Thomas Jefferson High School (Dallas)

Until 1972, the (Confederate) Rebel served as school mascot and the Confederate Battle Flag was a recognized school emblem. The negative associations of both symbols led to a change following desegregation of Dallas schools in the early 1970s.{{Cite news | first = Karen | last = Elliott | title = Black students stay out" | newspaper = The Dallas Morning News | date = September 14, 1971 | page = 1A | quote = Jefferson students also complained about the Rebel theme at the school, despite white students' agreement not to fly the Rebel flag or play Dixie at football games.}}{{Cite news | first = Karen | last = Elliott | title = Estes to get complaints | newspaper = The Dallas Morning News | date = September 15, 1971 | page = 1A}}{{Cite news | title = Students vote today | newspaper = The Dallas Morning News | date = April 13, 1972 | page = 1D}} In the 2005–06 school year, the school celebrated its 50th anniversary.{{Cite web | url = http://www.tjdallasalum.org/ | title = Thomas Jefferson High School Alumni Association | website = Thomas Jefferson High School Alumni Association}}

In 1987 John Kincaide, the athletic director of DISD, said that the district is prepared to allow Jefferson to be reclassified by the University Interscholastic League (UIL) from athletic class 5A to athletic class 4A; the UIL had the possibility of demoting the school to athletic class 4A as part of its biannual reclassification.{{Cite news | url = http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DM&p_theme=dm&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0ED3CF7DA456AF26&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM | title = DISD Will Let Pinkston, TJ Drop to Class AAAA | newspaper = The Dallas Morning News | date = December 2, 1987 | access-date = November 26, 2011}}

On October 20, 2019, the school was heavily damaged by an EF-3 tornado.{{Cite news | url = https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2019/10/22/more-than-20-dallas-area-schools-still-closed-tuesday-as-recovery-from-weekend-tornadoes-continues/ | title = More than 20 Dallas-area schools still closed Tuesday, as recovery from weekend tornadoes continues | last = Smith | first = Corbett | newspaper = The Dallas Morning News | date = October 22, 2019}} Students were relocated to the former Edison Middle School,{{cite web|author=Allen, Silas|url=https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/after-dallas-tornado-some-disd-students-move-into-new-schools-11785209|title=After Tornado, Some Dallas Students Move to New Schools|work=Dallas Observer|date=2019-10-22|access-date=2019-10-30}} and remained there for the rest of the 2019–20 school year.{{Cite web | url = https://www.wfaa.com/article/weather/severe-weather/warriors-dallas-isd-bounces-back-after-tornadoes-touch-down-across-district/287-9699587e-62a3-4623-8244-1aecac68a860 | title = 'Warriors': Dallas ISD bounces back after tornadoes touch down across district | last1 = Woodard | first1 = Teresa | website = WFAA-TV | date = October 23, 2019 | quote = Students from the three campuses that suffered the most damage – Walnut Hill Elementary School, Cary Middle School, and Thomas Jefferson High School – are being relocated to other campuses for the rest of the school year and possibly beyond.}}{{Cite web | url = https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/six-takeaways-from-sundays-tornadoes-11794246 | title = Students from Tornado-Damaged Schools Return to Class | last1 = Allen | first1 = Silas | website = The Dallas Observer | date = October 24, 2019}}

The current facility began operations in January 2023.

Jefferson serves several sections of Dallas, including a portion of Walnut Hill, Walnut Hill Lane and the adjacent residential area, the apartment complexes along the Webb Chapel Extension, the Love Field neighborhood, and The Creeks of Preston Hollow.{{Cite web | url = http://www.dallasisd.org/demo/schoolinfo/highzones2008/Jefferson2008.pdf | title = Fall 2008 Thomas Jefferson High School Attendance Zone Grades 9-12 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080907165602/http://www.dallasisd.org/demo/schoolinfo/highzones2008/Jefferson2008.pdf | archive-date = September 7, 2008 | website = Dallas Independent School District | access-date = October 12, 2008}}{{Cite web | url = http://maps.dallascityhall.com | title = Maps | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170815073629/http://maps.dallascityhall.com/ | archive-date = August 15, 2017 | website = City of Dallas | access-date = October 12, 2008}}{{Cite web | url = http://www.thecreeksofprestonhollow.com/Portals/0/docs/brochure.pdf | title = Brochure | website = The Creeks of Preston Hollow | access-date = October 12, 2008}}{{Dead link | date = July 2019 | bot = InternetArchiveBot | fix-attempted = yes}} It serves a portion of the Preston Hollow area.{{Cite news | last = Jacobs | first = Mary | url = http://www.dallasnews.com/incoming/20090107-Preston-Hollow-adding-Bushes-to-list-5093.ece | title = Preston Hollow adding Bushes to list of high-profile residents | newspaper = The Dallas Morning News | date = January 7, 2009 | access-date = October 12, 2011}}

