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Houston Mayor: State takeover of HISD coming
There was outrage from Houston City Hall as Mayor Sylvester Turner says he's told the state will take over the Houston Independent School District as early as next week. FOX 26's Damali Keith reports more on what this will mean and residents' reactions.
HOUSTON - Outrage from Houston City Hall as Mayor Sylvester Turner says he’s told the state will takeover the Houston Independent School District as early as five days from now.
"I’m getting reports from several different sources that the state intends to take over HISD, and they intend to do it next week," said Turner.
What exactly would a state takeover mean?
Turner says he’s hearing the Texas Education Agency takeover of HISD could happen as soon as Monday, with the state, "replacing the entire board, replacing the superintendent and running, taking over the entire school district. I find that totally alarming," explains the mayor.
"They’ve been after HISD since 2016. So this is a hostile republican takeover. (So you think it’s political?) Absolutely," says Dr. Sergio Lira, who was a HISD School Board Member from 2018 to 2020.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Texas still blocked from taking over Houston’s school district, appeals court rules
"I also call into question the motive behind a lot of this when the governor is currently on a tour touting voucher programs," adds Houston City Council Member Abbie Kamin.
The mayor has this message for the state.
"When you take it, you now own it. If you take it and start breaking it up into charter schools, using vouchers and all this. You are destroying the public school education system."
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"If Houston has been ranked by accountability with a B, and they’re progressing on the right track, why are you going to take them over? It doesn’t make sense," Lira says.
"You cannot assume just because they say this is what they’re going to do it will happen. If the parents, the teachers, the students, and others stand up collectively, there’s power in our voices," Turner added.
According to the Texas Education Agency TEA is continuing to review a potential takeover "in order to determine next steps that best support students, teachers, parents and the community."
On Wednesday evening, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee released a statement demanding the federal government investigate civil rights violations by the Texas Education Agency:
"I believe the state takeover as proposed and as rumored in years past and now seemingly a reality today in 2023 is unnecessary, unfair and discriminatory. I have written to the U.S. Department of Education and spoken directly to the Secretary of Education in a detailed discussion to urge an immediate establishment of a civil rights investigation into the State of Texas un-needed action to takeover a well-performing school district. The Houston Independent School District with an elected school board, a professional superintendent, and administration, staff, and teachers that are dedicated to the teaching of the students and parents who want their children taught by well-supported public schools should not be taken over at this time. This is a reckless destructive decision and if it goes forward the education of the children of HISD will be irreparably harmed. This decision seems to be only made to make good on someone's political agenda. I am asking the State of Texas, the Texas Education Agency to cease and desist from any takeover, and I am asking parents, teachers, administrators, and others to demand that HISD be removed from a takeover list and that teachers, parents, students, administrators be allowed to enjoy the benefit of the success that has occurred through the hard work of these leaders. The Federal Government must act now to stop this takeover."