Bill Arnold Middle School in Dallas, Texas

“Arnold Middle School has a principal and administrative staff that is terrible. They have personal agendas and would be better off being accountants rather than working with students. They do not seem to care about the children in any form. They sit as judge and jury without talking to the parties involved. The staff looks like worn down and without any enthusiasm for life or teaching. The teachers are pressured and do not have a good general attitude about being at the school. The environment is terrible. The school is a Title One school. That means low income and the families in general have little or no education themselves. This is a low performing school. The entire situation is not positive and the staff is not a happy and productive one. The school administration and the teaching staff do not reflect the population they are teaching (Hispanic students, Black administration, White teachers). There is nothing hanging in the halls of the school that reflects the student population s cultures. The students are violent and the staff only knows how to treat the students with a heavy hand. The administration has no clue how to build morale in neither the students nor the staff. This is not a good situation.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“My child attends Arnold. There have been several fights this year take place at school and after. The facility is quick to investigate the problem and be helpful it's unfortunate they can not stop the fighting. I honesty would love to move my child out of these school and highly advise against putting your child in Arnold if your concerned about his or her safety. School is a place to learn. My child's focus is on his safety each day rather than learning.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“I worked at this school the first year that it opened and it was horrible. The children that go there are no better now than back then. We live in the district and I made sure that my children did not attend that school. The violence at that school is unbelievable.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“Teachers were very informative and made all attempts possible to ensure that our son received a quality education. Very helpful regarding communicating what he was doing regarding general behavior and grades.”
This review was posted by a parent.

“The year this school opened, 02-03, administration had lots of problems. The principal noted the alarming failure rate of 10% for 6th grade, 10% for 7th grade, and 10% for 8th grade, and berated the teachers for the school's '30% failure rate.' Nothing the teachers said could convince him that when 10% of each grade fails, that is a 10% failure rate. There was constant violence, and fights broke out in the halls, bus stop, and restrooms. Males wore their pants with the waist at their crotch and the crotch at their knees, with their underwear sticking out. Going to & from lunch, students banged on classroom doors & windows. At staff meetings, teachers who were assigned hall and outside duty were concerned because students were openly defiant. Students cursed constantly, even cursing the principal in the cafeteria, to his face.”
This review was posted by a parent.