The neighborhood around Thomas Jefferson is majority non-Hispanic white.

The class of 1965 had 962 members, the largest graduating class of any high school in Texas up to that time.{{cite web | url = http://www.tjhs1965.com/ | title = Thomas Jefferson High School Class of 1965 Home | website = tjhs1965.com | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051027153623/http://www.tjhs1965.com/ | archive-date = October 27, 2005 | url-status = dead}}

Beginning in the mid-1980s, TJ's student body changed from predominantly white to predominantly Hispanic/Latino. Although the school is located in a primarily white neighborhood, most students come from majority-Hispanic areas north of Love Field.

The high school shot put record was set at the Golden West Invitational in 1979 by then-senior Michael Carter, who threw the 12-pound shot 81 feet, 3-1/2 inches. As of June 2006, the record had yet to be broken or even approached.John Crumpacker. [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/06/06/SPGOGJ91DE1.DTL The Carter family puts its emphasis in Sacramento], San Francisco Chronicle, June 6, 2006

In 2006, the League of United Latin American Citizens provided uniforms for all 20 members of the TJ boys' soccer team after learning that the team, which had taken second place in the athletic district, had been unable to afford to outfit the full team for the previous four years.{{Cite web | url = http://www.lulachousing.com/espanol/news.php?id=26 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110714002011/http://www.lulachousing.com/espanol/news.php?id=26 | url-status = dead | archive-date = July 14, 2011 | title = LULAC Gives Uniforms to High School Soccer Team |access-date=November 4, 2006}}

On September 16, 2011, football team won their first homecoming game in many years, sparking a large celebration by the students and faculty.{{Cite web | url = http://www.dallasisd.org/site/default.aspx?PageID=1 | title = Dallas Independent School District / Dallas ISD Home | website = www.dallasisd.org}}

For over a decade,Dave Sorter. [http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth188265/m1/3/zoom/ "TJ educator offers rare Holocaust high-school course, says lessons teach empathy,"] Texas Jewish Post (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 63, No. 45, Ed. 1, November 5, 2009, pp. 3,25. the school has offered an elective course in Holocaust studies. The semester-long history study culminates in a set of student presentations on Holocaust Remembrance Day as part of a day-long museum on campus, often including a presentation from a local survivor of the tragedy.[http://www.dallasisd.org/site/Default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=1&PageID=1&ViewID=047e6be3-6d87-4130-8424-d8e4e9ed6c2a&FlexDataID=22517 "Dallas ISD students create Holocaust museum,"] Dallas Independent School District, undated. The course was instituted by former U.S. Holocaust Museum educator and present TJ history teacher Cathleen Cadigan.

The language program includes Spanish classes for heritage and novice speakers of the language, as well as a program in Mandarin Chinese that began under a former principal.[http://www.dallasisd.org/site/Default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=1&PageID=1&ViewID=047e6be3-6d87-4130-8424-d8e4e9ed6c2a&FlexDataID=14442 "Event highlights partnership between Chinese school, Thomas Jefferson,"] Dallas Independent School District, September 2012 The Chinese program includes an exchange component in which a small number of students have been able to travel to Hainan, China to study during the Dallas school's summer vacation.{{Cite news | first = Tawnell | last = Hobbs | url = http://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/headlines/20120910-chinese-culture-is-abundant-at-northwest-dallas-school.ece | title = Chinese culture is abundant at Northwest Dallas school | newspaper = The Dallas Morning News | date = September 10, 2012}}

