Last week, the Texas Attorney General's Office offered its opinion that the Dallas Independent School District's board of trustees "was not authorized to change the length of its members' terms of office" from three to four years last November. Which has prompted a called board meeting at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow, during which the board will discuss the opinion and consult with its attorney. But, more significantly, the board will consider a "motion to instruct school board counsel to seek court approval for special election and to secure Department of Justice approval on election issued for the District."
Not surprisingly, trustee Carla Ranger -- who asked for the opinion in the first place -- has some thoughts on the matter.
Seeking "court approval" is not required in order to call a "special election," but it serves the purpose of providing a new reason to fight the decision of the Attorney General in court.
What is really intended is to find a court that will approve the term extension from three to four years that was found by the Attorney General to be a clear violation of the "plain meaning" of Section 11.059 (e) -Texas Education Code requiring any changes to be made "Not later than December 31, 2007."
Instead of setting the special election, the Board is being asked to go to court.
It appears to be another self-serving agenda of political deceit, defiance and delay.
