MacArthur High School (Irving, Texas)
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MacArthur High School is a public high school in
Irving, Texas Irving is a city in Dallas County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Mid-Cities region of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and is an Inner suburb, inner city suburb of Dallas. Irving is noted for its #Demographics, racial and ethnic diver ...
. Opened in 1963, it is named for the American
General of the Army Army general or General of the army is the highest ranked general officer in many countries that use the French Revolutionary System. Army general is normally the highest rank used in peacetime. In countries that adopt the general officer fou ...
Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American general who served as a top commander during World War II and the Korean War, achieving the rank of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army. He served with dis ...
. In 2010, the school was rated " Academically Recognized" by the
Texas Education Agency The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is the branch of the government of Texas responsible for public education in Texas in the United States.
. In 2021–22, the school was rated by the Texas Education Agency as follows: C overall, C for Student Achevement, B for School Progress, and C for Closing the Gaps.


History

MacArthur High School, named after General
Douglas MacArthur Douglas MacArthur (26 January 18805 April 1964) was an American general who served as a top commander during World War II and the Korean War, achieving the rank of General of the Army (United States), General of the Army. He served with dis ...
, opened in 1963. A
Junior ROTC The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) is a Federal government of the United States, federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in high schools and also in some middle schools across the United States and at US mil ...
program began in the 1973–74 school year.


Student body

As of 2024, the total minority enrollment at the high school was 93%, and 80% of the school's students were
economically disadvantaged The "disadvantaged" is a generic term for individuals or groups of people who: * Face special problems such as physical or mental disability * Lack money or economic supportKingdom of Nepal: Economic and Social Inclusion of the Disadvantaged P ...
.


Academic ratings

In 2009, the school was rated " Academically Acceptable" by the
Texas Education Agency The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is the branch of the government of Texas responsible for public education in Texas in the United States.
. In 2010, the school was rated " Academically Recognized" by the Texas Education Agency. In 2021–22, the school was rated by the Texas Education Agency as follows: C overall, C for Student Achevement, B for School Progress, and C for Closing the Gaps.


Sports

In 2011, the MacArthur girls basketball team won the state tournament. Coach Suzie Oelschlegel was named the Coach of the Year by the
National Federation of State High School Associations The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) is the body that writes the rules of competition for most high school sports and activities in the United States. NFHS's headquarters are located in White River State Park in Indi ...
. In 2014–15,
Josh Hawley Joshua David Hawley (born December 31, 1979) is an American politician and attorney serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from Missouri, a seat he has held since 2019. A member ...
played basketball for the school in his senior year, averaged 18 points and 12 rebounds per game leading the MacArthur High School basketball team to a 31–5 record, and was named Irving Independent School District MVP, all-region, and first team all-state.


Controversies


Student arrest

A 14-year-old student, Ahmed Mohamed, was arrested on September 14, 2015, for bringing an alleged hoax bomb to school, questioned, and released. Under Texas law, it is illegal to possess a "hoax bomb" with an intent to "make another believe that the hoax bomb is an explosive or incendiary device" or to "cause nalarm or reaction of any type by an official of a public safety agency or volunteer agency organized to deal with emergencies". The episode arose after Mohamed reassembled the parts of a
digital clock A digital clock displays the time digitally (i.e. in numerals or other symbols), as opposed to an analogue clock. Digital clocks are often associated with electronic drives, but the "digital" description refers only to the display, not to the ...
in an pencil container, and then brought it to school to show his teachers. His engineering teacher, upon seeing the clock advised him to keep the device in his backpack for the rest of the school day. Mohamed, however, later plugged it in during his English class and set a time on the clock. When the clock alarm started beeping, his English teacher confiscated the clock and reported him to the school principal, and the local police were called. The police questioned him for an hour and a half. He was handcuffed, taken into custody, and transported to a juvenile detention facility where he was fingerprinted and his mug shot was taken. He was then released to his parents. According to local police, the reason for his arrest was that they initially suspected he may have purposely caused a bomb scare. Police determined that he had no malicious intent, and he was not charged with any crime. The case was not pursued further by the juvenile justice authorities, but he was suspended from the school and offered no apology. His family then sent a
demand letter A demand letter, letter of demand, (of payment), letter before action, or letter before claim, is a letter stating a legal claim (usually drafted by a lawyer) which makes a demand for restitution or performance of some obligation, owing to the rec ...
on November 23, 2015, saying they would file a lawsuit if they did not receive $15 million ($ in current dollar terms) in financial compensation and a public apology from the City of Irving and the Irving School District. His family then filed a lawsuit against the City of Irving and the school district on August 8, 2016. On May 19, 2017, a federal judge dismissed the lawsuit, saying the plaintiff presented no facts demonstrating intentional discrimination against Mohamed. On March 13, 2018, another federal lawsuit filed by Ahmed Mohamed's father against the Irving Independent School District, the city of Irving, and several specific individuals, was dismissed
with prejudice ''Prejudice'' is a legal term with different meanings, which depend on whether it is used in criminal, civil, or common law. In legal context, ''prejudice'' differs from the more common use of the word and so the term has specific technical mea ...
and with the court ordering Mohamed's family to bear all the costs of the lawsuit.


