Chandra Hooper-Barnett, the former Woodrow Wilson High School principal removed after an advisory meeting last fall that singled out Black students over their grades, has been tapped to lead Lincoln High School in southern Dallas. The reassignment is stirring fresh concern among parents and community members who say the earlier incident fractured trust with Black students. District records now list Hooper-Barnett as Lincoln's principal, a move some parents say the district has yet to fully explain.
As reported by KERA, Dallas ISD made the assignment public this week and identified Lincoln as a magnet campus in southern Dallas. The district's online listings reflect the change, but the appointment did not come with a standalone district news release. KERA also reported that it requested comment from Hooper-Barnett and did not receive a response.
What happened at Woodrow Wilson?
Dallas ISD removed Hooper-Barnett from Woodrow Wilson in October 2025 after parents told The Dallas Morning News that she had pulled only Black students into an advisory period and blamed them for the campus receiving a "B" accountability rating. In a letter acknowledging the meeting, Hooper-Barnett wrote, "The decision to hold that meeting ... was not appropriate," according to The Dallas Morning News. The district subsequently appointed an interim principal while it reviewed the incident.
Why the assignment is drawing scrutiny
Lincoln serves a predominantly Black student body; Dallas ISD data show African American students account for about 69.9% of the campus. That reality has sharpened questions about the district’s decision to place a leader who publicly reprimanded Black students in charge of a majority-Black school. Families and community advocates say the move raises doubts about how seriously the district is treating equity and trust-building. In a statement quoted by KERA, Dallas ISD said it "remains focused on student outcomes and will keep making decisions in the best interest of our students."
Next steps and community reaction
Parents at Woodrow had previously pushed for town halls and more transparent communication, and The Dallas Morning News reported that some district officials did not respond to requests for comment after the October incident. It is still unclear whether Lincoln families or nearby community groups have been notified directly about Hooper-Barnett’s reassignment. Advocates say the district now faces the challenge of explaining the decision and outlining how it intends to rebuild trust at both campuses.
