Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet

Last updated
Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet
Address
Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet
1201 East Eighth Street

Dallas, Texas
75203

United States
Coordinates 32°45′08″N96°48′24″W / 32.7522°N 96.8067°W / 32.7522; -96.8067 Coordinates: 32°45′08″N96°48′24″W / 32.7522°N 96.8067°W / 32.7522; -96.8067
Information
Type Public, Secondary
MottoRead. Write. Think.
School district Dallas Independent School District
PrincipalMichael Jones
Grades 9-12
Enrollment457
Trustee District 5, Lew Blackburn [1]
Website www.dallasisd.org/lawmagnet
The Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center Seal Smallsealtownview.png
The Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center Seal
Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center, which houses this school Oak Cliff September 2016 17 (Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center).jpg
Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center, which houses this school

The Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet is a Dallas Independent School District (DISD) magnet high school located in Dallas, Texas. Formerly the School of Government, Law, and Law Enforcement, it is a part of the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center. The school was renamed in honor of Judge Barefoot Sanders in 2009. Students and faculty refer to the school as the Law Magnet. The Law Magnet allow students to explore careers in government, law, and law enforcement. The school has three pathways: Criminal Justice, Government, and Pre-Law. Students have the option to enroll in the pathway of their choice upon enrolling in the school. The school provides students with a range of experiential learning activities, including project-based learning in the classroom, courtroom observations, and internships. These learning opportunities let students engage with local government, legal professions, and law enforcement in a variety of settings.

Contents

History

The Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet is the product of a landmark desegregation lawsuit initiated in the 1970s. The lawsuit, brought by Sam Tasby and others, sought to desegregate the Dallas Independent School District using the ruling from the Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka in 1954. This case, generally regarded as one of the most consequential in American history, declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students to be unconstitutional.

The Supreme Court's ruling in the Brown v. Board case was fiercely resisted in much of the South and Dallas was no exception. The city's schools remained de facto segregated until the 1970s.

Using the precedent set by the Brown v. Board case, United States District Judge William M. Taylor ordered Dallas Independent School District (DISD) leaders to develop a plan to fully desegregate the Dallas school system. Judge Barefoot Sanders, a seasoned United States District Judge and legal counsel to President Lyndon B. Johnson, later took over Tasby's initial desegregation lawsuit. He developed a desegregation plan for the district and, in 1983, the Dallas school board agreed to implement it. Judge Sanders oversaw the slow transformation of DISD. The district remained under federal oversight until he declared it officially desegregated in 2003.

A major element of Sanders' desegregation plan for DISD was the creation of four magnet schools. The Law Magnet was created in 1977 and was originally combined with the School of Education and Social Services (Rosie M. Sorrells School of Education & Social Services). Judge Sanders later signed an order commanding the Townview Magnet Center be created to house the DISD magnet programs. However, it was not until 1995 that the Law Magnet and the five other DISD magnet programs were consolidated at the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center. They have remained there ever since.

During the summer of 2009, the DISD Board of Trustees renamed the Law Magnet the Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet, in recognition of Judge Sanders' accomplishments in the field of civil rights and his significant impact on the city of Dallas. The formal naming ceremony was held on October 27, 2009.

Today, the Law Magnet honors Judge Sanders' intentions and is a model of an inclusive school, where all students—regardless of background—are given an opportunity to flourish and succeed.

Co-curricular activities

Although the Law Magnet does not offer competitive sports, (students have the option of competing under their local area high school), the school has a wide selection of competitive academic co-curricular activities. These include, but are not limited to:

Alumni

Notable alumni have attended respectable institutions of higher education such as: Brown, University of Chicago, Columbia University, Cornell, Georgetown, Harvard University, MIT, Notre Dame, UPenn, Princeton University, Smith, SMU, Stanford, The University of Texas, Texas A&M, Wellesley, and Yale.

Many alumni of the school have gone on to become lawyers and federal law enforcement professionals.

Awards

2023 - Magnet Schools of America School of Excellence Winner for Merit. National merit awards are given to magnet schools that demonstrate a commitment to high academic standards, curriculum innovation, successful desegregation and diversity efforts, and strong parent and community involvement.

