My co-editor, Marlena Chavira-Medford, just dropped a copy of the latest Observer on my desk this morning containing the story that announced the resignation of DISD spokesman Celso Martinez. As editors who cover dozens of elementary, middle and high schools in the district, we can’t say we’re sorry to see him go.
When I met Martinez at a Northeast Chamber function last summer, publisher Rick Wamre and I complained that we had trouble getting the information we needed from the district communications office, let alone hearing about actual story ideas we could cover. He responded: "There’s a new sheriff in town." I had my doubts, which were confirmed when our meeting with Martinez and his team was pushed back a few months, then reconfirmed afterward as we continued to get the same generic press releases from DISD, despite our telling the communications team that we would be happy to cover good news about schools in our neighborhoods if only they would let us know about it in time for our production schedules. (Luckily, we have incredible neighbors who keep us informed.)
I’m not sure when DISD will learn how to commnicate effectively with all kinds of Dallas media, instead of just trying to fend off the attacks (which, as Matt Pulle correctly stated in his article, would and should come — one of the media’s main jobs is to be a watchdog). But district officials took a step in the right direction by making neighborhood resident Jon Dahlander its new acting spokesperson. We have a conversation piece with Dahlander running in an upcoming magazine — talking not about his new communications gig but a lesser known part of his life — and I received an e-mail from Dahlander two weeks ago listing all of the East Dallas schools’ music groups that will perform at the upcoming Swiss Avenue Mother’s Day Home Tour (unsolicited news that neighbors will want to know — what a concept!). Things are looking up …
