This research is a case study of change and racial/ethnic conflict in the Dallas, Texas, Independent School District (DISD). Data are drawn from observations of monthly meetings of the school board. The focus is on communication as cultural projection among African American and Mexican American delegations at meetings and on the reactions evoked in board decision making. No evidence was found of Black-Brown coalition building; however, findings suggest that different styles of communication influence the treatment African American and Mexican American groups receive and ultimately may affect their access to the scarce resources of public education. (Contains 1 table and 2 notes.)