Houston Independent School District’s second board meeting on June 15 erupted in chaos as the community refuses to let up on opposition against the new Superintendent Mike Miles and unelected board of trustees.
The focus of the meeting was the upcoming school year’s budget, with Miles presenting suggestions for necessary cuts and changes. However, the meeting was marred by protests, disruptions and criticism from former board members and members of the public, who expressed concerns about transparency, community engagement and the impact on marginalized schools.
Protesters expressed frustration over the meeting setup, as many were asked to sit in an overflow room. One person was detained and barred from entering the auditorium. The meeting format was new and had different placements for board members, media and the public, leading to accusations that it was a deliberate tactic to exclude them.
Former HISD board trustee and State Rep. Jolanda Jones voiced her discontent, questioning the presence of the appointed board and emphasizing the lack of public attendance.
“Very rarely am I at a loss for words. You’re not elected. There is no reason for you to be here,” Jones said standing at the podium. “I came here to listen to what you had to say, and talk about the budget you’re going to pass, yet no public is in here. Not even 15 people for the public.”
Kathy Blueford-Daniels, former HISD board of trustee, demanded that the “district need stability,” and told the appointed board of managers that they won’t be able to “bridge relationships in the community” with this new meeting format.
The proposed budget, worth $2.2 billion, became a topic of contention during the meeting. Miles recommended cuts to staffing in the district office, aiming to allocate resources to the schools. Miles said the job cuts at the district office would allow for more positions at the schools. Miles guaranteed that schools that are doing fine will not see any resources removed and he said schools that aren’t doing well will get additional resources.
However, concerns were raised about the impact on Black and Brown schools, with educators worried about their ability to serve students effectively.
“This is not for the best interest of our students, especially for our Black and Brown schools,” said Angela Williams, a certified teacher for special education at the Harris County Psychiatric Center. “These board members don’t even know how we can serve our students in that capacity.”
Takeaways
The board unanimously waived the requirement for Miles to have a current state certification, despite online records indicating his certification had been inactive since 2018. The lack of public discussion on this matter further fueled criticism of the transparency and decision-making process.
Board members also discussed possible changes to magnet programs at schools designated as part of the New Education System. Miles named 28 schools to the system, including Wheatley, Kashmere and North Forest high schools, and their feeder middle and elementary schools. Of those, 12 campuses have magnet or innovative programs.
Miles wants to reduce the $305 million HISD pays to vendors and contractors by $50 million.
Looking ahead, the proposed budget and other agenda items discussed during the meeting will be voted on at the next board meeting on June 22.
Miles has scheduled a series of events to engage with families across the district, potentially aiming to address community grievances. Times and specific locations will be announced June 20.
Week 1: Tuesday, June 27 and Thursday, June 29
Week 2: Tuesday, July 11 and Thursday, July 13
Week 3: Tuesday, July 18 and Thursday, July 20
Week 4: Thursday, July 27 and Saturday, July 29