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Dansby posed with a Good Hands Crew last year. Courtesy Kyev Tatum
Dansby posed with a Good Hands Crew last year. Courtesy Kyev Tatum

The Fort Worth school district and the Rev. Kyev Tatum are blaming each other for a gutted summer work program that left 100 teens and young adults shortchanged by a total of about $60,000, with nobody stepping forward to foot the bill.

Tatum said the children are innocent victims caught in an ongoing political struggle among himself, administrators, and school board members. Supporting former Arlington Heights assistant principal Joe Palazzolo in his whistleblower lawsuit against the school district is one of many instances where Tatum has battled the school district over the years.

School officials said Tatum had no approval to go forward with the Good Hands Crew work program, and yet he enlisted 100 youngsters between the ages of 15 and 25 to work alongside custodians in 17 schools across the district for about $8 an hour. The group logged more than 7,000 hours during 15 days of work in July. They cleaned inside buildings and maintained the landscaping.

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“I loved it; it’s work I can do,” said Roderick Allen, 22, of Fort Worth.

Allen graduated from high school in 2010 but has landed only one job since then, as a cashier at a football stadium. He’s spent much of his time “running the streets,” he said.

“I was doing the Good Hands Crew to stay out of trouble,” he said.

He’s owed $480 for 15 days spent helping custodians to clean schools, and that’s not counting the week in training, he said.

In May, Allen and Tatum visited with Superintendent Walter Dansby at district headquarters to discuss the program.

“I was there when Mr. Dansby said he would support us,” Allen said. “That’s why I stayed in the program. He said if we needed anything, he would help us with it. When he got cut, it seemed like all the dominoes fell down.”

Dansby resigned — some say he was forced out — on June 9 and will officially retire in January. His departure left Tatum overseeing a program for which he had no written contract and no funding.

“They’re using technicalities, trying to say they don’t have anything in writing to have us move forward with the program,” Tatum said. “We’re not working for free. Slavery is over.”

Spokesman Clint Bond said the district isn’t hiding behind technicalities.

“Mr. Tatum is grasping at straws,” he said. “We contacted [Dansby], and he adamantly denies that any verbal approval was given, and even if there were, this would require a written contract.”

Tatum gave backup for his claim that school officials have long known about his program and been supportive.

He started the program last year with about 15 students doing summer custodial work at Trimble Tech High School, where Tatum works as a consultant and coordinator of the Brilliant Bulldog Center youth program. Most of the Good Hands workers are students of color from low-income households.

A year ago, a picture of Tatum, Dansby, and members of the first Good Hands Crew was posted on the district’s website under the heading “The Fort Worth ISD has partnered with Urban Public LLC and Harmony Missionary Baptist Church to sponsor The Good Hands Crew.”

The article said the program helps young adults “gain the proper tools and training needed to become productive citizens,” and credited Tatum with founding it as “an alternative to the criminal juvenile justice system.”

Last year, the district provided $20,000 in funding for the Good Hands Crew, Tatum said. The district prefers programs that focus on more than one school, and he expanded the program, he said, to include more campuses. He said officials allowed him to use the district letterhead for information sent to students and parents.

In May, Dansby asked school officials to analyze the program. They expressed concern about safety and liability issues involved with minors using equipment such as lawnmowers and buffing machines.

That response smacks of a double standard to Tatum.

“They let these babies play football, hit their heads every day and break their necks … and they say, ‘Atta boy, atta boy,’ but if we want to teach them work ethic and pride, it’s a liability,” Tatum said.

Regarding football, Bond said the district is “prepared to mitigate that risk.”

On May 27, the district e-mailed Tatum saying funding was unavailable for the program. He responded on June 2, writing, “Wow, how do we fund it?”

He received a response a few weeks later, reminding him that the program had no funding. But Tatum kept recruiting youngsters, saying Dansby approved of the program and would find funding.

“It was never any attempt on our part to do this … by ourselves,” Tatum said. “The district was involved all along — the principals, the counselors, the schools, the custodians, the parents.”

Think about it, he said: How could he get principals at 17 schools to allow 100 students to come work with custodians without the approval of district leaders?

“We are looking into that,” Bond said, “and we don’t have the answers yet to say how those kids got on campus,” he said. “But the fact remains, he was advised not to do it, and he did it.”

Tatum and dozens of parents showed up at district headquarters last week, and Tatum accused school officials of racism, citing what he sees as a long history of treating poor minorities differently than more affluent white students.

Interim Superintendent Pat Linares said the school board would discuss the unpaid workers in a future meeting.

In addition to $60,000 owed to the kids, Tatum said he’s owed $10,000 for managing the program.

Some teachers at Trimble Tech became agitated after Dansby allowed Tatum to begin overseeing the Brilliant Bulldog Center three years ago. They became angrier when an empty room was turned into a large office for him.

A teacher wrote an anonymous letter to Fort Worth Weekly describing an alleged quid pro quo –– Dansby supposedly created the Trimble Tech job in exchange for Tatum muting his criticisms, particularly in regard to the Palozzolo case.

