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DISD Students Walk Out Over New Principal Policy

Dozens of Madison High School students in South Dallas walked out of class today. 

They joined some parents in protesting the possible firing of their principal, Marian Willard.  

They’re concerned Willard is among Dallas principals who would lose her job under Superintendent Mile Miles’ new performance plan for campus administrators.

“We don’t want her to leave. She is a great principal. She came to this school and turned it around when no one else could,” said student Monicea Barnes as she waved a sign that said “save our principal”

Superintendent Miles has said more effective principals are a key to improved learning in Dallas schools.  He is evaluating principals and says some may be asked to leave after this school year.

Miles’ critics say he hasn’t even been in the district a year and he’s not giving principals a chance to meet new standards.

It does not appear that any of the students were disciplined for leaving class.  DISD has not yet responded to questions about how the walk out was handled.

Former KERA staffer Shelley Kofler was news director, managing editor and senior reporter. She is an award-winning reporter and television producer who previously served as the Austin bureau chief and legislative reporter for North Texas ABC affiliate WFAA-TV.
Lauren Silverman was the Health, Science & Technology reporter/blogger at KERA News. She was also the primary backup host for KERA’s Think and the statewide newsmagazine  Texas Standard. In 2016, Lauren was recognized as Texas Health Journalist of the Year by the Texas Medical Association. She was part of the Peabody Award-winning team that covered Ebola for NPR in 2014. She also hosted "Surviving Ebola," a special that won Best Long Documentary honors from the Public Radio News Directors Inc. (PRNDI). And she's won a number of regional awards, including an honorable mention for Edward R. Murrow award (for her project “The Broken Hip”), as well as the Texas Veterans Commission’s Excellence in Media Awards in the radio category.