In the mid-2000s students at TJ called the school the "Cheesehead Factory" due to the presence of the heroin-based drug Cheese. A hall monitor at TJ first discovered Cheese in 2005 when the monitor discovered it in a bottle of Tylenol PM held by a student. During the height of the epidemic, around 2005/2006, students were using the drug in class and in the restrooms. In the 2005–2006 school year there were 43 cheese-related arrests of students by the DISD police. Principal Edward Conger combated the problem by installing a new discipline program. In the 2007–2008 school year there were around 21-22 arrests. In 2011 there were two arrests.Kraly, Christine. "[http://www.dmagazine.com/Home/D_Magazine/2012/February/How_Thomas_Jefferson_High_School_Students_Kicked_the_Cheese_Habit.aspx How Thomas Jefferson Students Kicked the Habit]." D Magazine. January 18, 2012. Retrieved on November 7, 2013. In 2012 Erin Nicholson of the Dallas Observer wrote that the school "had reportedly done a pretty good job of ridding it from their hallways."Nicholson, Erin. "[http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2012/05/cheese_heroin_reappears_at_tho.php Cheese Heroin Reappears at Thomas Jefferson]." ({{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20131107164326/http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2012/05/cheese_heroin_reappears_at_tho.php Archive]}}) Dallas Observer. Friday May 18, 2012. Thomas Jefferson's "Street Team", a club attributed to bring drug awareness throughout the school, continues to bring an increasing number of students pledging to be drug free each year.

In 2014 there were incidents of TJ students abusing prescription drugs.New, Brian. "[https://www.cbsnews.com/dfw/news/concerns-over-prescription-drug-use-at-dallas-high-school/ Concerns Over Prescription Drug Use At Dallas High School]." CBS DFW. February 25, 2014. Retrieved on June 11, 2016.

Thomas Jefferson historically had a school rivalry with W. T. White High School. David Seeley, a senior editor of the Dallas Observer, wrote in Texas Monthly that the rivalry was "at its peak" in the mid-1970s with fistfights occurring regularly at Loos Field during the homecoming games where Thomas Jefferson was playing against W.T. White; Jefferson students perceived W.T. White students as snobby while W.T. White students perceived Jefferson students as low class. By 1982 the schools no longer competed at homecoming games and they had been placed in separate athletic districts.Seeley, David. "Dear Parents of Dallas: Your teenagers Are out Hot-Rodding, Drinking Beer, and Flirting on Forest Lane Every Friday Night!" Texas Monthly. Emmis Communications, January 1982. Volume 10, No. 1. ISSN 0148-7736. START: p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=vSsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA108 108]. CITED: p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=vSsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA164 164]. This rivalry, however, continued into the 2010s. A 2014 vandalism incident at W.T. White involved the words "TJ" being spraypainted, but the administration of W.T. White expressed a belief that the vandals were W.T. White students.{{Cite news | last = Wilonsky | first = Robert | url = http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2014/12/principal-w-t-white-students-likely-vandalized-their-own-high-school-over-the-holiday-weekend.html/ | title = Principal: W.T. White students likely vandalized their own high school over the holiday weekend | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160625162044/http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2014/12/principal-w-t-white-students-likely-vandalized-their-own-high-school-over-the-holiday-weekend.html/ | archive-date = June 25, 2016 | newspaper = The Dallas Morning News | date = December 1, 2014 | access-date = June 9, 2016}}

According to Seeley, as of 1982, students from both schools frequently socialized with other high school students along Forest Lane on Fridays, and W.T. White and Thomas Jefferson had the largest numbers of students there. High school students "cruised" along Forest Lane beginning in the early 1960s.{{Cite magazine | last = Seeley | first = David | title = Dear Parents of Dallas: Your teenagers Are out Hot-Rodding, Drinking Beer, and Flirting on Forest Lane Every Friday Night! | magazine = Texas Monthly' | publisher = Emmis Communications | date = January 1982 | volume = 10 | issue = 1 | issn = 0148-7736 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=vSsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA108 | page = 108}}

The following elementary schools feed into Jefferson:{{Cite web | url = http://www.dallasisd.org/demo/schoolinfo/feeder2007/jefferson.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080517153351/http://www.dallasisd.org/demo/schoolinfo/feeder2007/jefferson.htm | title = Dallas ISD : Demographic Studies (2007-08 High School Cluster Feeder Pattern) | archive-date = May 17, 2008 | url-status = dead}}

• KB Polk
• Jose "Joe" May
• David G. Burnet
• Leonides Cigarroa
• Stephen C. Foster
• Obadiah Knight
• Julian T. Saldivar
• Walnut Hill International Leadership Academy

and Medrano Middle School feed into Jefferson.

