Dallas ISD has named an interim principal at Woodrow Wilson High School following backlash over a meeting held only with Black students earlier this month.
The district says it is reviewing the incident, which took place during an advisory period and was intended to discuss academic performance.
Former principal Chandra Hooper-Barnett apologized in a letter to parents, acknowledging the meeting “was not appropriate” and saying she would step aside “to allow for healing and growth.” The district has appointed veteran educator Danielle Petters, who previously served as an executive director within Dallas ISD and as a campus principal, to lead the school in the interim.
Parents told local media that students were told their group’s performance was affecting the school’s overall accountability rating, which currently stands at a “B.” The school, located in East Dallas, has roughly 2,000 students, about 6% of whom are Black.
District officials say their focus now is on restoring trust and ensuring every student at Woodrow Wilson feels respected and included while the review continues.
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