Tatum denied that and said Dansby’s resignation opened the door for district officials to go after Tatum.

“It’s all political,” he said. “They declared war on Kyev Tatum, and they’ve declared war on poor people.”

Jennifer Garcia, 16, spent a week in training and two weeks working with custodial crews at several schools; by her math, she’s owed about $700. She’ll be a junior at Trimble Tech High School this fall and planned to use the money for “school clothes and materials,” she said.

Garcia is a diminutive 4-foot-9 but worked with the heavy floor-buffing machines like the ones that school officials were worried about. She also helped custodians move desks and chairs, wipe the walls, and clean windows and floors.

She attended the meeting at district headquarters and listened to district officials explain how Tatum had recruited people into the Good Hands Crew without approval or promise of funding.

Garcia refused to place blame for the lack of pay but said somebody needs to make things right.

“It was hard work for 15 days,” she said. “If we don’t get paid, I don’t think that’s fair.”

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, in an editorial on July 30, said Tatum should pay the money that’s owed and apologize to the workers and the district.

“Apologize for what?” Tatum responded on his Facebook page. “Pay us our money!”

60 COMMENTS

  1. The School district will take care of this, they have to, the resigning superintendent agreed to it, and everyone knew it was going on, so, these kids need their money, and so does Kyev Tatum, who did and does so much for these young people. This program is a good one, and they should fund it. All the money the district wastes is a shame, seeing these young adults have already done the work the district needs to man up and pay up! And furthermore they they to structure this program into the budget, it will do a lot to save face as far as I’m concerned.
    Jimmy Clark

  2. Kyev Tatum is controversial and screams racism at the drop of a hat but he really does good work with local kids and especially the poor minority kids that don’t have a lot of people standing up for them. The Good Hands Crew sounds like a great program that ought to be getting support from the district instead of them attacking Tatum because they don’t like his politics.

  3. Tatum is a leech on the district. He picks an issue with the district then raises a big stink about it until he gets what he wants. He’s a blackmailer that’s looking for a payout. In this case he was told no and like a child he went ahead anyway with this program, the merits of which I don’t dispute however he acted without the districts permission therefore the liability is Tatum’s. He and he alone should pay these kids their money. Since that’s the case they won’t get paid because he’s not about what’s right for others but what’s right for himself. Why should he charge $10,000 for administrative fees for this. That’s ridiculous. For arguments sake lets say the district pays the kids because they did do work on district property. Tatums consequence for not following the rules should be nothing goes to him. He doesn’t get one penny. That would be a fair settlement. The best thing for the district would be to sever all ties with Tatum. That would really help the students.

  4. First of all, our minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, not 8.00! Secondly, even at $8, the sum is $56K, not $60K! At $7.25 it would be $50,750. Most importantly, did all of these kids go through the normal process that ALL FWISD employees have to go through to work for this district? Background checks? Fingerprinting? W-2/W-4? Sounds like someone has a HUGE liability they will have to endure! And last year this program had 15 kids? When did that program get authorized? Tatum himself just announced this program a couple of months ago on his own FB! Wow, Mr. Prince, your article sounds one sided to me, as in patting the back of your buddy Tatum and making him sound like God’s angel or something!!! No wonder you’ve never jumped since Betty passed, to writing an article on Palazzolo and how this district has screwed him over! You supporting Tatum, and consequently FWISD (when Tatum gets what he wants and is happy with the district), makes me want to stop reading anything you write from now on! I know you don’t care, so that makes two of us!

    The truth is, and it may not be as hard to prove as originally thought; Tatum made deals with FWISD for his BS job at Trimble, to hide the fact that he had the DOE disparagement on minorities report, since the Palazzolo/AHHS case started! I know personally that Tatum went from supporting Joe in fighting his unjust firing and quickly abandoned him and his “quest to help our minority children”, all to get a job! All for his sole greed to get his unethical foot in the door of a district that has since been his own cash cow! This helping hands program is a good idea, but the problem is that the reason for its inception came about from Tatum making a deal with Dansby to NOT testify at the Palazzolo trial, which consequently resulted in Palazzolo winning!!! Yep, witness tampering at its best! Tatum knew he had his deal with the $100K grant for the program, b/c Dansby told him so! My theory: The reason Tatum was so bravado in going ahead with the program, regardless of being told “no”, is that he knew Dansby would make it right either way, to not, would bust them both! If tatum is saying (with no real contract signed) that he is owed $10K…imagine how much he would’ve really gotten paid if the contract WAS signed for the original $100K grant! Tatum would score more like $40K for “administrative costs”!!! This deal was not to teach kids to do anything but work their asses off, while Tatum expected a large payoff, with $ that was allowed to him for being a LIAR, OPPORTUNIST and a CHEAT! Stop throwing the freakin’ race card around like you’re playing a game of card war! Dansby is lying for whatever reason, but you best know that he has abandoned his buddy to save his own skin! Do you remember how many times you actually tried to reach out to Palazzolo, after Dansby and the board pissed you off? I do! I’m glad Joe turned you away, like you did to him, when he needed you most. This is what has happened and will continue to happen, Tatum, because you are an evil man disguised under a cloak reserved for people of God, which you are not! Don’t blame FWISD, Palazzolo or anyone else for your idiocy and despicable greed. You have no right anymore to say, “Because I supported Palazzolo”. You never did and you know it. You SOLD OUT for your hidden agenda. NO ONE feels sorry for you! When you fall, and you will, you will fall all alone for refusing to tell the truth. You should remember this one: “Truthful words stand the test of time, but lies are soon exposed.” Proverbs 12:19

