 PM
What do they plan to do after the 14 days? Scramble around to find schools for these kids AFTER the school year starts when it will harder to place them? This is an ignorant decision on the judges part.

Posted by: Jessie Location: Waco on Aug 22, 2008 at 01:34 PM
The people that file this lawsuit could care less if the school is rated unacceptable for the last five years. The only thing they want is a free babysitter for the next school year so they don't have to take time away from the bong and crack pipe to drive(walk) thier kids to another school district!!!!!! Why should we as white people expect them to pass the TASK test!!!!! There is no reason they should have to live up to the same standards as everyone else!!!!! Minorities are special children and should be treated that way!!!!!! If they want thier failing school to stay open then let them have that POS school!!!!! Then I will LMAO when the Texas Board Of Education shuts it down next year for failing Six years in a row!!! I hope you can see my sarcasm because I have been laying it on pretty thick!!!! I will say it again for all the uneducated people that they have interviewed on TV. It is better to let people think your stupid than to open you mouth and leave no doubt!!!

Posted by: Reality Check Location: Whack em Waco on Aug 22, 2008 at 12:42 PM
"seeking to maintain the status quo so the good people who live in the Wiley neighborhood can go to school." The status quo for that neighborhood is prostitutes and drug dealers. A good parent would want their child to go to a better school and make something of their life! Not play football or cheer lead. It seems their priorities are a little misplaced. Way to go Lester, this only proves how much of a racist you are!!!

Posted by: Me Location: Central Texas on Aug 22, 2008 at 11:52 AM
"Boo Hoo, Whitey stole my dreams, again!"

Posted by: Sandra Location: Temple on Aug 22, 2008 at 09:40 AM
Why, Why, Why are they doing this? This should have been taken care of at the end of the last schoolyear. Now you have teachers and kids that may or may not be going to school here, and maybe only for a few days. I understand that the teachers had already packed and moved their materials out of the building. Now they have to move them back.Either leave it open or close it, but don't go back and forth.

Posted by: D Location: Tx on Aug 22, 2008 at 09:26 AM
Academically unacceptable for the past 5 years, what kind of parent would want their child attending this school???? Close this school, send the teachers back for more training.

Posted by: ted Location: waco on Aug 22, 2008 at 09:06 AM
This Judge must be a Wiley alum Because he is SO Dumb

Posted by: El Guapo Location: Around on Aug 22, 2008 at 08:24 AM
Great! Now WISD has a week to unpack all of the boxes, get staff back in, and set up something that will pass for cirriculum... that will improve things!!!

Posted by: strange??? Location: waco on Aug 22, 2008 at 07:54 AM
The school board gives G.L. Wiley 5 years to get things right. Close the school. It isn't the buildings fault that the children aren't making the grade. It's all goes back to the parents making sure the kids do their home work, stay in school and the parents take an interest in what their children are doing in school.Some children don't even make it to school each day. If they aren't taught to go to school, do their home work and behave, what can you expect. The teachers need to be replaced if they don't meet the standards set up by the State of Texas.These kids are the ones loosing out.No one seems to care any more.If the school doesn't meet the standards set up by the State they don't get money from the State. These kids are going to be stuck in schools that are all ready bursting at the seams. Do the Math.

Posted by: Anonymous on Aug 21, 2008 at 10:12 PM
Great News! The community needs that school!!

Posted by: texan Location: waco on Aug 21, 2008 at 09:53 PM
Bad, bad decision for everyone. Keep Wiley closed for the students future.

Posted by: common sense Location: Waco, texas on Aug 21, 2008 at 09:31 PM
This middle school should close. It would close in any other community with any sense of caring for the future of these students. This is awlful and immoral.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Killeen tx on Aug 21, 2008 at 09:25 PM
5 years & no change? Just close the school so the kids can get a better education if not then it will be 6 years academically unacceptable

Posted by: Alecia Location: TX on Aug 21, 2008 at 08:18 PM
Let them go the one year TEA has given them. When they fail again, they only have themselves to blame, not WISD.

Posted by: dmg Location: waco on Aug 21, 2008 at 07:57 PM
Shame on the folks who filed the lawsuit-they will only cause more heartache down the road for these kids by getting their hopes up that the school will open, only to have the school shut down again, then to be uprooted and moved to a new school in a couple of weeks anyway. Wiley has been rated unacceptable-why send your kids back to a school that does not meet standard???

Posted by: LN Location: Robinson on Aug 21, 2008 at 06:32 PM
This is just stupid. The judge should go have his head examined. The school board gave this school many years to get its act together and they failed to do it. Close the flippin' school and move on. Why on earth are these parents fighting for failure?

Posted by: Trish Location: Waco on Aug 21, 2008 at 05:41 PM
Where were all these parents and community members the past 5 years? Were they volunteering any time to tutor or working with their children to help them improve academically? If these students go to other schools they will be expected to perform at a higher level. Could this be the real issue for them and their parents? Are they afraid they won't be allowed to "slide by" any longer? Why should hard earned tax dollars support a school/students that do not care whether they succeed in life? The entire community should show those children that they believe in them by sending them to other schools where they can achieve much more than they are now. Those students deserve the best education available to them.

Posted by: Christy Location: Waco on Aug 21, 2008 at 05:33 PM
I don't understand why the parents of these poor children do not care that their kids are not getting the adequate education that they need. These kids can't succeed in college if they can't even succeed in high school...they will struggle their whole life and their kids will not be any better. Why are we giving out high school diplomas to kids who aren't getting the education??

Posted by: Me Location: Central Texas on Aug 21, 2008 at 05:05 PM
Civil Rights = snivel rights.

Posted by: Me Location: Central Texas on Aug 21, 2008 at 05:04 PM
This is ridiculous! Every time some minority screams "racism" they get around the rules that everyone else has to abide by!

Posted by: Disgusted Location: Waco on Aug 21, 2008 at 03:51 PM
We don't need no education. Leave them kids alone.

Posted by: BH Location: Waco on Aug 21, 2008 at 03:47 PM
Gutless judge.

Posted by: db Location: Belton on Aug 21, 2008 at 03:41 PM
Good deal - now they just have to figure out how to fund it - get teachers to teach there - get students to go - and hope the state won't close it.

Posted by: crazy Location: waco on Aug 21, 2008 at 03:01 PM
You people are crazy, why do you want to send your children to a school that has a failing grade for 5 years. You just keep fighting about keeping the school open, instead of getting your children a good education. At least if they keep it open all of those TEACHERS who can not teach will remain there.

Posted by: Mary on Aug 21, 2008 at 02:58 PM
I expect those behind the lawsuit to be at G L Wiley early Monday morning to help with registration. NO EXCUSES.

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