The Fort Worth school district announced today that board president Ray Dickerson resigned his position effective tomorrow, December 8. Dickerson reported his decision by letter today to board Secretary T. A. Sims, citing health reasons. “While I am grateful to all who have offered their support and encouragement,” he wrote, “I have concluded that it is imperative that I resign after consultation with my family, medical team, close friends and advisors.” There was no further explanation concerning his medical condition.
Trustee Ann Sutherland was surprised. “I had no idea he was going to resign,” she said. But now that he has, she said she will be supporting board Vice President Juan Rangel to be elevated to the post of president, following board policy. That policy stipulates that if a member resigns with more than a year left on his tenure, the post may be filled by the trustees with one of their own to serve out the resigning member’s term.
“Juan is more than qualified to fill the position,” she said, having been on the board for 11 years and having served as its vice president. He is a consultant who specializes in private and public problem solving, according to his web page. Rangel is married to Dr. Patricia Rangel, director of the Fort Worth district’s early childhood department and they have one son, Juan Rangel III, an anthropology major at North Texas University.
Dickerson was first elected to the presidency in June of 2008. He has a little more than a year left on his term. However, the president’s at-large post was eliminated by the board this year, adding a ninth district to the eight single member districts instead. After the new elections, the board will choose a president from its members.
Dickerson, originally from Arizona, is a retired Fort Worth bank executive. He and his wife, Courtney, have five grown children and six grandchildren. His term was marked by controversy, especially the last couple of years as the tenure of Superintendent Melody Johnson went into meltdown following scandals at several schools involving attandance fraud and manipulation of test scores and a dramatic drop in academic accountability that found 22 or more schools failing to meet the state’s minimum test standards. Dickerson, however, stood by Johnson until her resignation early this year. Other board members could not be reached for comment. Dickerson requested no interviews.
guess the pressure of his signing off on CONNECTS before it was tested got to him…
Remorse and guiltiness are feelings that could cause high level of stress, and stress could deteriorate the health and soul.
We wish his health improves, and we appreciate his decision of resigning to the presidency of the board.
A tsunami is approaching in FWISD, and you see more resignation coming soon from other board members and district chiefs.
the PERFECT storm! i like you Maria! we also need a fresh superintendent, with 21st century vision.
In my best Tiny Tim voice, “God bless us every one…!” Except in this Christmas Carol, Scrooge has “cardiovascular system” issues! I believe this is code for “Tired of trying to find ways to profess my innocense”! I do give him credit though, for not using “an ailing long distance family member” as an excuse to step down! Whatever happened to telling the truth about why you are leaving a job? Why over-explain…every one knows the REAL reason anyway! I have to chuckle…seriously Ray…Cardiovascular???? You were a banker, not Marcus Welby…just say HEART!!! Something tells me you watch too much House! Nonetheless, thank you Ray, for providing us with a big laugh from your departing speech, much like the last 3 1/2 yrs of your board term! Dare i sound greedy, but I hope we get another Christmas miracle; for Needham to see HER ghosts of past, present and future and follows suit!
There is a special place in hell for the Ray Dickerson’s of the world. You have presided over the demise of FWISD – destroying countless innocent lives and futures in the process. The world will soon know the depths of the cover-ups you orchestrated – the lies to the public, all at taxpayer expense. You need to take Needham, Robbins and Jackson with you. No wonder Reyna backed down. She needs to go back to San Antonio.
The truth triumphs over evil and Dickerson departure is cause for celebration! Your support of Melody Johnson has left this district a mangled mess. you will not be missed
Adios MOFO!
Has anyone read that ridiculous puff piece in the Startlegram today about Dickerson? What a disgusting joke! When you read the Reyna e-mail and the Dickerson letter it is obvious they were written by the same person. Barbara Griffin? Another minion who needs to go.
