Latest news with #DallasIndependentSchoolDistrict
New York Times
16-04-2025
- New York Times
4 Injured in Dallas School Shooting, Authorities Say
Three students were wounded in a shooting on Tuesday at a Dallas high school where, almost exactly a year ago, a student was shot in the leg by a classmate, the authorities said. A fourth student suffered a 'musculoskeletal injury' to his lower body during the shooting on Tuesday, said Jason Evans, a spokesman for Dallas Fire-Rescue, who said that all four victims were male. Three of the victims were between the ages of 15 and 18, while the fourth student's age was not immediately known. The authorities said that they were searching for a suspect, whose identity was known to investigators. The injuries ranged in severity, some of them serious, according to emergency medical workers, who responded around 1:10 p.m. local time to Wilmer-Hutchins High School, about 10 miles southeast of downtown Dallas. The gunfire erupted inside the school, which is part of the Dallas Independent School District, sending it into a lockdown and drawing a large number of officers from several law enforcement agencies to the campus. 'Today, as we all know, the unthinkable has happened,' Stephanie S. Elizalde, the school district's superintendent, said during a news conference. 'And quite frankly, this is just becoming way too familiar, and it should not be familiar.' A motive for the shooting was not immediately clear. It was the second episode of gun violence in just over a year at the school, which has about 900 students. A nearby elementary school, which has the same name as the high school, was also placed on lockdown during the episode, the authorities said. On April 12, 2024, a 17-year-old student fired a .38-caliber revolver at a classmate in a classroom at the school, wounding him in the leg in what the authorities said at the time was a targeted shooting. A teacher was credited with getting the student who fired the weapon to leave the school building before he was taken into custody near the school's stadium. The victim's injuries were not life-threatening. That episode prompted a walkout — a year to the day before the shooting on Tuesday — by students in protest of what they said were lax security measures at the school, which has metal detectors. Asked on Tuesday how someone had been able to bring a gun into the school and get it past the metal detectors, the school district's assistant police chief, Christina Smith, said, 'We do know that the gun did not come through during regular intake time.' 'So it was not a failure of our staff, of our protocols of the machinery that we have,' she said. Chief Smith declined to elaborate. Representative Jasmine Crockett, Democrat of Texas, who represents the area of Dallas where the school is located, said on social media on Tuesday that she was heartbroken to learn of another shooting there. 'No child should fear for their life at school,' Ms. Crockett wrote on X. 'No teacher should have to barricade a classroom door. Let me be clear: this is not normal. This is not acceptable. Guns do not belong in our schools.' Footage from a local news helicopter showed students streaming out of the school on Tuesday and into campus parking lots. The Dallas Independent School District used the school's football stadium as a reunification area and told parents to bring photo IDs with them when meeting their children. It said that it was making counselors available and canceling classes at the high school for the rest of the week. Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas said in a statement on social media on Tuesday that he had spoken with the school district's superintendent and police chief to offer support. 'Our hearts go out to the victims of the senseless act of violence at Wilmer-Hutchins High School,' Mr. Abbott said, adding, 'We'll provide law enforcement the tools needed to arrest & bring the criminals to justice.'
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
Police descend on Wilmer-Hutchins High School in Dallas after reported active shooter
Law enforcement officials descended upon Wilmer–Hutchins High School in Dallas, Texas on Tuesday afternoon after reports of an active shooter. Just after 1 p.m. CT, police received a call about an active shooter at the high school, according to Fox 4. Sources told the news outlet that a 17-year-old had been injured via gunfire. Their condition is unknown. It is unclear at this time if any other students or faculty have been injured. The Dallas Independent School District said police were responding 'to a shooting incident' at the high school and safety protocols were implemented. 'We are asking everyone to refrain from coming to the campus. Reunification plans will be shared shortly,' the Dallas Independent School District said. This is a breaking new story, more follows…
CBS News
11-04-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Dallas ISD reach agreement over transgender teens in girls' sports
The Dallas Independent School District and Attorney General Ken Paxton have agreed to make sure transgender teens aren't participating in girls' sports, the AG's office said on Friday. This comes weeks after Paxton questioned officials with Dallas ISD as part of an investigation into whether the district is violating state law by allowing transgender teen athletes to compete in girls' sports. "I urge all other school districts to fulfill their legal obligations to protect girls' sports and end any attempts to circumvent Texas law. Biological males have no place in girls' sports, and any Texas public schools doing otherwise will be held accountable," Paxton said. In February, Paxton requested an extensive list of documents from both DISD and Irving ISD after district officials were allegedly filmed, separately, telling parents that trans students could play in women's sports if the parents changed their birth certificates to "female." The AG's office argued that DISD's LGBT Youth Program Coordinator Mahoganie Gaston was filmed telling a parent that a trans student would be allowed to participate in girls' sports if the parent changed the birth certificate of their son to "female." The office also alleged she said that the district "find[s] the loopholes in everything" and that she is willing to go to jail for defying Texas law. Paxton's office said Gaston resigned amid the investigation. Dallas ISD did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In October 2021, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill into law that banned trans women and girls in K-12 schools from participating in sports teams aligned with their gender identities. It forces athletes to compete on teams on the basis of their "biological sex," or the sex that was "correctly stated" on their birth certificate, according to the text of the legislation . He signed the Save Women's Sports Act into law in June 2023 which bans trans athletes from participating in collegiate sports teams that match their gender identities. The bill included provisions that prevent trans athletes who have had their sex changed on their birth certificates from participating in sports teams aligned with their gender identities by defining sex as what was "entered on or near the time of the student's birth," and only recognizes changes made to birth certificates that were done to correct a clerical error.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ken Paxton wants Dallas school officials under oath on transgender athlete policy