2023 - Dr. Nolan Estes Leadership Ascension Award: Principal Garet Feimster. The University of Texas at Austin College of Education recognizes educational leadership for their commitment to excellence.

2022 - National Judicial Competition (NJC) Mock Trial National Champions. The National Judicial Competition (NJC) is an annual competition for high school student participants in the model judicial components (Appellate and Mock Trial) of the YMCA Youth and Government program. Each Youth and Government state program selects students from their state to compete in either the Appellate or Mock Trial competitions at NJC.

2022 - National Association for Urban Debate Leagues Coach of the Year Finalist (Top 5): Mary Gregg. NAUDL is a Chicago-based non-profit organization that prepares low-income students of color to succeed in college and in their future careers by organizing and supporting competitive debate teams in urban public schools across the country.

2021 - Dallas Independent School District Teacher of the Year: Yonathan Tadesse. Dallas ISD celebrates teaching excellence by recognizing outstanding educators who are making a difference in the lives of students every day.

2019 - National Blue Ribbon Schools Program Recipient: The U.S. Department of Education recognized 362 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2019 based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. These schools demonstrate that all students can achieve to high levels.

2019 - Terrel Bell Award for Outstanding Leadership Finalist (Top 30): Principal Garet Feimster. The Terrel H. Bell Award recognizes outstanding school leaders and the vital role they play in guiding students and schools to excellence, frequently under challenging circumstances.

The Law Magnet is currently ranked 41st in the Challenge Index, the oldest method for the statistical ranking of top public and private high schools in the United States, created by the Washington Post columnist Jay Mathews.

The Law Magnet is currently ranked 48th in nationally, sixth among Texas High Schools, and fourth in Dallas by U.S. News & World Report . [2]

Principals

A list of past Law Magnet principals:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oak Cliff</span> Neighborhood of Dallas, Texas, U.S.

Oak Cliff is an area of numerous communities and neighborhoods in Dallas, Texas, United States. Oak Cliff was a separate city in Dallas County until Dallas annexed Oak Cliff in 1901. The area contains some of Dallas' oldest historic districts and most established neighborhoods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts</span> Secondary school in Dallas, Texas, United States

Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (BTWHSPVA) is a public secondary school located in the Arts District of downtown Dallas, Texas, United States. Booker T. Washington HSPVA enrolls students in grades 9-12 and is the Dallas Independent School District's arts magnet school. Many accomplished performers and artists have been educated in the school. Some examples include Ernie Banks, Norah Jones, Erykah Badu, Adario Strange, Valarie Rae Miller, Edie Brickell, Kennedy Davenport, Sandra St. Victor, Roy Hargrove, and Scott Westerfeld.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dallas Independent School District</span> School district in Texas, United States

The Dallas Independent School District is a school district based in Dallas, Texas (USA). It operates schools in much of Dallas County and is the second-largest school district in Texas and the seventeenth-largest in the United States. It is also known as Dallas Public Schools (DPS).

Wilmer–Hutchins Independent School District (WHISD) was a school district in southern Dallas County, Texas serving the cities of Wilmer and Hutchins, a portion of Dallas, and a small portion of Lancaster. The district served urban, suburban, and rural areas. Some unincorporated areas with Ferris addresses were served by WHISD. It closed in 2006 and was absorbed by the Dallas Independent School District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vickery Place, Dallas</span>

Vickery Place is a historic neighborhood in East Dallas, Texas, bounded on the north by Goodwin Avenue, on the west by North Central Expressway and Henderson, on the south by Belmont, and on the east by Greenville Avenue. Although Vickery Place is considered by some to be part of the M Streets area, it is strictly speaking not as it is south of the Greenland Hills subdivision. Vickery Place has seen much improvement and property value growth over the past several years due to its close proximity to Downtown Dallas and Uptown, and its location bordering the vibrant Lower Greenville Avenue and Knox-Henderson entertainment and shopping districts.

