Stand Up For RISD

02/04/2022

"Stone believes Abbott and other state leaders should be supporting public education and not creating ways to discredit it. Instead, she said, they are stoking a narrative that public schools don’t want to work with parents and so the government has to step in.

“Those kinds of efforts only provide weapons for some to continue this dismantling of public education,” she said."

Several departures come after months of contentious fights over teaching about slavery, requiring pandemic precautions and limiting what books kids can access.

12/12/2021

Tell the board that you want to see RISD continue to prioritize the needs of ALL students. Maintaining the policies and progress that the district made under Dr. Stone should be our top priority!

"The public deserves to know that simple truth. It just cost the RISD the services of a Superintendent of the Year. It threatens to cost the RISD so much more going forward."

Views from Richardson, Texas

12/12/2021

While Dr. Stone is leaving, we must continue to place the interests of ALL RISD students first. It is critical that we continue her policies of inclusiveness such as investing strategically in Pre-K and working to eliminate structural biases in Talented and Gifted and AP course identification. Speak out to the board of trustees and let them know that Dr. Stone's priorities are OUR priorities.

For those of us who care deeply about North Texas’ public schools, the resignation of Richardson ISD Superintendent Jeannie Stone was shocking. Stone was,...

11/17/2021

Since it happened in closed session, there is no way to verify what the Board of Trustees discussed with Dr. Stone. But given the fact that student outcomes have steadily increased during her tenure at RISD, and given the challenges our students face as a result of Covid, this is not the kind of distraction that our students or our district needs. Reach out to your trustee and let them know that you support Dr. Stone and the progress that RISD is making for all of our students.

Views from Richardson, Texas

11/03/2021

"At the heart of education equity efforts is this: Our kids deserve supportive, inclusive educational environments where every child can thrive, and where our kids learn important life skills they need to build towards a brighter future for all of us."

Republicans are celebrating the election of gubernatorial candidate Glenn Youngkin in Virginia as a victory for an education message that harnessed outrage around race and gender issues. Perhaps candidates for elected office who support race and gender education equity need to affirmatively and clea...

11/03/2021

A letter to the editor in the Dallas Morning News today incorrectly stated, "RISD’s testing scores have declined continuously". We think it is important to set the record straight, as Richardson ISD has shown steady progress academically over the last decade. And while there were slight declines during Covid, as there were in every single district in the country, RISD showed smaller losses than many surrounding school districts. Let's not let misinformation continue to damage our critically important public institutions like our public schools. Speak out and Stand Up for RISD!

10/18/2021

Board Meeting called tonight! Agenda items include Pre-K for All update, the appointment of a School Health Advisory Committee (SHAC), the district 5 trustee vacancy, board organization, a redistricting update…

10/15/2021

"The threat the loud and the angry pose isn’t necessarily that they win outright but that they tire others out—that they make public service too burdensome, too painful, too tedious. If, then, you think your local elected officials are doing a decent job trying to muddle through a demoralizing and unprecedented period, it might help to let them know, maybe at one of the meetings where they’re getting yelled at. Just get ready to duck."

A loud minority of parents is making life miserable for school officials—and shouting down kids who speak in favor of lessons about racial discrimination.

10/13/2021

Creative minds have been buzzing to find ways to help kids remain connected – and safe – during difficult times. A new plan to install tables and chairs for outdoor dining is earning high marks all around.

The pandemic continues to be a challenge for students, parents and teachers in Lake Highlands-area schools and throughout Richardson ISD, but creative minds have been buzzing to find ways to help kids remain connected – and safe – during difficult times. A new plan to install tables and chairs f...

10/12/2021

"Other districts and school boards would be wise to follow the lead of districts like Richardson on both safety and academic measures, especially as learning gaps based on family income and race have only widened across the U.S during the pandemic.

I also sense that most Richardson parents understand that equity is not a zero-sum game, but rather a commitment to the idea that all students deserve an equal opportunity to thrive.

Perhaps the shock of Clardy’s resignation will wake up even more voters to make sure they are hearing the facts about what’s going on in RISD -- not the latest social media nonsense."

Karen Clardy’s abrupt resignation from her job as president of the Richardson school board jolted thousands in her community. Whether working in the front...

10/08/2021

Student proficiency fell nationwide as a result of Covid and related interruptions to learning. But Richardson ISD student proficiency fell less than most surrounding districts in Dallas County in both reading and math. While we are right to want to support our students in recovering from the learning loss that occurred during Covid, we should also celebrate the amazing job our RISD teachers did despite challenging circumstances.