Self-proclaimed as “The Mecca”, South Oak Cliff was once designated a "white" school by DISD when it first opened its doors in 1952.
When the district desegregated in the late 1960s and as a result of "white-flight", the school's demographics quickly changed to nearly 100% Black.
Principal Willie Johnson’s journey as an educator began right here at South Oak Cliff, first as a teacher and coach from 1992 to 2000 and, since about 2015, as an administrator.
According to Johnson, when he first arrived the campus population was just shy of 700 students. As of August 2023, enrollment is 1,647.
He is larger than life on campus and people often hear about him long before they meet him.
South Oak Cliff High School, located in Dallas’ City Council District 4, had faced challenges related to its aging infrastructure, including plumbing, poor air quality, and inadequate heating and cooling systems. The situation affected the learning environment and led to a student-organized walkout in 2015.
“We are the best prescription fillers, we know what our kids need. If you haven’t been Black, if you don’t know what struggle is, then you can’t give us what we need, you can’t address it effectively,” Johnson said.
He said he emphasizes the need for equity, not just equality, and has found support from city officials like Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson and the Police Chief Eddie Garcia.
Aftermore than $50 million were spent on campus renovations, students returned to a new building in January 2020.
Derrick Battie, South Oak Cliff alum and now campus community liaison, runs the school’s two resource centers and collaborates with community organizations and corporations such as Frito-Lay to provide wraparound services to SOC students and their families.
Wraparound service programs provide comprehensive support that address the diverse needs of students and their families.
"They strengthen equity, helps to eliminate bullying and addresses non-academic barriers like food insecurity needs and assisting unhoused families," Battie said.
Community organizations like For Oak Cliff, At Last, Friendship West Baptist Church, and many others have helped to keep SOC resource centers stocked. Pace and Ross Learning Center, a nearby child care center, provides care to the children of SOC students at a discounted rate.
A Golden Era
In December 2022, South Oak Cliff High School became the first Dallas ISD football team to win back-to-back state championships in the Texas UIL 5A Division.
Head Coach Jason Todd and Defensive Coordinator Kyle Ward have been working together at SOC for about eight years. The team has managed to create a collaborative environment to see them thrive in a cohesive manner.
And although laden with star power, the road to these championship titles did not happen overnight.
“The biggest thing is just the overall chemistry that was established by the staff. And I think the culture of the kids has changed throughout the years. You know, we are great in academics, ” Todd said.
Coupled with increased parental involvement and an increase in academics, nearly 90% of the 2023 graduating class of SOC football seniors have committed to and are attending various colleges, including notable Texas campuses like SMU, TCU and Rice University.
These young athletes are also scholars who have met the same requirements to participate in early signing as well.
Got a tip? Email Brittany Stubblefield-Engram at bstubblefield-engram@kera.org. You can follow Brittany on Twitter @thebritofdallas.
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