HOUSTON — The Texas Education Agency wrapped up the final of its four community meetings over the state takeover of Houston ISD on Thursday.
As TEA Deputy Commissioner Alejandro Delgado took the stage to address the audience, he was met with boos. Since the first meeting, the crowd had demanded to hear directly from the agency’s top official, Commissioner Mike Morath.
The TEA is set to replace the district’s elected board of trustees with a state-appointed board of managers by June 1. The deadline for applications for the positions is April 6.
Like Wednesday’s meeting, Delgado skipped his presentation on the process to appoint a board of managers and started fielding the crowd’s questions and comments from the beginning of the hearing.
“This community feels misrepresented,” one audience member said. “We have to make sure that the proper services are in these schools to help our students. A scholarship should not be the exception, it should be the norm in these schools.”
“Are you assuring us that proper funding will go into these schools?” the community member asked.
Delgado responded, saying the appointed board of managers and superintendent will work to properly fund schools in the district.
Community members argued that the district was making improvements and that the state agency should have let HISD continue its progress on its own.
“Did you think about what would happen if you allowed them to continue the progress they were making?” one person asked. “You know none of us. You know none of the schools. You know none of the students. You haven’t worked with them. Nothing that you do could possibly make the progress that they’ve made, so what were you thinking?”
“Stop victimizing our district. We have a ‘B’ rating. That’s above average. We have a ‘B’ rating. It’s above average,” another person said. “You don’t have any justification for coming in here and taking over this district. None whatsoever. Enough is enough, we’re fed up.”
Regarding the appointment process, one community member called it “chilling” that the TEA was replacing the elected trustees with a board of managers.
“What will be the public oversight and transparency for the community? Are you going to have an independent group of observers of teachers, parents, community members who can make sure you’re picking qualified people instead of political operatives for the board of managers?” one person asked.
Delgado said that the currently elected board will give feedback on candidates for the appointed board.
Previously, the TEA said the board of managers will be made up of people who live within HISD boundaries.
The full meeting can be watched below (Profanity warning: This was a live event and profanity can be heard on the recording):
