HOUSTON – Thursday’s Houston Independent School District meeting started with people upset about repurposing librarians and libraries at NES schools.
Some concerned parents, teachers, and community members stood up with their backs turned away from Superintendent Mike Miles while holding books during his presentation.
The meeting ended with the board unanimously approving the majority of the agenda items, including the approval of a waiver to allow the HISD district to hire and employ assistant principals and deans without certification from 2023 to 2026.
Miles announced that there are currently 63 teacher vacancies.
At the start of the 2022 school year, he says there were 644. He Hopes to start the school year with 0 vacancies.
He said 87 HISD teachers currently do not have certification.
Despite teachers not having certifications, Miles said they will still be trained and evaluated like everyone else.
“Teachers refuse to be HISD’s scapegoat, and we reject any evaluation that seeks to silence teachers and does treat teachers with respect,” said Houston Education Association President, Michelle Williams.
Based on a survey, Miles said 80% of teachers, 88% of administrators, and 81% of all respondents agree or strongly agree that teachers should be paid more than the other, less effective teachers.
”To me, that’s a slap in the face, number 1. But also, because the board is just a rubber stamp,” said Nevlea Williamson.
The board also approved the amount the superintendent can spend on vendors and contractors from $100,000 to $2,000,000.
The next meeting is Sept. 14.