The three challengers vying for incumbent board trustee Leigh Ann Ellis’ seat at the Dallas ISD again hammered her at a political forum for voting to extend trustee terms and skip a scheduled election.

At the League of Women Voters forum at Reinhardt Elementary School last week, the four candidates answered questions from the public about parent involvement, overcrowding, budget shortfall and transparency, the high school dropout rate, and magnet school funding.

Penny Anderly, Bruce Parrott, and Bea Martinez already have blasted Ellis for what they claim is her lack of leadership on the Dallas Independent School District board of trustees. Reason enough, they feel, to oust her.

After the Texas attorney general said trustees couldn’t extend their terms from three to four years, the board called for a special election to take place Nov. 3. This move sparked anger in the neighborhood and lured opponents out of the woodwork.

A mood of “throw the bums out” appears to be in the fall air.