The Addams Family at BHS (2023)

The Addams Family (2023): Berkner High School theater players slay in a creepy, kooky performance that is definitely not "normal." Even the fire department had a part in the fun.

Candidates for CoR and RISD

As of early January 20, 2023, here's the state of play for the elections for City of Richardson City Council and Richardson ISD Board of Trustees. The last day to file for a place on the ballot is February 17.

Who's Running? Who's Not?

Source: Town of Ayer, Massachusetts.

Local elections in Texas will be held May 6. For me, that means City Council for the City of Richardson and Board of Trustees for the Richardson ISD. Like it or not, another election cycle is underway. Candidate information packets have been available for a week now. Applications for a place on the ballot can be filed as soon as January 18. So, who is likely to run?

Elections Matter: Book Banning Edition

Source: San Antonio Current.

Richardson ISD and Frisco ISD had school board elections last year. In both cases, some candidates objected to being characterized as being "book banners." The outcomes in the two elections were quite different. The book banners lost in RISD. They won in Frisco ISD. The consequences are now being felt.

Two Month Countdown

Money makes the world go around
The world go around
The world go around
Money money money money money money
Money money money money money money
Get a little money money money
A mark, a yen, a buck or a pound
That clinking clanking clanking sound
Is all that makes the world go around
It makes the world go around!

Source: Cabaret.

The mid-term elections are over. Did you think you'd get a break from election campaigning? Silly you. The former guy's announcement from Florida says otherwise. Closer to home, Friday will be exactly two months from January 18, 2023, the first day for Texans to file for a place on the General Election Ballot for local political office. If you are considering a run for school board or city council, you've got a lot of work to do before then. You can't afford to wait until after the holidays to get started.

SBOE Waits for Right-Wing Reinforcements

It looks like the Texas State Board of Education (SBOE) is going to kick the can down the road, deciding to wait until next term to rewrite the Texas social studies curriculum (what we know as the TEKS). Why? It appears that the SBOE caved to pressure from right-wing Republican lawmakers who objected to the standards coming out of the curriculum committee. When the SBOE decided to delay, Republican lawmakers celebrated on Twitter, "The board voted to scrap the wokeified proposed changes to the TEKS." The likely explanation for delay is that right-wing Republicans hope that they can increase their majority on the SBOE next term and get proposals more in line with their politics.

(New) School Board Comments on EDI

Richardson ISD is the fifth most diverse school district in Texas, and the largest in north Texas. RISD has recognized that fact for years and, in response, in 2019 adopted an "Equity, Diversity, Inclusion Policy" (EDI).

"June 10, 2019, is a big day," Superintendent Jeannie Stone said. "It's a big, big day." It was the day that the Richardson ISD Board of Trustees adopted the RISD Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI) Policy in a unanimous 7-0 vote. "Once approved, trustees and members of the public delivered a standing ovation."

Source: Community Impact.

That was then. This is now. We all know what's happened in between, to Superintendent Stone and to RISD's unity. The three most contentious issues in 2021 were COVID-19 mitigation policies, Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), and, of course, EDI. It's time to check in on the (new) Board of Trustees and see where they stand on EDI.

Nonprofits, PACs and Political Spending

From: source unknown

Postscript to the look at spending for the recent Richardson ISD election for board of trustees. There was a new player involved in the money race that I didn't mention, that I didn't see mentioned elsewhere, one that I wasn't even aware was a player until after the election. That's North Texas Parents for Academic Excellence. It's a nonprofit corporation formed March 16, 2022, with three directors, Brandon Walls, Bryan Stone, and Sam Jarvis. If the name Brandon Walls is familiar, it might be because he's the Campaign Treasurer for the Richardson ISD Families First PAC. I was very aware of that PAC's involvement in the election. What's curious about the connection between the nonprofit and PAC?

Quick Takeaways from the Joint Runoff Election

The Richardson ISD held a trustee election runoff for District 2 on Saturday. Congratulations to Vanessa Pacheco for winning. Dallas College held a trustee election runoff for District 1. Congratulations to Catalina E. Garcia for winning.

