Dallas, TX

Higher ed needs more viewpoint diversity

Published

1 year ago

December 27, 2024

Higher ed needs more viewpoint diversity

What’s the point of going to college? Building skills and networking for a future career are a big part of it, but exploring new ideas is a key piece too. That’s why it’s so important for college administrators to foster a diversity of viewpoints among faculty.

But a recent study from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression shows there are many professors who are self-censoring — especially among moderates and conservatives. It’s a disservice to students when professors aren’t free to discuss and explore diverse viewpoints.

The survey showed 27% of more than 6,200 college professors “feel unable to speak freely for fear of how students, administrators, or other faculty would respond,” according to the study. Researchers found that 35% say they have “recently toned down their writing for fear of controversy.”

Professors should avoid tipping their hand about political views in the classroom. Simply pushing one’s beliefs onto impressionable young people isn’t a good teaching method. A professor’s job is to foster conversation, welcome new perspectives and challenge those perspectives using the knowledge they’ve amassed.

But when it comes to hiring decisions and conversations in the faculty lounge, administrators need to foster a culture that welcomes open discussion of controversial ideas.

Those who responded to the survey indicated that the three most difficult issues to discuss on campus are the Israel-Hamas war, racial inequality and transgender rights, according to the study. The presidential election ranked at fifth place and abortion at sixth.

Those are some of the most divisive issues of our time. They can be hard to talk about. But all that means is that searching for middle ground and mutual understanding is all the more important. Just because we disagree with someone doesn’t mean we can’t have a civil, honest conversation.

It’s a badly kept secret that much of higher education is dominated by progressive points of view. The survey indicated 52% of conservatives and 43% of moderates said they worry about damaging their reputation because of someone misunderstanding them, compared to 35% of liberals.

More concerning is that only 20% of faculty reported that a conservative individual would be a positive fit for their department, compared to 71% who say a liberal would be a positive fit.

While conservatives face the brunt of the impact, that’s not the whole story, the study says. Sometimes, broaching topics like racism and diversity, equity and inclusion can be hard in conservative states that have tried to tamp down those discussions.

We all need to learn how to discuss complex and touchy topics in a civil manner. Colleges and universities can be a much better setting for that than they currently are. Our nation and our students deserve better.

We welcome your thoughts in a letter to the editor. See the guidelines and submit your letter here. If you have problems with the form, you can submit via email at letters@dallasnews.com

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Dallas, TX

The best day to list your home in Dallas-Fort Worth is less than a month away

Published

6 hours ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

The best day to list your home in Dallas-Fort Worth is less than a month away

The best day for homeowners to list their house for sale in the Dallas-Fort Worth area is April 12, according to a new Realtor.com study.

In the early to mid-spring there is a golden window in the home market when buyers are returning to the market, said Hannah Jones, a senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com.

Realtor.com placed the week of April 12-18 as the best days to list a home across the United States. Ideal time blocks to list a home range from March 8 to May 24 for the 50 largest metros in the country — but Dallas is near the national average, the firm notes.

“Sellers who are able to catch that early swing of buyers can expect to see a lot more demand for their home, versus later in the summer, when schools are out and there are more people in the market,” Jones said.

As a result, “there are more homes in the market and so you might have less demand for your home.”

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington homes listed on April 12 are expected to be on the market nine fewer days compared to the average week, according to the study. Additionally, views per property are anticipated to be up 23.5% and active listings are expected to be down 14.6% versus the average week.

A separate Zillow study said sellers in Dallas saw the strongest returns by listing in the last two weeks in April. The analysis found that time frame would deliver a price boost of about $5,700.

“Dallas is such a large and varied market of course,” Jones said. “So when you’re looking at that metro level it really does align with the national data because of how big it is and how those dynamics work out.”

That stretch of April still means higher prices, Jones said. D-FW homes listed during that time period are expected to have a listing price increase of about $24,000 versus the start of the year, according to the study.

However, the benefit of listing a home in D-FW in the time frame that Realtor.com is recommending is less stark compared to other metro areas.

The list pricing compared to the start of the year only expected to be up 5.8%, compared to other metro areas which have anticipated listing price changes as high as 15.8%. Dallas is a very stable market with fewer big swings and stronger demand than other metros, Jones said.

Getting a head start is key

Most people start getting ready to put their homes on the market before they actually list their home. The quality of homes has increased and in order to be competitive a seller really needs to get their home ready, said Jim Fite, CEO of Century 21 Judge Fite Company.

“They need to stage it properly, they need to get the repairs done in advance so that when it hits the market, that group of people that haven’t bought yet see it immediately and will be attracted to it,” Fite said.