    • Seems like you have a very inventive imagination, they were told 8.00, and 8.00 it is, these young adults views on authority are at stake now, thats the bottom line, the FWISD let them perform a service, this can’t be denied, they did the service for the FWISD, it is their responsibility to pay this debt, Mr.Tatum facilitated this service organizing it, finding workers, and encouraged the young adults to work and serve others, and the program is worthy to continue, to strip away these young adults earnings will cause more damage to those who did the services, blaming Mr. Tatum for this is way out of line, he is driven to do good works for this community, and from what I know about him your statement is slander and libelous, I think you need to think it over what you have said, perhaps you putting these statements as some (The Changer) anonomusly protects you from slanderous comments, maybe so, but perhaps you can be found out, the big picture is that this program effects some 100 young adults, maybe you should first consider them, before you throw all these conjecture and libelous statements around, is my advise to you. The FWISD is throwing away money right and left, and now they decide to steal these young adults pay, if I were the board members and powers that be within this district I would be careful how they handle these claims of non-payment.
      Jimmy Clark

      • Jimmy Clark, Mr. Tatum gave the district the impression that he supposedly read the message about the district not funding the program, if Tatum failed to read the message, that is on him for being irresponsible, and if he read the message, and still proceeded with the program… Guess what? This is still his fault, Instead of Tatum claiming that he should receive $10,000 from the district (for whatever reason), he should man up and pay the students the money he promised them, the students claim that the program was already discussed with the district, but this is coming from Mr. Tatum himself….

        • Mr. Mous, Mr. Tatum made a agreement with the going out Super, so all in all in falls on him, and his shoulders while he was in office, and as we know the FWISD paid him some 800k to resign, and yet he is still there working, and doing what exactly? On payroll,…wow,….which seems astronomical to myself, anyway so the verbal contract between Mr. Tatum and Mr. Dansby holds water, whether or not Mr. Tatum got some other notice from the FWISD at a later time. The simple fact that the young adults were allowed to perform nulls any supposed letter or email that may or may not of been sent. It was a known fact these young adults were not volunteers. So in the end the FWISD is on the hook for these kids. Mr. Tatum is above reproach in his actions, why people want to throw dirt on a good man is way over the top in inhumane decency.

          • You got that right! A deal was made with Dansby, in exchange for not testifying at the Palazzolo trial! Tatum escaped that one, but if another one is coming, his ass is grass and Palazzolo is the lawnmower! Tatum, better pack your bag for jail, buddy! Dansby WILL throw you under the bus to save his own ass!

  5. Oh almost forgot to mention this: “It was never any attempt on our part to do this … by ourselves,” Tatum said. “The district was involved all along — the principals, the counselors, the schools, the custodians, the parents.” Isn’t a coincidence that you had the kids perform the duties during the time the principals were all out for their vacation? The counselors knew? What (and when) did they know? Or only the select “Counselors” you hand picked, knew? Counselors were ALL off contract on June 11th! The only people in the schools during the time the kids worked, were the custodians! Also, nothing mentioned anywhere about the actual schools these duties were performed in. I heard a number “17” in another story. What schools, Tatum?

  6. So sad to see such a great city’s school district come to this mess. 2.7 million, 39 million, board members skeletons swinging, a man being punished for over 4 years for reporting wrong, whistleblowers being threatened on the job or hidden away in portables (truancy courts), retaliation and bullying going on in admin departments, etc, etc, etc…what a place to attend school, what a place to work, what a total disgrace…

    All for the price of covering up truth and crime…

    • This is the legacy of Judy Needham. Drunk on power, corrupt, ruthless and unethical. She has single-handedly destroyed FWISD – and countless lives of employees and their families.

  7. Mr. Clark, if that is YOUR REAL name, you are an idiot to believe that Tatum is doing great things for his community! You must be either Tatum himself or one of his followers that drank his kool-aide! Tatum is in it for himself, period! I feel for the kids that he worked for no pay. I hate the fact that he has to always throw the race card, even mentioned “slavery”. The slave master is Tatum, for exploiting the 100 kids to do his dirty work. FWISD is responsible AGREED! Whatever they do, they need to pay the kids, but NOT Tatum! Tatum did what he did b/c he thinks he is entitled knowing Dansby like he does and selling out for profit. Oh, please don’t think I care one iota if, like you say, “I can be found out”. Don’t threaten me Mr. Clark! Do you think you can frighten me or others about what we say anonymously? We do it for a reason, b/c to say the truth with our names is sealing our fate of getting fired due to retaliation. That has already been done and Palazzolo took the brunt for a lot of us already and continues to do so for almost 5 years! I’ve been posting here for years, never wavering on my support of the truth! Where have you been? Hiding behind another pseudonym like the rest of us? If I am found out, so be it! I would go down in a blaze of glory, because I don’t post speculations much. I post what I know personally or from trusted sources. You best know that when the entire truth comes out soon, you will be writing an apology! Bring it!