The TJ Patriots compete in the following sports:{{Cite web | url = http://www.theathleticsdepartment.com/schools/Dallas-Thomas-Jefferson/ | title = The Athletics Department}}{{Dead link | date = July 2019 | bot = InternetArchiveBot | fix-attempted = yes}}

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Cross Country
• Football
• Golf
• Soccer
• Softball
• Swimming and Diving
• Tennis
• Track and Field
• Volleyball
• Wrestling

The school habitually has a post-class dismissal cookout scheduled on the day of the homecoming American football game.{{cite web|author=Allen, Silas|url=https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/dallas-students-from-tornado-damaged-schools-return-to-class-11785816|title=Students from Tornado-Damaged Schools Return to Class|work=Dallas Observer|date=2019-10-24|access-date=2019-10-30}}

• Dee Brock

• Michael Lee Aday (Meat Loaf), rock musician{{cite news | url = https://www.dallasnews.com/news/news/2015/01/27/50-years-later-meat-loafs-returning-to-thomas-jefferson-high-as-a-distinguished-alumnus | title = 50 years later, Meat Loaf's returning to Thomas Jefferson High as a distinguished alumnus | newspaper = The Dallas Morning News | last = Wilonsky | first = Robert | date = January 17, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161003054540/https://www.dallasnews.com/news/news/2015/01/27/50-years-later-meat-loafs-returning-to-thomas-jefferson-high-as-a-distinguished-alumnus | archive-date = October 3, 2016 | url-status = live}}{{cite news | last = Chamberlain | first = Adrian | url = http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/arts/story.html?id=614a8fdf-d7ae-4eb3-98c8-2c5321c81bb5&k=9722 | title = Meat Loaf, reheated: Singer says energy and voice are back, thanks to exercise and vocal coach | newspaper = The Ottawa Citizen | via = canada.com | date = March 13, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160118021537/http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/arts/story.html?id=614a8fdf-d7ae-4eb3-98c8-2c5321c81bb5&k=9722 | archive-date = January 18, 2016 | url-status = dead}}
• Ryan Allen was an American bass singer best known for his work in opera.{{cite web | url = http://hosting-24909.tributes.com/obituary/show/A.-Ryan-Allen-106655407 | title = A. Allen Obituary - Charleston, South Carolina - J. Henry Stuhr Downtown Chapel | website = tributes.com | access-date = December 18, 2018}}
• Michael Carter, former NFL player, Olympics shot put silver medalist{{cite magazine | url = http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1095120/1/index.htm | title = A Shot Heard Round The World | last = Marshall | first = Joe | date = July 2, 1979 | magazine = Sports Illustrated | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140512215906/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1095120/1/index.htm | archive-date = May 12, 2014 | url-status = dead}}
• Dave Huffman, All-American football player and broadcaster, member of 1977 Notre Dame championship team, Minnesota Vikings center, guard, and tackle{{Cite web | url = http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=HUFFMDAV01 | title = Dave Huffman | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070929165751/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=HUFFMDAV01 | archive-date = September 29, 2007 | website = databaseFootball.com | url-status = usurped}}
• Jimmy Jones, 1982, Major League Baseball pitcher, first-round draft pick{{cite web | url = https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=jones-007jam | title = Jimmy Jones Minor & Japanese Leagues Statistics & History | website = Baseball-Reference.com | access-date = July 4, 2019}}
• Hal Mumme, former New Mexico State and Kentucky head football coach{{Cite web | url = http://newmexicostate.scout.com/2/336250.html | title = A Look at 'Air Raid' Hal Mumme Football | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080923015307/http://newmexicostate.scout.com/2/336250.html | archive-date = September 23, 2008 | website = Scout.com | date = December 30, 2004 | access-date = September 12, 2008 | url-status = dead}}
