HOUSTON (KIAH) — Parents and other community members who were looking for answers Monday night walked away from an informational meeting at Westbury High School unsatisfied.
“I went to the meeting because I was curious what kind of — what I could look forward to as far as what changes were going to be made in HISD,” Houston Independent School District parent Elizabeth Hornbeck said. “I was surprised that it wasn’t a question and answer for parents.”
Instead, Hornbeck said the Texas Education Agency used the first of four meetings they’re hosting about the takeover of HISD to inform the audience how to apply to be on the Board of Managers they’re putting in place to run the school district– removing the superintendent and elected school board to do so.
Still, Hornbeck supports the takeover, because she says HISD does a poor job handling her second grade daughter who has dyslexia among other learning disabilities, and she’s hopeful the takeover will lead to improvements.
TEA Commissioner Mike Morath says that lack of support for students with disabilities and underperforming schools is why state law mandates the state takeover.
He did not attend Monday’s information meeting, and it’s unclear if he’ll be at the second such meeting that starts at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Chavez High School.
Concerned teachers will likely be there — like they were last night — with their frustrations boiling over.
“It was a lot of HISD staff very concerned about what was going to happen to their jobs — very concerned about what’s going to happen to the students in the district because of the takeover,” Hornbeck said.