    • (The Changer)……your opinion is Mr. Tatum isn’t doing good things for Trimble Tech, and the community in general, you would be wrong with this opinion, duly noted. You do know slaves don’t get paid, and you should know that these young adults were not volunteers right? So all in all Mr. Tatum’s comparison is rather accurate, you claiming his statement is him using race and slavery seems rather offensive, and its some what offensive to claim I drank kool-aide although I do like kook-aide.
      Your conspiracy theory on why and what Mr. Tatum does and did in and around the community I find imaginative, but I also find them hurtful and it isn’t what the article Mr. Prince was writing about. I myself am not up to speed on the case of Palazzolo, and again its a case you said he won, so why you want to beat Mr. Tatum up over it in a story of some kids getting unpaid shows you have other intentions over all, which makes me wonder why you are so upset about Mr. Tatums good works in the school district. Hey we agree the kids need to be paid, lets focus on that, thats what this article is about right? Lets get on topic, you like the program thats another thing we can agree on, you want it to continue I would suppose seeing you like it. lets focus on the positive, you and I agree the kids should get paid and the program should continue.
      From what I read of your thoughts of what took place between Mr. Dansby, Mr. Palazzolo, and Mr. Tatum, you seem to be an inside man having some direct contact with that story, but do you really think this is the place to bring it? You know these kids are in the balance here right? Whether or not there was some dirty deal done in the FWISD about Palazzolo, who won his case as you state, how does that reflect on the kids? All these accusations of payoffs lying, cheating, sounds like you want to throw out the baby with the bath water, no, these kids need to be paid, end story.

      You want to use an alias to make remarks about others thats your decision, make up conspiracy theories thats okay too, they still make them up about who shot JFK everyday, no one listens, but please don’t drag conspiracy theories over the top of theses kids to hurt them and those who support and encourage them.

      I support Mr. Tatum, he does a lot of good in the community, keep on keeping on Mr. Tatum, well done.

  8. You people with these negative comments are missing the big picture here. Y’all need to leave your personal feelings for Tatum out of this. The fact is that myself and 100 other kids worked 8 hours a day for 15 days at schools in FWISD..Good Hands Crew members met with the new superintendent on the second week of the program, and after several testimonials, funding was promised.There was no talk of shutting the program down until the next Monday. You would have to be stupid to believe that there were 100 kids cleaning schools in Fort Worth and the district knew nothing about it. Let go of your resentment and open your eyes to what really matters.

    • Well honey, if you want to talk about “opening your eyes”, first off there is evidence that Tatum received a message from the school district that clearly stated, that the district did not have the funds for the program, secondly; even after Mr. Tatum acknowledge this, he proceeded with the program (while the district was under the impression that Mr. Tatum viewed the message) If you want to point the finger at someone, point it at Mr. Tatum for being irresponsible. Also, why in the world does Mr. Tatum want $10,000?! This seems more like him using others to be able to turn a profit for himself.

      • One thing I found rather hysterical about the meeting that Mr. Tatum had with the students and staff, was the use of the race card, I still recall a man stating something in between these lines “This is the year 2014, there should be no racism, and this is wrong” Btw I have a close connection to Mr. Tatum, I talked to him in my sophomore year of high school at Trimble Tech, but he seems to be making practical moves that benefit him more than the individuals that he is “helping”

  9. Regardless of what you think about Kyev Tatum; how he failed to follow thru with DOE; deals he cut or didn’t with Dansby, the pictures tell a 1,000 words. Dansby is a liar. That is him in the pictures. The kids should not be punished and must be paid by FWISD. FWISD owns the schools; they received the services. End of Story. Let the so-called “adults” deal with their own issues but leave the kids out of it. This worthless Board needs to stop all of the lawsuits, appeals, vindictive “getting even” with people and employees. CLEAN your act up – this messy ISD – and get to the business of educating KIDS!! If you are too old and bitter to know how to do that, you need to step down. If you are too young and afraid to stand up for kids then you too need to step down. How in the world are you going to attract GOOD talent (not the likes of MJ) when all they need do is “google” FWISD to find all this messy back-biting. Settle these lawsuits hanging over your heads, open your doors to employees who have things to address and report, and start educating kids in a positive, friendly environment. For God’s sake, stop listening to Law Firms who are only interested in billing hours – whether you are paying for it or not.

