Aldine Independent School District (AISD) and the U.S. Department of Justice seek the termination of the desegregation case, “Sampson and United States v. Aldine Independent School District, et al, CIVIL ACTION NO. 64-H-273.” This case is currently pending before Judge David Hittner, a United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas. AISD which seeks a declaration of unitary status, had a series of town hall meetings to discuss the issue with the community.

These meetings took place on August 15, 22, and 29 at Carver High School, Aldine High School and MacArthur High School respectively. Since 1965, AISD has operated under a federal court order requiring the district to desegregate its schools to the extent practicable. During that time a federal court has exercised oversight of the school district’s operations in the areas of student assignment, employment of personnel, faculty and staff assignment, transportation, extracurricular activities, and facilities.

The U.S. Department of Justice, the plaintiff in the district’s desegregation case, has also monitored the quality of education provided to all of its students. During this time, the district was required to submit bi-annual reports to the court and the Department of Justice showing compliance with the desegregation order. The Department of Justice and AISD have reviewed the compliance and progress toward satisfying the requirements of the court’s orders in this case.
Both believe they have met all of the requirements of the desegregation orders. They also agree that AISD should receive unitary status and this case should be dismissed in its entirety. “Unitary” is a term used by federal courts to recognize that a school district has satisfied its burden to eliminate the vestiges of discrimination to the extent practicable, and it means the end of court involvement in a school district’s programmatic and educational decisions.

AISD will submit to the Federal Court, a motion to dismiss the desegregation case and a proposed order dismissing the case that will include the legal basis for the dismissal. The district has requested that Judge Hittner schedule a hearing in late September or early October 2002. Aldine officials believe that if the court decides to dismiss the desegregating lawsuit, the district will no longer be subject to the specific requirements in the current desegregation order, such as specific racial percentages of students or faculty at individual school campuses and the district will no longer be required to submit regular reports to the court or the Department of Justice.
Decisions about the school district, such as establishing attendance boundaries or whether and when to construct new school buildings will be make solely by AISD’s Board of Trustees without prior approval from the Department of Justice or the Federal Court. This is basically what the board stated at every town hall meeting. Many people in the community did not know that these meetings were taking place.

Many parents and teachers through out the district were not notified until the last minute. At the first meeting at Carver, 2100 S. Victory, there was a lot of tension in the air because no one knew what to expect. A few people from the community came to voice their opinions and to find out what this will mean to the children if the district is able to terminate the desegregation order.
Superintendent Nadine Kujawa presented a Powerpoint presentation showing why district officials believe unitary status should be declared. However, when she showed a graph depicting how African-American children were doing in math, writing, and reading in Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS), it was apparent that the African-American children were always on the bottom. The realization made most people squirm in their seats. Yet Kujawa stated, “Ninety percent of everyone has passed the TAAS test in reading and that’s 90% of 53,000 kids. In writing, there is no gap. Ninety-three percent of African-Americans are passing the writing part of the TAAS. That’s the State’s measure on how well our kids are doing.”

The presentation didn’t set too well with members of the audience who believe mostly that the presentation was not a true representation about the children in Aldine. Many stood up to make their comments about the presentation and the board’s decision known. “This is a very serious matter. This is dealing with the education for our children. Dr. Kujawa said it. I could kiss her for saying that so well. Aldine do not need to be removed from under the desegregation plan. You needed a court order to be fair to our children. You did it, but you were forced to do so. But, till Aldine sits down and prove to us that these numbers are correct, we do not need to go from under the desegregation plan,” stated Roy Douglas Malonson, CEO/Chairman of Acres Home Citizen Chamber of Commerce.

George Scott, president of TRA, said, “I have been working in this community since April 14, 1991 with Mr. Malonson on matters of education. If this is the best that Aldine can do under item 7 (in terms of quality of education) I can not conceivably as a pro bono, not paid one cent consultant for 11 years of work with Mr. Malonson - recommend that the Acres Home Citizens Chamber do anything other than consult what ever legal advice appropriate to it, to advocate its position. There is a lot we know about AISD. There is much that you have willing and willfully chosen to keep secret and not disclosed to the public.”

Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee who came to the meeting from an prior engagement said, “I would like to have information concerning the quality of education concerning the children in the Aldine district and make it available for the Acres Home community. The board needs to sit down with the community to discuss this before making any decision.”