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wants to question Dallas Independent School District officials under oath as part of his investigation into the district's policy on transgender athletes. Paxton on Monday announced his office has filed a legal petition to do so. Earlier this year, Paxton's office launched an investigation of the district's 'unwritten policy' that allegedly encouraged parents of transgender students to alter their childs' birth certificates in other states. Paxton initially requested several records regarding the district's compliance with a 2021 state law that bans transgender students from competing in sports matching their identifying gender. The request came after the district's LGBT Youth Program Coordinator, Mahoganie Gaston, suggested in a video published by Accuracy in Media, a Washington-based nonprofit that students could play in sports matching updated birth certificates. Dallas ISD did not immediately return a request for comment. Changes to a person's gender on birth certificates is illegal in Texas, but can still be done in other states. In the January video, Gaston suggests changing a child's certificate in another state is a 'loophole' to the Texas law. Paxton's petition requests several Dallas ISD officials to appear for depositions, including Gaston, district superintendent Stephanie Elizalde and members of the school board. 'ISD officials who have participated in this madness will be held accountable,' Paxton said in a news release Monday. 'The systematic effort by Dallas ISD officials to circumvent Texas law will be exposed and stopped.' Dallas ISD is not the only school district affected by the undercover videos and subsequent inquiries from the attorney general. Paxton also sent a letter in February to Irving Independent School District after Accuracy in Media filmed a separate video similarly sending an undercover representative to ask about the district's policy on student athletes. Gov. Greg Abbott posted about the video on X, calling for Irving ISD to be investigated, and the district administrator featured in the video resigned shortly after. We can't wait to welcome you to the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival, Texas' breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov. 13–15 in downtown Austin. Step inside the conversations shaping the future of education, the economy, health care, energy, technology, public safety, culture, the arts and so much more. Hear from our CEO, Sonal Shah, on TribFest 2025. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
Associated Press
07-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Dallas ISD Chief Human Capital Officer Robert Abel Receives Distinguished Service Award
TROY, Mich., Feb. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Robert Abel, Chief of Human Capital for Dallas Independent School District, received the 2025 Distinguished Service Award presented by the Council of the Great City Schools. Sponsored by Kelly Education, the award honors an individual from the management services ranks for their distinguished service in urban education. This year, the recognition occurred at the annual Chief Human Resources Officers meeting in Baltimore, Maryland. With over two decades of experience in educational leadership, Robert Abel has continually driven meaningful change in large, urban school districts, a vital part of the Council's mission to improve student outcomes. Since stepping into his role as Chief of Human Capital in 2021, Abel has achieved significant milestones, including a 44% overall reduction in grievances and an extraordinary 90% decrease in complex Level 3 grievances. Under his guidance, Dallas ISD's teacher applicant pool has also grown by an impressive 14%, showcasing his proactive leadership in building strong educational communities. 'This award recognizes Robert Abel for his outstanding leadership overseeing the human capital management department at Dallas Independent School District,' said Willie Burroughs, the Council's director of management services. 'His contributions have played a crucial role in the success of Dallas ISD by ensuring that the district attracts and retains high-quality educators and staff dedicated to fostering a positive educational experience for all students. It is a privilege to celebrate his remarkable achievements and lasting impact.' 'Robert Abel epitomizes the kind of leadership we strive to recognize—one marked by the profound impact on students and staff, as well as innovative solutions to urban education's most pressing challenges,' said Nicola Soares, President of Kelly Education. 'His achievements are a testament to the power of visionary leadership in creating strong, equitable systems that benefit every level of the school community.' Abel holds a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas at Arlington and a Bachelor of Science in Cell and Molecular Biology from Oklahoma State University. About the Council of the Great City Schools The Council of the Great City Schools is the only national organization exclusively representing the needs of urban public schools. Composed of 78 large city school districts, its mission is to promote the cause of urban schools and to advocate for inner-city students through legislation, research and media relations. The organization also provides a network for school districts sharing common problems to exchange information, and to collectively address new challenges as they emerge to deliver the best possible education for urban youth. About Kelly Education Kelly Education powers the future of learning through customized workforce solutions, including hiring and recruiting, business management, professional development, academic, and social-emotional support across the full continuum of education––from early childhood, PK-12, special education, and therapeutic services to higher education, executive search, and beyond. Kelly Education is a business of Kelly (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB), a global workforce solutions provider that's always asking what's next in the world of work. Learn more at or connect with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.