  10. If Rev. Tatum claims Mr. Dansby approved the program/funding before he resigned (and I don’t doubt he did), maybe Mr. Dansby could give up part of his $900K – $1M resignation/retirement settlement to help Tatum pay these young people. Dansby knew a written contract and Board approval was needed so he shouldn’t have made any verbal agreements. And once Dansby resigned, Rev. Tatum should have been seeking assurance that the program could go forward before he initiated any action. If these young people worked under the assumption they would be paid, they should receive payment from someone but should it really be FWISD? I don’t know any place that I could walk in, perform work and then demand payment. Most of us have to go through a vetting process and be hired by the company first. These young people should expect payment from the person who hired them (Tatum) instead of following his lead to attack the district. The District has evidence they told Rev. Tatum “no program, no funding” but I’m sure the kids and custodians didn’t realize the work was unauthorized. It’s unfortunate but you need to place responsibility on the person(s) who created the problem. If the District pays the bill here, what keeps Rev. Tatum or anyone else from doing the same thing in the future? I hope they stand their ground but I’m not betting my paycheck.

    • While I agree with most of what you are saying, the kids worked in schools throughout the Summer. That is Walter Dansby in the picture with them. What did he think they were doing and why get his picture taken with them? This crazy Board is all about litigation not education and solving problems.

  11. That date really changes nothing. Dansby sponsored the program. Dansby and his attorney allegedly met with, intimidated or made offers to select witnesses prior to the Palazzolo trial. FWISD KNEW the kids were on campuses and working.

    • The photos was taken last year but the story says that Dansby met with the Good Hands students and Kyev Tatum in May of this year and promised his support to the program. The guy roderick is quoted in the story saying he was in the program because the superintendent told them he supported it.

    • Again…I don’t question whether these young people should be paid for work performed in good faith. I question who should pay them. Rev. Tatum organized them and put them to work without proper authority. In my opinion, he should pay them. Verbal “hand-shake” deals have no place in agencies supported by taxpayers (you and me). And when the person you purport to have a verbal agreement with suddenly resigns, maybe you should check with that person before proceeding…especially when the district notifies you that they can’t fund the program. A RED FLAG (or STOP sign) would definitely appear for me…why not Rev.Tatum? This time it was $60K for work that the district already pays custodial staff to do. How much will it be next time?

      The Good Hands Crew and what it does for the young people involved may be a good program but whether it’s good or bad, no one should assume they have a blank check to act without proper authorization, especially when working with a governmental agency. Rev. Tatum has been working with the district long enough to know he needed a written contract approved by the Board of Education (and a district purchase order) before beginning work. Seems he’s following the words of Grace Hopper, “it is often easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.” If the district decides to ratify this action and pay these young people for their services, I would not argue the point. But if they pay Tatum one penny for his “consulting fee” that’s a totally different story. He knowingly acted without authority and shouldn’t be rewarded for it.

  12. As in the Star T, Linares also met with some of the kids (and maybe parents) assuring them they would be paid – then backed down. Real class act. Guess Needham slapped her hands.

  13. “Jimmy Clark” IS Kyev Tatum! This huckster is a master at drumming up Astroturfed supporters. Why does his name appear in 25% of FWW issues? Because he sits on his ample rump all day sending out press releases! HE arranged for the kids to do the work. If most of them are African-American it’s because HE chose them. (Uh, was there any thought to equal opportunity?). HE organized their protest, too. He claims he has a $10,000 oral contract with FWISD for his consulting services? Give me a break!

  14. Apparently these kids don’t matter too much to some of you people, just a road bump on your way down to the bank. This isn’t about Mr. Tatum, its about (NON-PAYMENT). Seems many here want to make it about race, to claim Mr. Tatum is getting special treatment from the press, or Dansby, because he’s black, or the FWISD gave Mr. Tatum some cushy job, yeah, such a long line of people wanting to take his place, I ask what good have each of you done for this community or these kids? How have you done more? And what plans do you have that can make a difference in these kids lives? A large portion of these kids won’t finish High School, the trouble being stirred by the lack of payment doesn’t help them either. Its a tough road for a lot of these kids, most of you here want to make it tougher, you shame everything decent and good Mr. Tatum is trying to do, but trust me, Mr. Tatum has more good work to do, so if you don’t mind, do something good for the community or these kids, or get the hell out of the way while good people try.
    Jimmy Clark

    • Show me the data Jimmy. You cannot hide from data. How has he helped? Rev Tatum is an opportunist who has helped himself. How much has the district paid out to this fool? How do you measure the results of his success? program beefed up supposedly helping Black kids. I say no stop spending money. Tatum said that he would slap the gay out of kids. He preaches church at the schools. What happened to separation of church and state? He is rascist and if you have not noticed the majority of kids in the district are Latinos! What about programs for them? Tatum is only in it for himself. Dansby was the problem he gave creedance to Tatum. Dansby should pay from his 900000 and Tatum should not get a penny more! How can you verify that those kid actually worked a time sheet can be produced by anyone. Hope the district is really investigating! I also heard that the dummy school board is paying Dansby’s attorney in the Pallazolo case. Stop the bleeding! What a mess!

      • @ Taxpayer Anguish: “What happened to separation of church and State”, you ask? Just took this off the FWISD webpage describing a function with Southwest HS. “What is a “Faithstival” you ask? It’s a very special event in which the FWISD, the City of Fort Worth and a faith based entity are joining forces for the betterment of the Fort Worth community.” Betsy Price is championing this effort! Geez!

