Members of The Dallas Carter High Coalition Project demanded the immediate removal of David W. Carter High School Principal Troy Tyson in a letter submitted to Dallas ISD Superintendent of Schools Stephanie Elizalde on Oct. 30. This comes in response to the removal of Woodrow Wilson High School Principal Chandra Hooper-Barnett on Oct. 28 after an on-campus incident.
In the letter, members of the organization criticized the district’s response to allegations against Tyson, which include Title IX violations, “unprofessional, abusive conduct” and the creation of a “hostile, abusive work environment.” The DCHC Project stated in the letter that the district has conducted an “unequal application of leadership accountability and student protection procedures.”
The organization of parents, alumni, staff and teachers had previously requested the immediate removal of Tyson in a letter on Oct. 7. Over the past two years, it has collected testimonies about the issues that have arisen at Carter, “when leadership goes unchecked.” There are nearly 500 verified signatures on a petition demanding his removal.
The initial letter addressed to Elizalde requested the following actions from the district:
- Immediate removal (suspension under investigation) of Principal Troy Tyson.
- A complete audit of staff evaluations, athletic funding and equipment use, and campus stipend allocations by Principal Tyson at D. W. Carter High School.
- Full protection for whistleblowers and staff witnesses who have made formal and informal reports of misconduct.
- A full investigation into the bullying of students, teachers and staff to include the numerous district grievances filed against Principal Tyson due to varying incidents of misconduct.
- A public report of investigative findings.
The Oct. 30 letter cut the list of demands from five to one, calling for the “Immediate REMOVAL of Principal Troy Tyson from the campus of David W. Carter High School under the present investigations to prevent continued intimidation, antagonizing, and manipulation of the investigative process.”
The group drew a comparison to the immediate action taken at Woodrow Wilson High School. Hooper-Barnett was removed within two working days pending the review of allegations that she gathered all Black students for a meeting in which they were blamed for the school’s state accountability rating.
The DCHC Project highlighted the demographic differences of the two campuses. According to the 2024-25 TEA Accountability Report, Carter has a student body that is 57% African American while Woodrow Wilson’s African American enrollment is 7.3%.
“When a predominantly Black campus in the southern sector reports serious issues of student and staff abuse, those reports deserve the same district response and transparency extended to other campuses that serve other demographics within Dallas ISD,” the Oct. 30 letter said.
Tyson remains on campus and continues direct contact with staff as district personnel, including Professional Standards and Title IX staff, have begun interviews regarding the complaints publicly reported and formally submitted.
A spokesperson for Dallas ISD said the district does not comment on any personnel matters.
