Let Dallas Citizens Vote on School Funding

As a middle linebacker on my high school football team, I remember struggling to learn coverages, different assignments, and at the same time support the other players around me. My coach would constantly remind us to "keep the simple stuff simple." Stick to the basics, because not everything has to be so complicated. I still live by this mantra today, which is what makes the tax ratification eleciton conversation in Dallas ISD so frustrating. The choice ahead seems so simple, and yet the conversation is constantly focused on what I believe to be the wrong issues.The discussion currently underway on Ross Avenue concerns whether voters ought to have the chance to weigh in on a shift in tax policy that could directly benefit the already underfunded schools in their community. The question at hand is not how that money should be allocated, but rather should the community voice be considered? Should the families of students who are directly impacted by school funding be given the opportunity to vote on whether more of their tax dollars are allocated to improve student outcomes? To answer in the negative is to directly deny our community the chance to choose how best to support students. Keep the simple stuff simple.  Continue reading...