HOUSTON – For the second night in a row, community members spoke out at a meeting held by the Texas Education Agency about the takeover of Houston Independent School District.
Some of the attendees used a megaphone while demanding to be heard Wednesday night at Caesar Chavez High School.
“I think they thought it was an opportunity to get their voices heard if nothing else. I do think we could be a little more respectful about how we go about having these conversations, even though it does feel disrespectful how they are just coming in and taking over us, " said Zebhra Bell, a parent and teacher in HISD.
The meeting was supposed to explain the TEA’s process for hiring the new board of managers that will oversee the process of improving student outcomes at HISD, but parents say they have many more questions.
“We were under the impression that they would come talk to us about our frustrations, our worries and our concerns about the takeover, and not an application process,” said Bell.
Attendees were supposed to send questions in from their phones using a QR code or write them on note cards.
Instead, they lined up for their turn to shout over a megaphone that one guest brought to the meeting.
Many demanded to hear from state leaders directly.
“I want to hear from [Governor] Greg Abbott, I want to hear from all elected officials, I want to hear from Mike Morath, and I want them to have real conversations, " said Krischele Thierry, another parent in the district.
Little information was provided by the TEA at the meeting and that left some attendees frustrated.
“The truth needs to be told by hearing both sides, and the person from TEA did not get a chance to talk today,” one attendee said. “And I hope that there will be more people following the formalities. Be courteous, and if someone doesn’t follow the rules of public speaking by being courteous, they should be removed.”
Flyers from the Houston Coalition Against the State Takeover of HISD were handed out during the meeting.
The group is planning a rally on March 31 at Caesar Chavez High School.
Here are the additional community meetings:
March 29, 2023 | 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Hattie Mae White | Board Auditorium
Educational Support Center
4400 West 18th St., Houston 77092
March 30, 2023 | 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Kashmere High School | Auditorium
6900 Wileyvale, Houston 77028