What the What? Carla Ranger's Firing Has Suddenly Turned into "Radical Demotion."

By Robert Wilonsky Tue., May 26 2009 at 2:00 PM

Categories: Edumication News

DISD board trustee Carla Ranger

I've given up trying to get answers from Dallas County Community College District officials concerning the firing of Dallas Independent School District trustee Carla Ranger last week; all we have to go on is this letter from DCCCD Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs W.G. Garland, which Ranger posted to her blog at the end of last week. But since last we left this incident, a most curious turn of events has taken place: Ranger writes today that she's been offered a different job with DCCCD -- though it's one two rungs lower on the food chain than her previous gig, one that comes with significantly lower pay, and one that calls for her to answer to someone holding the title from which she's been given the boot. "A radical demotion," Ranger calls it, before laying out all the sordid details.

So, why the change of heart? Ranger has her theories, which will have to do in lieu of an official explanation from DCCCD officials who refuse to return Unfair Park's phone calls -- even if only to explain it's a personnel issue about which they cannot to comment. Writes Ranger:

In essence, I was offered the "opportunity" to start over from scratch at the very end of a 20-year career with the District.

Something is very wrong with this picture.

I believe this was in response to the questions that have been raised by others about my dismissal. ...

What has been presented is the choice to leave the district or take a transfer and demotion. The demotion also might make it very difficult to continue serving on the school board.

On Monday I was offered nothing. On Friday I was offered an unjust demotion. From Monday to Friday -- a week of dismay, disappointment and disbelief.

The whole thing appears to make no sense -- except for the smell of politics.