15 Feb 2002
Board Agrees To Accept Proposal From Four Demographers For Further Consultation
DALLAS—The Dallas Independent School District's Board of Trustees on Friday evening, Feb. 15, moved a step closer to finalizing the redistricting process by narrowing the maps under consideration from 14 to two, and by agreeing to accept proposals from four demographers who would consult with the board further as they complete the redistricting process.
During the meeting the board voted to eliminate the following 12 maps: Plan 1 revision 5-B, which was the map originally adopted by the board in October of 2001; Plan X revision 2; Plan 1 revision 6; Plan 1 revision 7; Plan 1 revision 8; Plan 2 revision 3; Plan 2 revision 3-A; Plan 2 revision 5; Plan T; Plan U revision 2; Plan U revision 3; and Plan 2 revision 6.
The maps left before the board for consideration include: Plan 2 revision 7, and Plan 1 revision 9.
Trustees also voted 9-0 to receive proposals to hire up to four demographers who would consult further with the board and offer "second opinions" on future deliberations of the board to narrow the field and select a map that would lead to redrawing redistricting lines.
Trustees agreed to accept a proposal from Jorge Chapa, a professor of Latino studies from Indiana University; Ronald Briggs, the Professor of Geography and Political Economy at the University of Texas at Dallas; Bill Rives of the Graduate School of Business at Franklin University of Columbus, Ohio, and Peter Morrison, a senior staff demographer and resident consultant with The Rand Corporation of Santa Monica, California.
Board of Trustees President Ken Zornes said the consultants were being hired to "confirm the data that's been given to us" as the board goes through the process of reaching a final map that it feels can be approved by the U.S. Department of Justice and fairly represents the citizens of Dallas.
Trustees will hear proposals to hire a consultant during the Committee of the Whole meeting of the board on Wednesday, Feb. 20.
During discussions Friday evening, the board also said it will ask a district judge for a decision about when the board may hold elections again now that the opportunity to hold May 2002 elections have passed, and a November election is not feasible because of the size of the ballot and the fact that board elections are non-partisan and the November elections will be bi-partisan.