New Trustees Sworn in While One Seat on Dallas School Board Remains Empty

The Dallas school board's newest trustees pledged to put children first and not fall prey to petty politics, the two said after they were sworn in on Tuesday night. Pastor Maxie Johnson and educator Ben Mackey made their pledges before a crowded room with each saying they wanted to focus on improving academics and opportunities for all children in Dallas. "I'm a football coach, and I'm a dad. I'm not a politician," said Johnson, a longtime volunteer in Oak Cliff. "I'm a parent who has been in the community for years and decades. ... I'm not here to play politics. I'm here to get results for kids." Johnson takes over the District 5 seat that was held by Lew Blackburn for nearly two decades. Mackey, a former principal at the Townview School for the Talented and Gifted, asked his students from the school to stand and directly spoke to them as he promised to work on equity and access for all children across DISD. "I will approach my work here as a trustee with fidelity, integrity and a focus on how what we talk about here impacts you all," said Makey, who now is an administrator for the DeSoto school district. "I pledge I will focus on policies and not politics."   Continue reading...