And so the cleanup begins . That is of course if this is possible. Startlegram protects the downtown power elite. The school district is big business. FWISD business operations are a joke . Must be pretty embarrassing to have a former Broad superintendent and banker exit so suddenly. What a mess, how would anybody want the job of leading this district? Ask teachers llike myself about the curriculum mess ang the stupidity of connects that even when you input grades they disappear. Mr Dansby has his work cut out for him. I can’t imagine anyone else coming from the outside.
A TRUE clean-up is the only way to salvage anything out of this mess. I agree with “Al” who wrote in the Reyna comments: Start with the Board. Now that big rat Dickerson has fled the ship, time to focus on that closet dweller and puppeteer Judy Needham; her lecherous protege’ Tobi Jackson and Racist Norm Robbins. Then move on to personnel – the Johnson era all stars: Reyna, Sorum, Davie, Monge, Griffin, Ray (thought he was supposed to retire) Whatley, Dawson, Menchaca, Everest (another closet dweller). RESOLVE the scandals and stop the cover-ups! Get rid of worthless Principals regardless of who they are related to.
We can be an EXEMPLARY District, but we HAVE to rid ourselves of all of these leeches and self-promoters.
Ok are any of you willing to run for the board since you want everyone but sutherland , Vasquez , and Rangel gone? Everyone say what is wrong with the district, but none of you say you are willing to help solve the problem. Just for the record it takes more than the board president to sign off on what is being purchased. The majority of the board has to agree.
Shows how much you know. Now that an external audit is underway, we will see what kind of leader he wasn’t. Sort of like hiding behind “The majority of the board has to agree.” He was an unethical boob on Needham’s short leash.
Sounds like a lot of slandering going on in the comment sections. Makes you wonder what they are trying to accomplish. Or perhaps it’s nothing more than a bunch of folks talking out their ass – rather like opinions, you know. Everybody’s got one. Some just seem like they have more than one.
Spoken like yet another minion
Teacher (Really???)…I’m not associated with FWISD – just a taxpayer and voter. How about you? Why don’t you do something constructive with your life? It’s a shame that there might be teachers like you who influence our children spewing discontent, hatred, bigotry and ignorance. Might ought to pray on it. I know I will.
Obviously you are part of the white, power elite who is responsible for hiding and covering up what has been going on in FWISD fro years. Tocco was simply a scapegoat. Needham should have joined the crew who went to the pen. The same folks who brought us the disaster which was Melody Johnson – and then got her into TCU! Time to open your eyes. Only by EXPOSING what is wrong can we grow. You may enjoy living like a mushroom, but our days in the dark are over!
Message to “Enough Already”. You are a fool. If you cared for one minute about “spewing discontent, hatred, bigotry and ignorance”, Dickerson, Needham, Robbins and Johnson would have been driven out LONG ago. Simply put, Jackson lied to voters to get where she is. The entire past two years have been spent trying to prevent the truth from coming out. It is OVER!
Dearest Insider,
What has been hidden for the past two years and who has hidden it? I am on the outside and do not understad. Can you explain more clearly, please?
Outsider why don’t you do a search on this fine paper and read all the investigative reporting done by Betty Brinks? You will find Arlington Heights fiasco where principal Alexander and Adminstrator Chuck Boyd where pushed into retirement for fixing attendance records for apriviledged few. Fired ex employee Pallazolo still in lawsuit costng the taxpayer lots of moolah in legal fees since the district is fighting the TEA decision. After that you will find a story of software issues that overpayed employees by the millions. Did they ever get the money back? The continuation of software issues with Connect’s failure to connect to anything especially grades, attendance and transcripts. It seems that the information disappears after I have spent hours inputting. These Technology projects were halfway implemented by Kyle Davie our technology chief. Curriculum frameworks by Michael Sorum that has widen the achievement gap and wasted money. It should be noted that both Davie and Sorum came with Melody from Rhode Island as they are her best gay friends.
Not to mention Betty’s story on bullying at the FWISD. Happy reading and please stay tuned the ripple effects left from the former regime are still to be uncovered.