Richardson ISD Slaps Back at Ex-trustee Who Filed Voting Rights Lawsuit, Says System Isn't Broken

Oh, Henny Penny.This looks like a serious miscalculation in the making.I'm talking about the Richardson school board's hardline response to a lawsuit challenging the district's at-large election system -- which not only will cost taxpayers a bunch of money, but also may further erode the trust of minorities in the district. In its legal response to the suit filed in late January by former trustee David Tyson, the only minority ever elected to the school board, the district denies that its election system violates Sec. 2 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and that it is "broken or discriminatory."It also disputes the claim that the gaping disparity between minority and white student performance in the classroom can be traced to built-in biases or discriminatory practices. "Defendants deny any assertion or suggestion that the District does not take into consideration the needs and concerns of minority students and parents," attorneys for the district wrote in a legal response filed Feb. 28.Still, it's inexcusable that a district where roughly 70 percent of the students are Latinos, African Americans and Asians can't attract or elect minority candidates.  Continue reading...