    • Oh, Mr. Clark-Tatum you do obviously sit in front of a computer a lot to post these fictitious words of support! Listen, I never said anything about Tech or the kid’s program, except that YOU (Tatum) cheated them. You, excuse me, “Tatum” wink, wink, started this whole thing with the kids not getting paid! You know what, you bore me “Mr Clark”! If you aren’t Tatum, you should be, because he is just as stupid as you are to throw around these ridiculous statements about him doing so many good things in this community. It’s all about you…um…him…oh what the hell, I’m so over you that I am struggling just to finish this sentence!

      • @TheChanger — They sell anti-depressants you know, you won’t have trouble getting a doctor to write a scrip. Also your obsession with whether Clark is Tatum exhibits symptoms of mild schizophrenia so you might get that checked too.

        • Mack, whether Jimmy Clark and Kyev Tatum are one and the same is quite relevant. After all, Clark-Tatum, opened comments on the article, saying, “These kids need their money, and so does Kyev Tatum.” Sort of self-serving, don’t you think? I think commenter Le’Bria is also Tatum, pretending to be a school girl. This guy is Astroturf from the word ‘go’. Look at all he did to promote this controversy:
          1. Got the kids to do the work. (They should sue him in small claims court for the money he promised).
          2. Hyped the story to FWS-T.
          3. Organized the protest. (Tatum had a conflict of interest in getting the kids to protest to FWISD.I wonder if he promised to accept responsibility and pay the kids if FWISD won’t).
          4. Sent a press release to FWW. (One thing he’s good at).
          5. Now makes multiple alias posts advancing his own interests.

          Man up, Tatum, you Jesse Jackson wannabe. Admit that you’re Jimmy Clark. You screwed all these kids, and you own them their money. And no, you aren’t owed anything. Anyone who has the stature to command a $10,000 consulting fee knows FWISD would NOT agree to that without a written contract!

          • Correct, Soutimore; he figured he was up the creek without a paddle, so why not turn it around for himself, by sticking it to FWISD for the responsibility after being told a big fat NO! He orchestrated all the media hype to take the attention away from his f-up! I just can’t rap my brain around what type of person makes 100 kids work all those hours, knowing he did not get funding to pay them? Hell, he didn’t even want to feed some kids and scoffed at his own wife for buying bread and lunch meat!? Maybe he should’ve prayed over that bread and meat and hope it would turn into 60K! You can slice it anyway you want, Tatum, you f’d up and you f’d up good this time! You and your Bro, Dansby are responsible to make it right!

  15. Taxpayer, you are SO RIGHT!!! If this program was done last year, Tatum should know about accountability, especially since our district (Dansby) implemented the “SMART GOAL” methodology. I’m sure these expectations were in place, when his “program” was funded, right??? In case you haven’t seen it, Tatum, this what ALL of us who work in a dept have to do!
    S=Specific, M=Measurable, A=Attainable, R=Relevant, T=Time bound
    Smart goal is key to department ongoing success/
    Reviews determines district priorities related to department/
    Reviews all key targets/
    Identifies their worth that impacts district/
    Drafts new Smart goals leading measures and action plan steps/

    I’m going out on a limb to stay that Tatum, for obvious reasons, probably didn’t have to do any SMART Goals for his program. I would wonder why, if not, is it exempt, considering other summer programs have to! Is the Good Hands program something that Tatum dreamed up so that he could get paid quick at the expense of kids working their butts off? I say YES! Last year, according to him, he had 15 kids, which I am sure were handpicked, much like this year! If this was okay’d for this year, why didn’t you get a contract,Tatum? How was last year paid for? ALL grants expect some type of SMART goal! You see, in trying to praise your efforts for “all you do for the community”, you in turn look like the fool you are, for thinking you are above all to do whatever you want for “your community”. To hell with the rest! How many Latinos did you have working in this program, both times? My guess it is a small%. Maybe Jimmy Clark can enlighten us?!

  16. Technology under Davie is asking for over 30 million in technology money for technology enhancements for the Aug 12 board meeting. A note of no confidence in Kyle and his staff is needed since they have spent money paying software vendors and not utilizing correctly both software and equipment! A true audit would determine more than the 2.7 million reported. Also why hire Nancy Timmons (friend of Dansby) former curriculum assistant superintendent as an audit consultant for 53000 dollars. Stop wasting money hiring consultants with no financial auditor back ground and technology people that do not know technology. Kyle Davie who was an EMT the technology department needs to be resuscitated with new leadership why give him 30 million?

  17. You are right Secretary! The district keeps repeating and rehashing stupidity! How do expect different results when you keep doing the same! This is the definition of insanity if not stupidity!
    That is right Changer all this expenditures in Baldridge and we cannot trust the leadership! Is that not one of the tenets of Baldridge? Sounds like Vision 2010, oops it’s 2014!

