John Wiley Price tries to spoil Parkland chief’s entry into Dallas

[Karee 4,191]

Parkland’s new chief executive, Dr. Fred Cerise, is just settling into town and starting to make the rounds and talk about how he intends to improve the hospital and the care it provides.

This being Dallas, he couldn’t do that without getting a spoonful of politics dosed with racial tension.

Cerise attended several public forums last week where serious questions were asked and answered about the hospital’s future.

At Friendship West Baptist Church, County Commissioner John Wiley Price had to put the train on a different track.

Parkland’s chief executive should have been black or Hispanic, Price complained.

“It’s no reflection on Dr. Cerise. He’s here now,” Price said. “But I’m still not a happy camper, and I don’t expect to be soon.”

How is that not a reflection on Cerise? He’s standing right there inside an influential black church. It’s clear he’s white. So he’s already in the hole with one of the most powerful figures in local politics because he showed up with the wrong color skin. Nothing to do with his other qualifications appears to have gotten mention. Everything I’ve read about Cerise indicates he’s got the experience to do the job.

Price went on to push for minority contracting, a common refrain among the southern Dallas political set.

Cerise seemed to handle it well, promising that he would look into improving diversity among Parkland’s top managers.

But given the fact that Parkland has had so many serious problems, problems that impact the health and welfare of the very people it’s trying to treat, why is Price focused on race?

Parkland needs the support of its political leaders right now to try to reform. Welcoming Cerise to town with a shot like the one Price took is the wrong prescription.

Source:

http://dallasmorningviewsblog.dallasnews.com/2014/03/john-wiley-price-tries-to-spoil-parkland-chiefs-entry-into-dallas.html/

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Can't say I know much (if anything) about Dallas politics, but that's just dumb. If he has the qualifications to do a good job, pfffffft.