Legacy Principal remembered

“We have suffered a tremendous loss,” Legacy Preparatory Charter Academy Superintendent Mrs. Staci Weaver said Monday, about the unexpected death of Mesquite West High School Principal Javier Chaparro.

Mr. Chaparro was diagnosed with an aggressive illness. He was hospitalized and passed away shortly after.

Superintendent Weaver said, “the school community is in shock.”

Mr. Chaparro had been the high school principal at Legacy Preparatory Charter Academy for the past six years. He previously was a principal at Seagoville Middle School in Dallas ISD. Mr. Chaparro was a truly dedicated leader who was very humble and passionate. He instilled ethics and values into his scholars and made sure they were productive citizens of the community.

In a statement released by the District: "He was a leader who they lost hope. She told all who would listen that you cannot appreciate the peak of the mountain until you have been in the pit of the valley!

Big Mama is the person who made me intensely, unapologetically self-aware and historically African inspired. She made me see the “value” in the valley and gravitate to the rough side of the mountain over the complacent, smooth mountain base.

Big Mama would always be on that front porch stoop where she delivered to her audience of sons, daughters, grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, great great-great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews and deliver her God Moment!

Big Mama expanded her smooth mountain story by saying, “You may not know you are in a smooth mountain move- ment because you are continually walking around that smooth base of the mountain satisfied but never moving up!"

We don’t want rough patches but I know for sure you cannot see and look over the mountaintop if you have not had experience and undo the initial damage you see right in front and inside of you.

As you work through the process of a community-driven course correction, it is extremely common for you to initially experience an exacerbation of your current trials and tribulations or to even experience hopelessness.

Last week, I told the young men who wanted change to understand a few key steps: a) If you have no spiritual courage, stay on the smooth walk around the base of the mountain, especially if you are afraid of being a game changer or if you think you cannot influence unhealthy status quo. However, understand that the mountaintop will never reach your hands.

If you are ready to move upward, know that the path will not always be smooth. Every dip and gutter you encounter serves a purpose and is an integral part of moving forward

So, in closing, I ask you to go look for that rough side of the mountain in our world, tackle it and give us a true democracy.

Who has a testimony? Email me at terryallenpr@gmail.com and let me know! We cannot go back to another Jim Crow error or era, at all.