  18. I am very interested in documentation. Tatum, is astute enough to know that when informed that there was no funding for his program, if he went forward, HE needs to provide the funding. I want to see Tatum’s documentation (Weekly? Star-Telegram?) that establishes his $10 administative fee. I want to see documentation on his recruiting methods/targets. I wonder if the word only got around African-American circles (churches, community centers, etc.). Secret recruiting and hand-shake deals are what equal employment and equal education laws are supposed to guard against. And why is a 22-year old (Roderick Allen) working with school-aged children? Parents should be asking, what criteria and standards were established. as such, both Dansby and Tatum need to be seriously investigated (maybe the district can pull its seperation agreement with Dansby based on policy violation involving the safety/security of our children). Tatum screams “slavery”, but look at at the stereotype jobs he provided for these children to do. Couldn’t he find opportunities and jobs that children can aspire to? Summer jobs can be the perfect opportunity to expose children to vocational possibilities that they may not have ever thought of— Tatum, I think, only sees these children as custodians and furniture movers. Is such a shallow thinker deserving of $10,000.? I’d have a hard time giving him a nickel. Maybe “a penny for his thoughts”?

  19. All of that and yet they refuse to pay these kids. It is simply scandal after scandal. Funny thing about Mr. P (Palazzo) is that he kept telling them all he wanted was his job back. When they signed that agreement last year, it was the Board who approved the trap Dansby and that low-life attorney of theirs was planning for him: working in a warehouse with his own supervisor – Paul Galvan, a known bully. I think I heard Dansby say he would rather go to trial and loose – well, he did and they are still trying to change the outcome. What kind of lesson does this show kids? This guy Robbins is a crooked as Needham. Davie just got caught stashing 2.7 million worth of stuff he never used; their system never did work right and now they want to give him 30 million more! They also paid former Board Pres. Bill Kaehler $6 million to do nothing…… the list goes on and on. This all would have been over with if Tatum had followed through on the Dept. Education complaint.

  20. Fort Worth isd is plagued with good old boys and that includes the blacks that Dansby through his church allowed retired rehires to re enter the system to receive double salaries. He is called Mr Dansby as opposed to Dr Dansby because he never got the credential of doctor. Melody Johnson was a DR as were most before Dansby and she was ousted by the school board for who knows what because that information is confide,ential . It does not matter . Most citizens when notified that their tax rates escalate,think’it is for the children’,when in fact it is for the fwisd administration at University and White Settlement. I personally have contacted FW Weekly to share many stories of abuse of the system,with no reply. An uneducated public is easy to hoodwink. Mr Dansby allowed to supposedly ‘stay’ until November is proof that stealing of public funds via fwisd is alive and well. Anyone with any knowledge of fwisd and has children and monies routes said children through country day,trinity valley ,or homeschools. Principals are allowed to come and go through out the school year. As far as security,forget about it,there is none. A pissed off parent is still a major threat to all teachers. And most derailing of common teaching is not whites,not Hispanics,not Asians,but guess which race? Any parent wondering how the state of affairs is in his or her local school should just drop in unaannnounced especially at lunch time. FW Weekly has been notified by me for one and is complicit in this scheme. Taxes and tax payer money is there for the taking. The Hispanics do it correctly in dropping out of school early on and side up with dad or uncle and make things via concrete construction,carpentry,whatever while the whites send little Johnny or Suzy to the television or computer until this is sorted out

  21. This morning the ridiculous and corrupt band of fools known as the FWISD School Board will make a decision on their latest victims: our own children. This is not about Tatum or the obvious deal he cut with Dansby. It is about kids and the vindictive nature of this corrupt and inept Board. This should have been resolved long ago. When Dansby left without paying, Linares should have been true to her word and done so. So was not and did not. Instead the kids – like Palazzolo and other employees – became the most recent political football. Last night I awoke to a familiar sound: the sound of Ann Sutherland flip-flopping. Not only is she now censoring comments on her blog, she completely reversed herself – again: “There are a couple of comments which I am leaving out as they could be said to be misleading. I very rarely do this. The issue regarding the FWISD v. Palazzolo lawsuit and and its appeal is convoluted, as it turns out. Our legal insurance has rights as well and our actions must be taken in tandem with them.” This Board has squandered and mismanaged hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars and victimized their own students and employees. EVERY ONE of these fools should be thrown out of office. I cannot believe they continue to take the same legal advise from the attorney who advised them (as we all heard in their own audio broadcast) not to honor a settlement they had agreed to; went to trial and lost (yet again). Now he is shopping for a political verdict. Throw these corrupt fools out.

    • It was early. My opinion should have read: SHE (Linares) was not and did not.
      In reading my comment and others I also realized – this Board is SO inept you simply cannot make this up. “Legal rights” of the Insurance Company? It is the Texas ASSOCIATION of School Boards. The same people responsible for keeping most of the inept in education. TASB is NOT out ELECTED School Board and has NO LEGAL RIGHT to dictate ISD decisions on litigation, policy or anything else. Just because TASB or their failed attorney wants FWISD to continue to shop for a more palatable mitigation of the Jury verdict does NOT mean the Board is obligated to succumb. This is truly INCREDIBLE. What hapless goofs you are. You are being used by this guy to salvage his statistics and Needham’s ego.