LGBTQ+ stickers policy

In August 2021, after some teachers posted small rainbow stickers — a symbol of the gay pride movement — outside their classrooms to indicate to students that they were
LGBTQ LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, Gay men, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning (sexuality and gender), questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, Asexuality, asexual, ...
allies, the high school administration required that the stickers be taken down, and they were scraped off by the school. The administration later said in a statement that decorations in classrooms, hallways or offices must be “curriculum driven and neutral in viewpoint” to “ensure that all students feel safe regardless of background or identity.”Tyler Kingkade (April 7, 2022)
"A Texas teacher faces losing her job after fighting for gay pride symbols in school,"
''NBC News''.
Word spread among students that the new principal had allegedly fired a teacher who was openly gay and was forcing teachers to remove "safe space" stickers. Some students then organized a walkout for LGBTQ+ rights on September 22 between 6th and 7th periods.


Notable people


Alumni

* Kole Ayi,
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(NFL) player *
Akin Ayodele Akinola James Ayodele (; born September 17, 1979) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, and Buffalo Bills. He ...
, NFL player * Brian Bosworth, NFL player and actor *
Ron Brooks Ron Brooks (born October 16, 1988) is an American former professional football cornerback. He was selected by the Buffalo Bills in fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft. He played college football at LSU. He also played for the Philadelphia Eagles ...
, NFL player *
Patrick Chukwurah Patrick C. Chukwurah (born March 1, 1979) is a Nigerian former professional American football defensive end. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2001 NFL draft. He played college football at Wyoming. Chukwurah has ...
, Nigerian NFL player *
Josh Hawley Joshua David Hawley (born December 31, 1979) is an American politician and attorney serving as the Seniority in the United States Senate, senior United States Senate, United States senator from Missouri, a seat he has held since 2019. A member ...
(born 1996),
Israeli Basketball Premier League Ligat HaAl (, lit., ''Supreme League or Premier League''), or the Israeli Basketball Premier League, is a professional basketball league in Israel and the highest level of basketball in the country. The league's name is abbreviated as either BSL ...
player * Alexis Jones, WNBA basketball player * Andrew Jones (born 1997), college basketball player *
Peter MacNicol Peter MacNicol (born April 10, 1954) is an American actor. He received a Theatre World Award for his 1981 Broadway debut in the play '' Crimes of the Heart''. His film roles include Galen in '' Dragonslayer'' (1981), Stingo in '' Sophie's Choic ...
, Emmy Award-winning actor * Mike Phillips (born 1950),
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
(MLB) player * Steve Railsback, actor *
Odyssey Sims Odyssey Celeste Sims (born July 13, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). An AP and WBCA All-American, Sims was born in Irving, Texas and graduated fro ...
(born 1992), WNBA basketball player *
Rusty Troy Rusty Troy is a retired American soccer player. He played for the University of North Texas. He was drafted and played professionally in the Major Indoor Soccer League, National Professional Soccer League, American Professional Soccer League an ...
(born 1966), Major Indoor Soccer League, National Professional Soccer League, American Professional Soccer League, and USISL soccer player * Randy Waldrum (born 1956), soccer player and coach *
Kerry Wood Kerry Lee Wood (born June 16, 1977) is an American former baseball pitcher who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, and New York Yankees. Wood first came to prominence as a 20-year-old rookie, ...
(born 1977), MLB player


Faculty

* David Beaty, football coach, 2002–05 *
Phil Bennett Philip Bennett (24 October 1948 – 12 June 2022) was a Welsh rugby union player who played as a fly-half for Llanelli RFC and the Wales national rugby union team, Wales national team. He began his career in 1966, and a year later he had taken ...
, football coach, 1983 *
Melvin Robertson Melvin Robertson (born May 25, 1928) is a former American football coach. He was considered one of the top Defense (sport), defensive minds in football during the 1970s and 80s. "Mad Dog" Robertson began his coaching career as an assistant unde ...
, football coach, 1988–90


References


External links

*
MacArthur High School Homepage
(Archive) {{authority control 1963 establishments in Texas Educational institutions established in 1963 High schools in Irving, Texas Irving Independent School District high schools