South Oak Cliff High School is a public secondary school located in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, Texas, United States. South Oak Cliff High School enrolls students in grades 9-12 and is a part of the Dallas Independent School District (DISD).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">School for the Talented and Gifted</span> Public, secondary school in Dallas, Texas, United States

The School for the Talented and Gifted at the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center is a public college preparatory magnet secondary school located in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas, Texas. The school enrolls students in grades 9-12 and is a part of the Dallas Independent School District. It is known for its liberal arts, Advanced Placement Program and intensive education style. In 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2010 Newsweek named the school the #1 public high school in the United States. In 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, U.S. News & World Report named TAG the #1 public high school in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">School of Science and Engineering</span> Public, secondary school in Dallas, Texas, United States

The School of Science and Engineering Magnet is a magnet college preparatory high school located in the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center, home of six magnet high schools in the Dallas Independent School District. SEM's mascot is an eagle, and its school colors are maroon and white. Its current principal is Andrew Palacios. Past principals include: Tiffany Huitt, Jovan Carisa Wells, and Richard White.

Skyline High School is a public magnet school in the Buckner Terrace area of Dallas, in the U.S. state of Texas. Skyline is a part of the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) and serves grades 9 through 12.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hillcrest High School (Dallas)</span> School in Dallas, Texas, United States

Hillcrest High School, formerly Vickery Meadows High School is a public secondary school located in North Dallas, Texas (USA). Hillcrest High School enrolls students in grades 9–12 and is a part of the Dallas Independent School District. In 2018, the school was rated "Met Standard" by the Texas Education Agency.

Preston Hollow Elementary School is a public primary school in the Preston Hollow area of north Dallas, Texas. Preston Hollow Elementary School enrolls students in grades pre-kindergarten–5 and is a part of the Dallas independent school District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center</span> Public, secondary school in Dallas, Texas, United States

The Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center (TMC) is a complex of schools in East Oak Cliff, Dallas, Texas, United States. The school names reflects the view of downtown Dallas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryan Adams High School</span> Public, secondary school in Dallas, Texas, United States

Bryan Adams High School is a public high school located in the Casa View neighborhood of East Dallas, Texas, United States and is a part of the Dallas Independent School District. The school serves the area of Dallas east of White Rock Lake, south of Northwest Highway, north of Interstate 30, and inside the Dallas city limits. The school is classified as a 5A school by the UIL. In 2015, the school was rated "Met Standard" by the Texas Education Agency.

L.G. Pinkston High School is a public secondary school in West Dallas, Texas (USA). L.G. Pinkston High School enrolls students in grades 7-12 and is a part of the Dallas Independent School District (DISD).

Emmett J. Conrad High School is a public high school located in Vickery Meadow, Dallas, Texas. Emmett J. Conrad High School, which covers grades 9-12, is a part of the Dallas Independent School District. The school serves most of Vickery Meadow and the DISD portion of Highland Meadows. It is named for Dallas surgeon and civic leader Emmett James Conrad. In 2015, the school was rated "Met Standard" by the Texas Education Agency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">School of Education and Social Services</span> Public, secondary, magnet school in Dallas, Texas, United States

Rosie M. Collins Sorrells School of Education and Social Services is a magnet secondary school located in Dallas, Texas, United States. It is a part of the Dallas Independent School District and is within the Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Magnet Center. In 2012, it was ranked 7th out of the top 10 high schools in North Texas by Children at Risk, a research and advocacy institute dedicated to helping children.

Wilmer-Hutchins High School is a public secondary school in Dallas, Texas (USA). A part of the Dallas Independent School District, Wilmer-Hutchins High was formerly part of the now defunct Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barefoot Sanders</span> American judge

Harold Barefoot Sanders Jr. was an American attorney, politician, and jurist who served as a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas and counsel to President Lyndon B. Johnson. He was best known for overseeing the lawsuit to desegregate the Dallas Independent School District.

Mike Morath is an American software developer and investor. He is the commissioner of the Texas Education Agency. Prior to joining the agency, he served as a trustee for the Dallas independent school District, where he advocated for school reform and home-rule. Morath began his career in the technology sector.

References

  1. ↑ "Board Members, Lew Blackburn". Dallas ISD.
  2. ↑ "Judge Barefoot Sanders Law Magnet". US News.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.