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Besieged African-American School District Battling Criticisms,
State Takeover

Wilmer Hutchins ISD Superintendent Charles Matthews knows what its like to be on the battlefield and in the trenches.
For years, he has fought hard from the classroom to the boardroom and against the odds worked to ensure African-American children have access to the best education possible.
Now with mounting criticisms from some board members and state education officials and daily pressure and challenges from an obsessed Dallas news media for him to step aside, Matthews is undaunted and prepared to fight on for the children in the district.
“This is the latest in blatant attacks on Black owned and Black run school districts,” Matthews said. “It is an attempt to make the district and board look bad because they want (the state) to take complete control of this district.”
The Wilmer Hutchins Independent School District is one of only two remaining school districts in the state of Texas run by African-Americans. The other is the North Forest Independent School District in Houston – a district where Matthews spent 15 years earning his stripes as teacher, principal, assistant superintendent and deputy superintendent prior to coming to Wilmer-Hutchins.

“We are in for a long fight here, but we are not moving,” he said. “This fight is two-fold, focusing on improving the quality education of our children and on the struggle to maintain the positive image of the African American male as role models in the school system.”
The Wilmer Hutchins ISD is located in the southern Dallas County and encompasses the incorporated cities of Hutchins, Wilmer, Lancaster, and small sections of Dallas. The district has about 21,000 people and serves about 3,200 students, from urban, suburban and rural areas.
Of those, 61.5 percent of the people living in the district are African-Americans, while only 18 percent are white and 18 percent are Hispanic.

Schools in the district include the Alta Mesa Learning Center, A.L. Morney Learning Center, Bishop Heights Elementary, C.S. Winn Elementary, Kennedy Curry Middle School, Wilmer Elementary, Hutchins 5th Grade Center, Wilmer-Hutchins High School, Wilmer-Hutchins Magnet High School and the Alternative School.
African Americans also dominate school rolls making up 70 percent of the student population compared to 25 percent Hispanic and four-percent for whites.
The current problems surfaced after the district after some repairs at the high school were not completed in time for the start of the year.
Critics attacked Matthews and his staff for the deteriorating physical conditions at the high school and failing to ensure that the facilities were up to par with state standards.
According to Matthews, the cash strapped district is balancing its limited finances in an attempt to meet education goals and keep facilities operating as much as possible.
However, state, district officials and the community have been aware of the need for better facilities since 2002.

A report on the condition of facilities in the district revealed the need to make major renovations and improvements at its schools that would increase classroom space, address safety and health issues and better learning conditions and environments for students. One of the schools noted in the report has been in service since 1923, while other school buildings were constructed between 1954 and 1966.
Matthews and school officials have also been the subject of a barrage of media coverage about the state of the district’s finances, poor test scores, alleged mismanagement of district funds and the inability to make employee payroll and pay district bills.

The allegations have stirred state officials who are threatening to take over running the district’s day-to-day operations.
“The negative reports and daily potshots at this district are tilted, skewed and being exploited,” he said. “This is overshadowing the positive work of many hardworking teachers and administrators and parents in this district who support us and are working to bring quality examples and education to our children.”
Mathews believes the state scrutiny, media coverage and accusations by some disgruntled dissenters from the community are being manipulated to cast negative shadows on the district, school officials and the school board.
“There is a plantation mindset here to return things to the way it used to be,” Matthews said. “They want to make Blacks look bad and intend to do this by embarrassing us, and destroying the reputations of the positive Black role models.”
Mathews believes the overall goals of the attacks are to use the districts past failures and current problems as reasons to justify why African Americans should not be holding key positions in the district.
However, Mathews stands on his record of innovative successes leading school districts, including serving his service as superintendent at Wilmer-Hutchins ISD.
His mission continues to be the school’s mission statement to provide an exemplary education for all students by creating a safe learning environment, in a way that students can learn, be challenged and feel valued; so that their success produces respectful, responsible, and productive citizens of our community who make lasting contributions to our society.
In 1991, Matthews was selected Texas Association of School Boards “Superintendent of the Year and has received high acclaim for his ability to find ways to improve district strategic and financial planning, human resource management and school plant operations. He also is a proven communicator when dealing with families and community groups from diverse racial and educational backgrounds.

Other accomplishments include being instrumental in implementing the first three-year old kindergarten program in Texas and adding the first Saturday school in the state.
“We feel this is being accomplished with the various programs we have to help students find the best way to learn and use their talents,” he said. “Our concepts focus on the positive talent in each child and we tap and develop the stronger skills and help build up any weaker areas.”
The district also works hard to remove the stigma of special education from black children using early childhood programs and early intervention instruction.
Currently, Matthews and his staff are working on innovative math and reading programs that help assess students and pinpoint strengths and weaknesses designed especially for students in grades 6 – 12.

It is also followed up with individualized and group instruction that results in better test scores and bring kids reading and math performances to grade level.
“This is still one of the best districts in Texas for an African American child to get an education because of the strong Black men and women working in the system and carrying the torch,” Matthews said. “We work to encourage our children to be the best they can be and by year’s end, expect most of our kids to be up to grade level tasks.”
Our goal is to reach African-American students, ignite their interest in education and harness and direct their talents and skills in a way that leads to success, he added.
Wilmer-Hutchins Business Manager Phillip Roberson said the main issue is acquiring the necessary funds needed to get the district back into shape.
According to Roberson, the district is dealing with a $100,000 deficit in its budget.
The district is struggling to stay afloat, but contends maintaining aging equipment and facilities are its greatest challenges.

“Capital expenditures are the largest concerns we face and that is making it tough for us right now,” he said. “We need some long term financing to help us weather the storm,”
According to Roberson, limited resources and increasing costs for repairs, maintenance and operations demands have also taken a toll on the district’s budget.
Roberson also point to the need to pass an upcoming bond issue Sept. 18 to help ease the district’s financial woes.
It has been 25 years since the district approved a bond issue for school improvements.
“We must look beyond the box, step out and focus on what is needed in this district with open eyes,” Matthews said. “We have one shot to reach out and touch these children and must make the difference now while we can.”
Mathews added that the communities supporting the district must step up and give the district the funding help it needs to improve facilities rather than allow building to exist in a state of constant decay.

“We can no longer afford repairs and patching,” he said. “We must take steps that will give us the kind of modern facilities and technology that other districts now have.”
Without the funds, the district faces some tougher financial decisions ahead in the future until state funding or grants come available to make improvements.