By Bill Zeeble, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-874283.mp3
Dallas, TX –
Tomorrow's Dallas School Board runoff race in District 9 features two political newcomers: Bernadette Nutall and Sally Cain. For years, the seat has been held by an African American. This election could change that. But both candidates say race is not an issue. They tell KERA's Bill Zeeble that in this election, money is the issue after last year's budget and layoff debacle at the Dallas Independent School District.
Bill Zeeble, KERA reporter: This is an open seat after long-time incumbent Ron Price chose not to seek re-election. The top issue among many voters is the district's mis-managed budget. Gene Davis said so at a recent candidate forum.
Davis: The basic issue is the district at the board level has to change. And it has to change because the financial system's a mess. It's been that way for now going on for 10 years and they just got unlucky 2 years ago and it got exposed.
Last month's top vote-getter in the crowded field of four was Bernadette Nutall, with 45 percent of the vote. Sitting in her daughter's private gymnastics class the other night, Nutall said she's running to improve education. But the first thing she'll do elected is follow the money.
Bernadette Nutall, DISD District 9 candidate: My role would be to look & pick the budget apart and see how we're spending money and see what's working and what's not and what we can change, and read everything. Everything given to me, read, read, read and make sure you are asking the right questions.
Last year the district laid off hundreds of teachers & staff after finding a surprise 84 million dollar loss. Nutall says the secret is to avoid surprises. She says she knows how to examine books because the non-profit group she co-founded to serve children in the summer, Circle of Support, has a $340,000 annual budget.
Nutall: I carry it around every day looking at ways to better serve the children in the summertime.
Nutall says Superintendent Hinojosa and his staff must be held more accountable following their costly mistakes. She says she would also work hard to fund early childhood and after-school programs in all schools, not just a few. That's what constituents tell her, and she says some also worry that the 9th District seat could go to a white trustee. Bernadette Nutall, an African American, says race is not an issue, but understands the concern. She says now, three trustees are Black, three White, and three are Hispanic.
Nutall: I think that's fair, because everyone has a voice at the table. I believe we need to have a voice at the table.
Nutall's opponent, Sally Cain, is white, and says race is a non issue. Cain pulled 33 percent of the November vote.
Sally Cain, DISD District 9 candidate: It's not about race or skin color, it's about the human race, it's about kids and children and all children, and I don't have anything else to say about it. It's about who can do the best job for DISD at this time.
Cain says she's the best choice of the two. On a cold, sunny afternoon, she's knocking on neighborhood doors to explain why.
But on this day, she finds nobody home. Cain would cite her experience as a former classroom teacher, education advisor to the Texas Senate, and appointee to the Department of Education in the Clinton administration. She says she would hold the administration accountable.
Cain: A lot of people are just angry with the board it all comes down to finances and pocketbooks and who's spending our money wisely. It's all about accountability and we've got to step up. We've got to be more accountable at the Dallas school district level. We got to make sure to rebuild the public trust.
Cain says she would also work to provide services like after-school and tutoring programs to students who need them. Ever since she learned her own son has dyslexia, she's worked to help students with reading problems.
Cain: And I want to make sure we're not losing out students because they're poor readers. New research suggests that at 4th,5th and 6th grade, our students . are expected to comprehend more & have better skills, and move faster through the curriculum, they may have slow reading that could be easily remediated with some identification, some services.
Without help, Cain fears they might drop out when they could have received help. Cain faces Bernadette Nutall in the Dallas School Board District 9 runoff race tomorrow.