TISD Trustees Meet Again Tonight on Unitary Status

TYLER — Tyler ISD trustees continue to seek comment on what could end a 46-year-old desegregation order, with a vote expected this evening. KETK reports that pros and cons were heard as the school board opened the floor Tuesday evening. Since July 27, 1970, TISD has been ordered to desegregate their schools. Since then, the district said they have complied with federal regulations to maintain racial diversity. “We have come to conclude that this school district has satisfied its burden and is eligible for unitary status,” said Marcos Ronquillo, an attorney from Friedman & Feiger law firm in Dallas.

In March, the board voted unanimously to hire the law firm to explore the feasibility of reaching unitary status. Ronquillo presented an overview Tuesday of their analysis on Tyler ISD meeting the legal principles for unitary status. Although legal counsel said the school district is eligible to lift the order, Board of Trustees President Andy Bergfeld said they want to make sure every voice is heard. “TISD has not been involved in desegregating the schools in, according to the statistics, up to 36 years. I can promise that we will never be involved in segregating our schools again,” said Bergfeld.

Unitary status is achieved when the district has no racial discrimination involving faculty, staff, student assignment, facilities, transportation and extracurricular activities. If the order is lifted, Tyler ISD would have proved it does not operate a dual school system based on race. Bergfeld said it would also give administrators flexibility to address student population growth within the district and individual schools.

While the proposal states the district has provided proof they comply, Tyler/Smith County NAACP President Cedric Granberry thinks they’re not in a position to. “Because you look at different schools and you see things that are different from one side of town to the other,” he said. Granberry said it’s a shame we have to be under the order to begin with. “I wonder where would we be if we weren’t under that order, if it wasn’t for that order? So at this point, we still do not feel that things are equal,” he said.

Whether the order is lifted or not, Tyler ISD said they have one goal. “We still have the belief that we will educate all children and they will have an equal opportunity for education,” said Bergfeld. They will be taking public input again tonight at 7:00 at the regular school board meeting located in the Davidson Conference Center, 807 W. Glenwood Blvd. Bergfeld said they plan on making a final decision at that time on whether to move forward with pursuing unitary status. A lengthy process is anticipated before a final decision is made on whether the order should remain in place or be lifted.