South Oak Cliff HS Renovation Plans Plagued With Problems

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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Plans to renovate a Dallas ISD school is plagued with problems and could cut funding to other schools in the district. The proposal appears to have trustee support even though other schools may be overlooked.

For months, complaints surged, students protested and alums alleged systemic unfairness.

South Oak Cliff High School became the eye of the storm for a hurricane of accusations against the Dallas School District.

The school building has faced gas leaks along with claims of contaminated drinking water. Many claimed that to improve the school put student's safety in jeopardy.

Now, the Dallas School Board is poised to approve a complete redesign of the school with fifty-two-million dollars of work.  But there's a hitch.

"I'm here to remind you of the facility needs of all high schools," says parent Louisa Meyer.

Meyer and others say the district has a list of 28 schools with equal or higher levels of disrepair as well.

Meyer says, "For ten months, you've listened to one community. I ask you spend the next two weeks thinking about the needs of those you've not heard from."

South Oak Cliff Alum Horace Bradshaw knows DISD plans to redirect dollars slated for other schools and programs to finance the South Oak Cliff renovation.

But this school, he said, needs the work now. "The politicians say they want a new school. That's what's we prefer. But if DISD can come up with 52-million, they started with nine million," says Bradshaw.

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