If a seller hasn’t gotten their home ready to sell it will probably stay on the market regardless of when it is listed, he said.

The spring and summer is the home selling season, Fite said. More homes sell in the next five months than the following seven months, he said.

There are a number of reasons for that. School is getting out and people want to make a move before the start of the next school year, Fite said. People are also downsizing, possibly because kids are going off to college.

Because of that timeline, it’s good to start looking for a home in April, Fite said.

“If you bought a home in April, it’s not going to close until May,” Fite said. “So that means you’re not going to move in till the first of June, maybe. And then you have a couple of months to get settled before school starts.”

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Dallas, TX

Golden Knights edge Dallas 3-2 on late goal, deny Stars’ bid to clinch a playoff berth

Published

18 hours ago

March 22, 2026

Press Room

Golden Knights edge Dallas 3-2 on late goal, deny Stars’ bid to clinch a playoff berth

March 22, 2026 / 9:26 PM CDT
/ AP

Reilly Smith scored the tiebreaking goal with 3:38 left in the third period and the Vegas Golden Knights beat Dallas 3-2 on Sunday night, denying the Stars’ bid to clinch a playoff berth.

Vegas’ Mitch Marner skated into the high slot and his shot ricocheted off two Dallas players and landed near Smith, who scored from close range past a defenseless Casey DeSmith. The deciding goal came after the teams played more than seven minutes without a whistle.

Brayden McNabb and Ivan Barbashev also scored for Vegas, which snapped a three-game skid and won for just the third time in nine games. Adin Hill made 13 saves for the Golden Knights, who outshot Dallas 33-15.

Dallas’ Wyatt Johnston set a franchise single-season record with his NHL-leading 23rd power-play goal. Johnston held the mark for the most in a season since the Stars moved to Dallas in 1993-94. His latest moved him past Dino Ciccarelli (1986-87) for the most for the Minnesota-Dallas franchise.

Justin Hryckowian also scored for Dallas (43-16-11), which is five points behind Western Division-leading Colorado (102). The Avalanche lead the NHL and Western Conference with a record of 46-13-10. DeSmith stopped 30 shots as the Stars lost for the third time in four games. Sam Steel had two assists.

McNabb opened the scoring at the 4:01 mark of the first period, carrying the puck out of his own zone, splitting two defenders and beating DeSmith low to the glove side.

Johnston scored his 38th of the season on a power play at 10:55 of the second, and Hryckowian put the Stars ahead with his 11th of the season at 16:48.

Barbashev tied the game at 2, scoring on a power play at 16:48 of the second after Nils Lundkvist was sent off for slashing. Barbashev took a feed from Brett Howden and scored from a tough angle near the side of the net.

Golden Knights: At the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday.

Stars: Host the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.

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Dallas, TX

We asked North Texans who should be honored instead of Cesar Chavez. Here’s what they said

Published

1 day ago

March 22, 2026

Press Room

We asked North Texans who should be honored instead of Cesar Chavez. Here’s what they said

Last week The New York Times published an investigation into Cesar Chavez, the late Mexican American labor leader and civil rights activist, detailing allegations of sexual abuse involving women and underage girls. The accusations caused a ripple effect across Texas and the U.S., leading to calls from government officials and organizations to drop his name from streets, schools and holidays.

Gov. Gregg Abbott on Wednesday announced Texas will no longer observe Cesar Chavez Day and said he plans to ask lawmakers to remove the holiday from state law. Former Dallas City Council member Steve Salazar said the city should be open to renaming downtown Dallas’ Cesar Chavez Boulevard, after Salazar worked for over a decade to name the street after him.

The Dallas Morning News asked North Texans Friday morning on Instagram: As calls mount to remove Cesar Chavez landmarks in D-FW, who should be honored instead?

The callout yielded about 39 responses by Friday afternoon. Here are some of the notable names people suggested:

Juanita Craft – The late American civil rights leader and Round Rock-born politician was the second African American woman to serve on the Dallas City Council, according to the city’s website. The Juanita J. Craft Civil Rights House in Dallas has over 40 artifacts related to the Dallas civil rights movement, and has been open as a historic landmark since 1994.

A September 1976 staff photo of Dallas City Council member Juanita Craft.

The Dallas Morning News

Dirk Nowitzki – The NBA household name and retired Dallas Maverick star already has a street named after him – Nowitzki Way.

Retired Dallas Mavericks player Dirk Nowitzki poses for photos after unveiling a street sign... — Retired Dallas Mavericks player Dirk Nowitzki poses for photos after unveiling a street sign with his name on Wednesday, October 30, 2019 outside American Airlines Center in Dallas. (Ashley Landis/The Dallas Morning News)
Ashley Landis / Staff Photographer
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Dolores Huerta – Huerta co-founded the United Farm Workers Association alongside Chavez in the 1960s. She is one of the most influential names in the world of labor activism, according to the National Women’s History Museum.

