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ON THE FIRING LINE:
Alumnus Mike Moses Takes On Troubled Dallas ISD

Dr. Mike Moses

It may seem like an almost everyday occurence for the Dallas Independent School District to be getting a new superintendent (they’re had five in four years), but it’s certainly not every day that the new hire has inspired as much hope as this one seems to have. Can it be because the latest, Dr. Mike Moses (Ed.D., 1980), is a Texas A&M-Commerce alumnus?
Here’s what he has to say about what’s ahead—and how the people behind him make it possible to take it all on.

On his chances of still being superintendent in five years, when his current contract will be up:
The chances of my still being superintendent of schools in Dallas at the end of the contractual period depends upon our ability to develop a civic capacity to improve the schools in the Dallas Independent School District. Schools certainly don’t belong to me; they belong to the citizens and taxpayers in the Dallas ISD. If we focus on student achievement, train and nurture our teachers, and conduct ourselves with honor and integrity, the chances of serving the entire contract will be very good. I am certainly going to endeavor to honor the commitment that I have made to the district in the form of a contract.

On the wisdom of tackling a job that’s given others so much grief:
All of us measure the challenges that we undertake. Certainly, I have tried to look carefully at the issues that are facing the Dallas ISD, while at the same time looking at the possibilities and opportunities. All of us desire to work in an area where we believe we can make a difference. I don’t know if I can make a difference for the children in the Dallas district, but I welcome the opportunity to try. I did not enter into this task recklessly or without a great deal of thought and consideration.

On working with a school board that has a reputation for being disagreeable:
My approach in working with the board will be to treat each member with the courtesy and respect that he or she deserves. These are elected officials. They serve without compensation. I will certainly offer my recommendations and counsel to the board, but it will be done in a professional way. I have found that the individual trustees care deeply for children and want the school district to be successful. It is up to me to work with the board to try to develop the chemistry that we need to be successful.

On being the highest paid school superintendent in the country:
There may be those who will say that the superintendent of schools is overpaid. There may be a few who believe that this individual will earn everything he is paid. Personally, I feel very fortunate to receive the compensation that I have been assigned. It is my job to go out and prove that I am deserving of the investment that the board has made.

On the fact that, despite the wishes of some in the district, the board did not hire a minority as superintendent:
As I have stated previously, I don’t think the color of my skin matters as much as whether or not I have a heart for children. Actually, I have not had any fallout from anyone regarding this subject. I suspect there are those who would have preferred a minority candidate. Again, it is my job to demonstrate that I am a person who wants all children to be successful and that I am an individual who can work with all the stakeholders in the Dallas community.

On working with a diverse student population:
In 1985, I assumed the superintendency in the La Marque Independent School District. When I left the district in 1989, it was over 55 percent African American. The Lubbock Independent School District was a diverse school district. Approximately 60 percent of those students were minority students. Furthermore, while serving as State Education Commissioner, I certainly felt responsible for a state system that was extremely diverse with urban and suburban school districts that required my attention.

please see "Moses", page 8