TEA Commissioner Mike Morath meets with Houston ISD principals, community leaders share transparency concerns

TEA Commissioner meets with Houston principals following Houston ISD takeover announcement

FOX 26 Reporter Sherman Desselle spoke with one teacher about the visit and what's next for the district.

Houston - FOX 26 has learned that Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath met with several Houston principals and school support staff Wednesday morning.

Sources say it was a regularly-scheduled principal's meeting at the Kingdom Building Center in Southwest Houston, but conducted by Morath this week.

"He was trying to sell them on what the benefits were for having the takeover," said Houston Federation of Teachers President Jackie Anderson. "He presented some information to them supposedly showing that the districts they have taken over are far better after TEA. One district he had, in particular, was North Forest...and we know they did not do better because when they left, HISD ended up absorbing that district."

Morath declined an interview about his visit. The last time we spoke with the commissioner was Mar. 15 when he confirmed the takeover with Fox 26 Reporter Damali Keith.

Morath has also met with other groups in the city since the announcement, but Anderson is concerned about the meetings that he has not attended.

"I know that the NAACP invited him to a meeting. He did not come, he said he was not able to make it," said Anderson. "Texas AFT has also invited him to a meeting. We're still waiting on a response. I do know that he has had some other meetings with certain people in the Fifth Ward area, but we want him to know you are meeting with these smaller groups. Who are they representing? The teacher's union represents the big portion of teachers we have."

Long-time teachers, like Larry McKinzie, tell us this is more of the same methods used in previous years.

"I look at their past history," said McKinzie. "When Wheatley was on the chopping block in 2018, I realized they're doing it the same way. They're going to do what they're going to do until they meet pushback they haven't gotten before. Either way, they have to come to the communities, parents, the kids...and if you don't do it early, then it's going to be a worse response later."

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FOX 26 requested a total number of applications submitted for the Board of Managers. The TEA spokesperson said they will report on a total once the application window closes Thursday.

Several protests led by teachers, parents, and students are also scheduled throughout the district on Thursday.