Follow the Money in Dallas College Runoff

From: source unknown

If you're looking for a comprehensive article on the Richardson ISD Board of Trustees election, go here: "The Wheel's 2022 RISD Runoff Voters Guide". In most of this post, we're going to follow up on how the money trail of Lynn Strawn Davenport (LSD) leaves a lot for her to answer for. An earlier report about the overlaps in campaign finance for the RISD campaign of Jan Stell and the Dallas College Board of Trustees campaign of Davenport left a few curious details dangling. We'll try to tie things up today. Spoiler alert: Vote for Catalina E Garcia.

The Wheel's 2022 RISD Runoff Voters Guide

For RISD trustee in District 2, I recommend Vanessa Pacheco.
For Dallas College District 1, I recommend Catalina E Garcia.

Election Day (again!) is Saturday, June 18. Even if you voted in the May 7 Joint General Election, you have to vote again in the Joint Runoff Election. Have to. Even if you voted for a different candidate in the first election, you can vote for the right candidate this time. ;-)

Even if you didn't vote in the May 7 Joint General Election, you are still eligible to vote in the June 18 Joint Runoff Election. So vote!

Dealbreaker #8: She Thinks RISD is Better Without Dr. Jeannie Stone

In Richardson ISD's June 18th runoff election for its District 2 seat on the Board of Trustees, I'll be voting for Vanessa Pacheco. I won't be voting for Sherry Clemens because of dealbreakers like this: she thinks RISD is better without Dr. Jeannie Stone.

Dealbreaker #7: She Thinks She Speaks for All Christians

In Richardson ISD's June 18th runoff election for its District 2 seat on the Board of Trustees, I'll be voting for Vanessa Pacheco. I won't be voting for Sherry Clemens because of dealbreakers like this: she thinks she speaks for all Christians. Needless to say, she doesn't.

Dealbreaker #6: She Lies about CRT

In Richardson ISD's June 18th runoff election for its District 2 seat on the Board of Trustees, I'll be voting for Vanessa Pacheco. I won't be voting for Sherry Clemens because of dealbreakers like this: she lies about CRT.

Dealbreaker #5: She's Against Books with Serious Themes

Source: San Antonio Current.

In Richardson ISD's June 18th runoff election for its District 2 seat on the Board of Trustees, I'll be voting for Vanessa Pacheco. I won't be voting for Sherry Clemens because of dealbreakers like this: she's against books with serious themes.

Voting in Schools; Graduate Profile; and Turncoat Quislings

I attended the June 6th Richardson ISD school board meeting to keep an eye on what these trustees I elect are up to. I learned something on one subject, I had my attitude adjusted on another, and I wholeheartedly agreed with another member of the public on a third issue.

Dealbreaker #4: She Fought Against Covid Mitigation Policies

In Richardson ISD's June 18th runoff election for its District 2 seat on the Board of Trustees, I'll be voting for Vanessa Pacheco. I won't be voting for Sherry Clemens because of dealbreakers like this: she opposed efforts by RISD to mitigate COVID-19 transmission.

Dealbreaker #3: She's Aligned with Lauren Davis

In Richardson ISD's June 18th runoff election for its District 2 seat on the Board of Trustees, I'll be voting for Vanessa Pacheco. I won't be voting for Sherry Clemens because of dealbreakers like this: she is aligned with the anti-masker candidate for Dallas County Judge, Lauren Davis.

Dealbreaker #2: She's Turning RISD Into Southlake

In Richardson ISD's June 18th runoff election for its District 2 seat on the Board of Trustees, I'll be voting for Vanessa Pacheco. I won't be voting for Sherry Clemens because of dealbreakers like this: she is aligned with Southlake's anti-diversity, anti-equity, anti-inclusion advocates in Carroll ISD.

Dealbreaker #1: She's Extreme, Even for Conservatives

In Richardson ISD's June 18th runoff election for its District 2 seat on the Board of Trustees, I'll be voting for Vanessa Pacheco. I won't be voting for Sherry Clemens because of dealbreakers like this: she promotes extreme propaganda like "The Mind Polluters."