FILE - Dolores Huerta, the Mexican-American social activist who formed a farm workers union... — FILE – Dolores Huerta, the Mexican-American social activist who formed a farm workers union with Cesar Chavez, stands for the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish while visiting the New Mexico Statehouse in Santa Fe. N.M., on Feb. 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Russell Contreras, File)
Russell Contreras / AP

Owen Wilson – The Dallas-born actor and screenwriter, famous for movies such as Wedding Crashers, Shanghai Knights, Anaconda, Bottle Rocket and more, has won several awards. Wilson went to the University of Texas at Austin where he met award-winning director, Wes Anderson.

Dallas native Owen Wilson plays football on the field with friends on the NFL Network before... — Dallas native Owen Wilson plays football on the field with friends on the NFL Network before Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium, Sunday, February 6, 2011.

Vanessa Guillen – The 20-year-old Houston-born U.S. Army Specialist went missing from her Fort Hood unit in Central Texas on April 22, 2020. Her dismembered remains were found two months later. Her family said she was sexually harassed by a co-worker in her workplace.

People look at a mural honoring Spc. Vanessa Guillén painted by artist Juan Velasquez on a... — People look at a mural honoring Spc. Vanessa Guillén painted by artist Juan Velasquez on a wall located at the corner of W Ripy St and Hemphill St in Fort Worth, TX July 6 2020. (Photo Omar Vega / Al Dia Dallas)
Omar Vega

Mr. Peppermint – Jerome Martin “Jerry” Haynes was a Dallas-born broadcaster and actor. He is famous for his role as Mr. Peppermint from the show later named Peppermint Place that aired on WFAA-TV between 1961 and 1996, according to the Texas State Historical Association.

Jerry Haynes as Mr. Peppermint in a 1978 file photo.

Stevie Ray Vaughan – The Dallas-born guitarist, singer and songwriter is widely recognized as a blues icon and one of the greatest guitarists of all time. Vaughan found success in the 1980s with his band Double Trouble and wrote hits such as “Texas Flood” and “Pride and Joy.” There is a park in Cockrell Hill dedicated to Vaughan.

Charlie Kirk – The late American conservative political activist was the founder and president of Turning Point USA. The conservative nonprofit organization that operates in about 3,500 campuses across the nation was founded by Kirk in 2012. Kirk was fatally shot in September while addressing a crowd at Utah Valley University, which set off a series of vigils and gatherings in North Texas. Earlier this year, Hood County welcomed one of the first roads in the country named after Kirk – Charlie Kirk Memorial Parkway.

Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, pauses during microphone check before the... — Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, pauses during microphone check before the start of the first day of the Republican National Convention Monday, July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
J. Scott Applewhite / AP

Donald Trump – The 45th and 47th president of the United States is currently serving his second term. Trump was born in New York in 1946 and is the second president to serve non-consecutive terms, according to the White House website.

President Donald Trump waves, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, before departing on... — President Donald Trump waves, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, before departing on Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, March 20, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Alex Brandon / AP

Irma Rangel – In November 1976, Rangel became the first Hispanic woman elected to the Texas Legislature, according to the Texas A&M University’s website. She was reelected to her thirteenth term in 1998. In Dallas, Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School stands in Fair Park as the first all girls’ public school in Texas.
Rebecca Henry Hayes – The Galveston resident started the earliest organized effort for women’s suffrage in Texas in 1893, according to the Galveston and Texas History Center. Hayes led the women’s suffrage movement in Texas in the 1890s and was recruited to serve as the vice president for the National American Woman Suffrage Association in Texas.
Chuck Norris – The iconic actor and martial arts master, who died Thursday at 86, is well known for his role in the show Walker, Texas Ranger. The show ran between 1993 and 2001, and was shot in Dallas-Fort Worth.

FILE - Chuck Norris, actor, mixed-martial arts champion and Air Force veteran, speaks during... — FILE – Chuck Norris, actor, mixed-martial arts champion and Air Force veteran, speaks during a promotional tour of “The Delta Force” movie in San Francisco on Feb. 4, 1986. (Steve Ringman/San Francisco Chronicle via AP, File)
Steve Ringman / AP
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Ann Richards – Born in Lakeview, Texas, she served as the last democratic governor of the state from 1991 to 1995, according to the National Governor’s Association. She is one of only two women to serve as governor of Texas. The Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge in downtown Austin is dedicated to the late governor. In 2021, the city of Dallas paid tribute to Richards by displaying around 60 “Ann Banners” in downtown along Main, Akard and Young streets.