Sports or academics, the Fort Worth Independent School District’s reputation is not particularly sterling these days.
Unflattering grades, school closures and threats of a state takeover do not exactly scream, “Send your kid here.”
If it makes you feel any better, and it won’t, most large metro city school districts all over America have the same issues as FWISD.
There are also FWISD alums who can attest that it’s better than the worst stereotypes would portray it.
“Looking back, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed playing for Fort Worth ISD,” Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Tylan Wallace said in the locker room after his team played the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday night at AT&T Stadium.
FWISD should sign him immediately to be a spokesperson.
Playing with twin brother, Tracin
Wallace is an alum of South Hills. He and his twin, Tracin, are pictures of the FWISD success story. Of the city public school alumni who are thriving as adults. Both graduated from Oklahoma State; Tylan is in his fifth season with the Ravens, and Tracin is an assistant coach on Mike Gundy’s OSU staff in Stillwater.
As kids return to school, they have to see someone who was “once them” who is doing well. The person who sat in the same classrooms, walked the same hallways, rode the same buses, ate in the same cafeteria and not only lived to tell about it but is putting together a nice life.
Even if 16-year-olds have no clue who Tylan and Tracin Wallace are, they need to know there are people who once were in their shoes and didn’t just “get out” but are thriving in part because of the school they attended.
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Tylan Wallace walks on the field to greet players after an NFL preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday at AT&T Stadium. Chris Torres ctorres@star-telegram.com
One of the bigger knocks/concerns about FWISD, or any school district like it, is that it does not adequately give young people a good chance at winning, or the proper exposure for the chance to play college sports. Nor does a FWISD-type school prepare them academically should they go to college.
Wallace makes no attempt to dispel those perceptions, but he doesn’t agree with them, either. He does not believe that a FWISD school is going to keep a person from playing college ball, or actually going to college and succeeding.
Having grown up in Fort Worth, Wallace was well aware of some the realities that he his brother were likely going to deal with if they attended South Hills, as opposed to going to another area school. It’s not Carroll, Highland Park or Katy.
“For me, staying in Fort Worth and playing football there, the competition wasn’t super great,” Wallace said. “It wasn’t like it was down the road at Aledo.”
They both attended Deion Sanders’ infamous “Prime Prep Academy” when that charter school collapsed, but that was before they were of high school age. Going to a Crowley or a North Crowley was possible, a path a lot of talented young Fort Worth-area residents have chosen over FWISD.
“The whole reason my brother and I stayed was because we wanted to try to make a name for ourselves,” Wallace said. “We wanted to do something for Fort Worth and to put it on the map, so to speak. Our experience there was great; we enjoyed every last minute of it.”
Success at South Hills
In the Wallace twins’ final three years of high school, South Hills was a combined 26-8, including 10-1 in their senior season. Those Scorpion teams never did win a playoff game.
For the young people who play ball at schools that don’t win, getting noticed is a little bit harder. For the people who play ball at schools that don’t win but a few games a season, at most, going to practice and getting up for a game where the person may be on the south side of a 56-6 score is not exactly a reason to keep playing.
“That definitely doesn’t help, but if you can play football, they will find you,” Wallace said. “That was the hard part. The competition level. It probably wasn’t the best, but you have to make the very best of the opportunity that you can.
“I think it’s why so many guys you’re seeing go to Crowley, or North Crowley. People moving out to Aledo or other schools.”
Cowboys defensive end Micah Parsons (11) greets Ravens wide receiver Tylan Wallace after the game Saturday. Chris Torres ctorres@star-telegram.com
When the Wallace twins made the jump to Oklahoma State, what they discovered was that their high school careers had no negative bearing on their ability to play in college football, or to have success in college classes.
“As an athlete, it does help because you do have tutors. But, I honestly feel like going to college classes, nothing was really missing,” Wallace said of his transition from a high school to a college academic load. “In college, I feel like a lot of that is just showing up for the class in the first place.
“I felt like [South Hills] prepared me. I didn’t feel unprepared when I got there at all.”
Tylan earned his degree in sports management, and was a fourth-round pick of the Ravens in the 2021 NFL draft. Since landing in Baltimore, he’s developed into a backup receiver and a top returner.
By any measure, Tylan and Tracin Wallace are success stories.
The kids who attend South Hills, or any FWISD school, need to know that they once sat in the same classrooms, walked the same hallways, rode the same buses and ate in the same cafeteria.