With Regards for Children,

Lew Blackburn, Ph.D.

President, Board of Trustees

Dallas ISD

972-925-3720

Vision: Dallas ISO seeks to be a premier urban school district.

Mission: Educating all students for success

.. -'--.'.-~.--~~"@:iiiIIIii.iir ,--.~.~,----'"'---.,---.-.~From: Lew Blackburn [IblackburnSent: Tuesday, February 26,2013 10:10 PMTo: Nutall, BernadetteCc: Miles, Mike; Bernadette Nuta!J; Reyna, Sylvia; Oberlton, Willie J; Sonya D. Hoskins(sonya.h@robinsonandhoskins.com); Harris, Denoris B; Castillo, Gina L; Blackburn, LewSubject: Re: approaching EDs

On Tue, Feb 26, 2013 at 7:17 PM, Nutall, Bernadette <benutall@dallasisd.org> wrote:

Superintendent Miles,

I am responding to your email dated Monday, February 25th• Thank you so much

for articulating your concerns. I believe this provides me the perfect opportunity toclarify some misconceptions and inaccuracies that you have communicated to notonly me, but also to other trustees, community members, parents, staff, and themedia.

First and foremost, your blatant mischaracterization of my communication with theED's confirms what I have previously verbally articulated to you, that your actionsand words as superintendent are often intentionally misleading and dishonest.Character means everything Superintendent Miles and you have not onlyquestioned my character, but also my integrity through these false allegations.

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To be sure, I have spoken with three EDs and have simply asked them questionsthat my constituents, parents and community members have asked me. One of theconversations was initiated by an ED! These questions are the same questions that Ihave posed to you and have yet to receive an answer to. This is par the course foryou, unfortunately.

I have requested the SEls of schools in District 9, and a breakdown of principalsplaced on growth plans. This is in no way to intimidate, but to be informed about aprocess that should be fair, legal, consistent and absent of unethical and unfairtargeting.

I have never directed any staff to do any action, but have only asked questionsabout certain processes and procedures, for clarification and information so that Iwould have a better understanding.

Information is something that you have routinely tried to restrict from certaintrustees during your tenure with DISD. I say 'certain trustees' because you seek todemonize the actions of select trustees while condoning and facilitating the sameactions of others. Your attempts to limit the information that trustees receive revealsa strategy of employee isolation in an attempt to limit your accountability to theboard, and subsequently the citizens of Dallas. Your actions, Superintendent Miles,hurt this District. You place hubris above humility.

I understand that I am not one of your 'favored and preferred' trustees, but I will notallow you to marginalize my constituents and students by playing favorites. Forexample, Trustees Bingham and Morath routinely speak with, and make requests of,your staff with impunity. To further highlight your biased actions, I look no furtherthan you accommodating Trustee Bingham's request for funds for a project of ahigh school in her district. However, when I followed up regarding funds that werealready promised by your staff for the culinary arts program at Lincoln, youessentially laid out the hoops and hurdles that I and. my constituents would have tonavigate. This would not be a problem if every trustee had to do so, not just onewho isn't part of your preferred circle. In the landmark case, Brown vs. The TopekaBoard of Education, the actions in question meant that separate but not equal wasnot only a legal injustice, but a moral one as well. Your actions to cater to a certaindemographic of trustees and subsequently their constituents, is tantamount toseparate but not equal.

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Perhaps the most arrogant and revealing aspect of your accusation is the use of theword intimidation. I, as trustee, must now really question whether you areabsolutely clueless regarding your actions as superintendent since you arrived here?You have instituted a protocol in which employees of the district must inform theirsupervisor if they have communication with a trustee, is the epitome ofintimidation. This is especially the case when you review section 2.7 of youremployment contract regarding criticisms,' complaints and suggestions. Byimplementing your restrictive communication protocols, you have done nothing buttry to mute the concerns of a workforce that you routinely intimidate.

Superintendent Miles, I categorically deny and refute any characterization of myasking questions on behalf of my constituents, about the leadership of schools, asbeing intimidating. I do however, view your email as inflammatory and especiallypremature, because you did not reach out to me and ask me about my version ofevents. If you had done so, the resulting actions that Iwill take could have easilybeen avoided. I refer you to sections 2.1 of your employee contract, items (1), (p)and (q), in stating my belief that you have routinely acted in violation of youragreement.

I am well aware of my role and duties as an elected official and a Trustee of theDallas Independent School District, and operate within those parameters. Beingquestioned by a trustee on behalf of their constituents is not obstruction. It is notintimidation. It is not opposition. It is what concerned communities and parents do.

I look forward to addressing this accusation and the tenor of your email. Pleaseschedule immediately a meeting with the three referenced EDs so that Imay heardirectly from my accusers as to Illy conversation with them regarding the evaluationof any principal.

Please advise as to the date and time of the meeting. I am asking that BoardPresident Blackburn and the board attorney be present. And I fully expectappropriate sanctions of those staff members following the meeting for engaging inunprofessional and unethical behavior by misrepresenting the truth through theseunfounded allegations.

Trustee Bernadette N utallDistrict 9

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