• Mike Nesmith, actor-musician and member of The Monkees{{Cite web | url = http://www.last.fm/user/RadicalBender/journal/2006/03/23/101548/ | title = Liner notes to Dallas' Scene, Heard - Rare and Unreleased Tracks Compiled by the Dallas Observer'' | website = Last.fm | publisher = CBS Interactive | date = March 23, 2006 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121110182249/http://www.last.fm/user/RadicalBender/journal/2006/03/23/vmz_dallas%27_scene,_heard_-_rare_and_unreleased_tracks_compiled_by_the_dallas_observer | archive-date = November 10, 2012 | url-status = dead}}{{cite web | url = http://monkees.rhino.com/read/mike.lasso | title = The Monkees {{!}} Mike Nesmith | website = Rhino Records | archive-url = https://archive.today/20061018045555/http://monkees.rhino.com/read/mike.lasso | archive-date=October 18, 2006 }}
• Glenn Robinson, former NFL player{{cite web | url = https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/R/RobiGl20.htm | title = Glenn Robinson Stats | website = Pro-Football-Reference.com | access-date = July 4, 2019}}
• David Ritz author, lyricist and biographer.{{cite web | url = https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2016/august/going-back-to-thomas-jefferson-high/ | title = Going Back to Thomas Jefferson High | website=dmagazine.com | access-date = December 31, 2020}}
• Burt Solomons (Class of 1968), Denton County lawyer, Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1995 to 2013{{cite web | url = http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/scanned/members/bios/240.pdf | title = Burt Sol;mons | publisher = Texas Legislative Reference Library | access-date = September 23, 2013}}
• Brenda Vaccaro, Oscar-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actress{{Cite web | first = Philip | last = Wuntch | url = http://www.projo.com/sharedcontent/movies/movienews2/081706ccdrMOVIESvaccaro.b7a539d.html | title = 'Boynton' star Brenda Vaccaro's still got the sass | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060903181848/http://www.projo.com/sharedcontent/movies/movienews2/081706ccdrMOVIESvaccaro.b7a539d.html | archive-date = September 3, 2006 | newspaper = The Dallas Morning News | via = The Providence Journal | date = August 17, 2006 | access-date = August 4, 2007}}
• Robert Wilonsky, journalistRobert Wilonsky. [http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2007/04/yup_i_was_a_cheerleader_damned.php "Yup. I Was a Cheerleader. Damned Proud of It. (Well...),"] Unfair Park blog of Dallas Observer, April 12, 2007.
• Diane Grisham Winston, Class of 1966, member of Louisiana House of Representatives (1996–2008) from St. Tammany Parish.{{cite web | url = http://enlou.com/officeholders/housedistrict77.htm | title = House District 77 | publisher = enlou.com | access-date = October 18, 2009 |url-status=dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061111123614/http://enlou.com/officeholders/housedistrict77.htm | archive-date = November 11, 2006}}
• Owen Wilson, actor (completed sophomore year at Thomas Jefferson after being expelled from St. Mark's School of Texas)[http://wilson-brothers.com/owen/bio.html Owen Wilson bio] at Wilson-brothers.com
• Reyna Onald Thompson, former NFL player and Super Bowl Champion.{{cite web |title=Reyna Thompson Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/ThomRe00.htm |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |access-date=12 February 2025 |language=en}}
• Timothy Patrick Huffman, former NFL player and brother of Dave Huffman.{{Cite web |title=Tim Huffman Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HuffTi20.htm |access-date=2025-02-12 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Portal|Schools}}

• {{Official website}}

• [https://tjhsaa35.wildapricot.org/ Thomas Jefferson High School Alumni Association]
• {{usurped|1=[https://archive.today/20130209214732/http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tj1970/ Grads of 1970]}}
• [http://www.tjclass1971.com/TJ Class of 1971]{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928035419/http://tj78.info/ TJ 1978 Alumni Site]}}

{{Dallas ISD}}

{{Dallas High Schools}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Jefferson, Thomas High School}}

Category:Dallas Independent School District high schools

Category:Public high schools in Dallas

Category:Educational institutions established in 1956

Category:1956 establishments in Texas