The second meeting was held at Aldine High School, 11101 Airline Drive. Kujawa gave the same presentation and that “red line” graph made audience members uncomfortable once again and many questioned it. Malonson gave the board an open record request, seeking information about the correlation between TAAS math and reading scores by students, and the Iowa Test of basic skills scores in reading, math and science. There was also a request for students’ participation and performance in EOC Algebra. They also requested copies of all written communication from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, asking that this State agency provide Aldine ISD with annual and continuous monitoring of the college enrollment tracking and available performance data regarding AISD’S high school graduates. “It’s a shame that we had to spend our money to get information about what’s going on with our children in school that the board already has,” said Malonson. When the letter was presented to the board, a concerned parent and community representative noticed that none of the board members opened the letter to just glance at it. “My mama always told me when someone gives you something, at least have the courtesy to open it and see what it is. I’m in support of not going from under the desegregation plan,” said Rev. Fred Sanders of Cliffdale Baptist Church. Nevertheless, the audience was assured of compliance with the request. “We plan to give the information stated in the letter to Mr. Malonson,” said Kujuwa.

“I’m concerned about the red line. We are always on the bottom. You are making it look like Black children are unable to be educated. You need to get teachers that can relate to the students at these schools and we are asking you to sit down and talk to us more about this desegregation plan,” stated Keith Silas, board member of Acres Home Citizens Chamber of Commerce. James Parker said, “Open the school board up. You think you’re in touch with people out here, but you’re not. It will be hell to pay to get different opinions on the board. You need more members on the board. You took our schools and tore them apart instead of keeping our schools together. You made Academy this and that. You need to expand the board and get people to put input. The color of the board is different, but the logic is the same. Don’t become part of problem.” The most often repeated question was, “If the district is doing so well under this order, why change it now?”

Kujawa’s answer was, “The school district will be able to build schools through the district without going to the court to get a permit.”

The last meeting was held at MacArthur High School, 440 Aldine Mail Route. In this meeting, several representatives from churches and organizations were present to speak in favor of the “Chamber Plan” presented by Malonson and the AHCCC. Malonson came prepared with this presentation and gave the board a list of demands the community wanted which they say were promised for years by the Aldine district. Some of these demands dealt with the facilities. The Acres Home community wants a new high school. “Since Eisenhower is over capacity this entitles us to a new high school that has been promised to us over 40 years before Eisenhower was even thought about. There will be a new high school for Carver High School. We want Carver High School to be a full fledged high school, with the same type of facilities that all the other high schools in Aldine have. Employment personnel staffing should be extended to all in many cases to represent the demographics of the high school attendance zone. In the same way you promote within, African-Americans that graduated from Aldine, all faculty, staff, and board members must live in boundaries of the Aldine district,” stated Malonson.

When this point was brought out, some of the members of the board were visibly uncomfortable because some of them do not live in the district and according to this demand, they will have to move into the district or resign their positions. Malonson continued, “All we wanted was a brand new school in the beginning. You took our heart out of our body and cut it up in four parts. Like the Tin Man said on the Wizard of Oz, I just want my heart back. Give us back our community.”
“You can stick your head in the sand or listen to the community,” stated Kofi Taharka, chairman of National Black United Front. “We need to come up with a plan that would work for everyone collectively,” said State Rep. Sylvester Turner. “I believe quality of education is still here,” stated Congress Gene Green in support of the Acres Home community.

Rev. Ameal Jones of Mount Ararat Baptist Church asked “What is your criteria for good teachers and do you care what race they are?” Dorothy Hubburd, community activist and aide to Jackson Lee stated, “Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee still has not received any information she asked for in the first meeting on August 15.” Kujuwa replied by saying “She’ll have to put it in writing and we’ll be happy to give her the information she wants.” This caused someone to remark, “If a Congresswoman can’t get the information about our children, just think what a regular ‘Joe’ of the street has to do to get information concerning our children.”

“What will be the improvement by changing this status and what great things are going to be accomplished by this?,” asked Rev. Samuel Cosby of Mount Calvary Lutheran Church. Other pastors who came in support of the Chamber Plan were Rev. Raymond Hillis of Progressive Missionary Baptist Church, Rev. John H. Wilburn of Greater New Hope Baptist Church and Rev. James McLaughlin, pastor of Ward Chapel A.M.E. Church. Dorita Hatchett, a representative from Community of Faith Church, came to represent the church, pastored by Rev. Jame E. Dixon, II. Community of Faith Church is the one of the largest churches in Houston. Larry Williams represented Rev. Floyd Williams and the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church.

The Acres Home Citizen Chamber of Commerce has taken legal representation by Watts & Associates, P.C., in case Aldine tries to take this matter to court. In response, the school board called an emergency meeting on Thursday, September 12, 2002 at the M.O. Campbell Center, 1865 Aldine Bender at 7:00p.m. to “review and clarify concerns that have been raised at the previous meetings.” The Acres Home community is urged to attend this important and last meeting.