  22. The custodians in my local school in wedgewood do not get paid much but do not do much. Maybe a little sweeping,maybe a little lawn mowing . There is no accountability of them and especially their supervisors. But when principals are allowed to come and go throughout the day,work on their degrees during the school year,and attend meetings by the superintendant on the first week of school,that is fitting

    More than once this past school year ,the FW police were called to haul off out of control students. This at my little neighborhood elementary school,to include third graders but not limited to that age group. Knives and knifing in kindergarten are regular especially if kids are ‘off their meds’.

    With AP’s having dual school responsibilities ,say one school gets serviced Monday and Tuesday,and then the last three days of the week at school number two,many times the secretary or coach is the one running the ship. Ditto with school nurses. One nurse ,two schools. So don’t get sick or break an arm on those days that the nurse is elsewhere.

    The budget cuts by Texas in 2011 with Greg Abbot in attendance for schools removed not only teachers but many aids,meaning helpers of the teachers. If reading is not happening for a child by about fourth or fifth grade and there are many many in this category,the Texas Prison system is alerted and will have a bed and room waiting in those short years between fourth grade and That first crime

    This new superintendant or rather temporary superintendant was already retired ,but because she is a part of the good old boy system,she was rehired. She will get her retirement and then a big fat salary. It seems Judy Needham cant decide on Dr.’s in education or coaches that rose through the ranks such as Mr Dansby

    lastly this free preschool for everybody via the past bond election is a farce and a big money pit. Bring the four and five year old up to standards or beyond only to have some second grade teacher that cant seem to get the job done back down to square one. Low performing teachers don’t get fired ,they just get shifted

  23. Consider Needham’s body count: Vasquez, Dansby and now Tatum. Each thought they could cut deals with this viper and were bit. If only Tatum had not cut that deal to stop the DOE investigation on AHHS and FWISD. He sold out and now look at him. Time to come clean Reverend. Tell the truth about DOE and do some good for kids while you save your soul.

  24. It’s irrelevant that Dansby resigned. If the program was funded, it was funded and I’d imagine Kvev Tatum recognized this. As far as Rev. Tatum having political aspirations, every politician ever elected, city-municipal, state to higher, aspired first and got elected to hold office so I don’t understand the “wickedness” associated with wanting a political future and the comments condemning aspirations.
    I believe what is happening again is, Dansby left, so FWISD then goes after anyone on good terms with him. I disagree with popular opinion. I believe Rev. Tatum has all and all, done a lot of good for many Fort Worth kids and disadvantaged persons.

      • Support and or condemnation requires either opinion or experience with the subject or topic. I suspect you are another out to condemn. I agree with Reader. The program was funded so to pull the opportunity from the kids to make a little money was dirty politics.

  25. This isn’t about Tatum following through, on what was already funded. It’s really about Fort Worth, and the same rickety politics that have long made FW another second rate town full of third world country underclass taking over (where they are permitted to reign). Tatum genuinely loves kids, and he has always treated all youth with the same regard and respect he has always wanted for his own people. I hope he stops lifting a finger toward helping anyone in FW and eventually goes somewhere that will allow him to do what he loves. Don’t have a clue why he’s bothered to lift a finger in FW.

  26. I agree with the comments of Unbelievable. It is no coincidence they came after Tatum a day before the 39 Million story broke. The Dallas Business Journal actually contacted Tyler Technologies and the FWISD story carried by the Star T simply isn’t true. The $39 Million was the result of the Palazzolo/AHHS report to TEA which Tatum first reported to DOE and then dropped in return for the Trimble Tech job. Karma; You reap what you so; or God’s will. If Tatum would have followed through with DOE this never would have happened.

  27. I am dismayed that they want to blame Mr. Tatum for this, and not pay him for his services, but knew they would pay the children what is owed. And no I am not Mr. Tatum, I know who I am, but who are you people? Anyway we know you hide for political reasons or is it? I find it rather slithery to see people hiding in the shadows while they sling knives and shoot arrows, into peoples backs and are ok with that.
    Most of you people need to check yourselves, you are so very, very bad, bad to the bone, and I guess you like it that way, please don’t look for a friend in me, because I know how much of a snake you are, if I actually knew who you were, mr./mrs./miss snakes.
    So the decision is made now over this, you can all slither on down your holes, I am sure you will be summoned up next time.
    I’m Out!
    Jimmy Clark

    • Mr. Clark, you sound more and more like Tatum by the minute, with the preaching about “snakes” and all. Since you are so familiar with Tatum, why don’t you ask him to man up and do what is right and come forward with the DOE report!? He lied and sat on that report and kept it from the public and the rest of the board (maybe). Tatum got what he wanted and so did Dansby, not once, but twice! I’m sure if Tatum comes forward and admits what he did, the DA might see he was being coerced, bullied, or whatever, into doing what he did. Tatum will come out looking like a hero; the man who gave up the mighty Dansby and others within FWISD! Last chance, “Mr. Clark”!

  28. Mr. Clark, Please come back from Outer Space (I’m out) long enough to convince Rev. Tatum to come clean with the Teachers and Students of FWISD on the deal he made over the DOE investigation.

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