In our January issue, Eric Celeste wrote an article that was critical of the Dallas chapter of the League of Women Voters. Eric wrote, “It is full of well-meaning but naïve and isolated officers who are disconnected from modern politics and the diverse population of Dallas.” In particular, he singled out the League’s work in advance of the recent DISD bond election. The group published a “fact sheet” to educate voters. Eric wasn’t the only person who had problems with it. Mike Morath was a DISD trustee at the time and has since been appointed commissioner of the Texas Education Commission. He told Eric, “It is very clear that the facts [on the ‘fact sheet’] were chosen to distort opinion in a particular direction. Given the League of Women Voters’ history, I find it deeply troubling that they would put their name on something so clearly biased.”
Today I got a response from the president of the chapter, Eileen Rosenblum. I pass it along it without comment:
I am sorry that you did not include some vital information about the League of Women Voters of Dallas in your January 2016 article.
The League of Women Voters of Dallas regularly provides nonpartisan information about candidates in its Voters Guide. Our next hard copy guide will be distributed in February, prior to the primary elections. You can find it in libraries, universities and other public places. It will be on our website www.lwvdallas.org and online at www.VOTE411.org.
Your readers may not be aware of the curriculum of resources the League developed to help teach civic education, especially the importance of participating in democracy by voting. This was presented to social studies teachers at the Texas Association of Social Studies Teachers Conference in August 2015. You can find it on the Texas League website at www.lwvtexas.org.
During the last election cycle, civically involved women and men of the Dallas League worked with the Dallas County Elections Department to help voters find their polling places. During the next few weeks LWV Dallas will continue to register voters. Registration will be conducted in schools, colleges, and other locations. You can help us by volunteering to register voters.
Finally, I want to thank you for the opportunity to remind citizens in our communities that the primary election is March 1. The last day to register to vote in this election is February 1, and early voting begins February 16. This is an important election. For some candidates this is the only election opportunity.
