HOUSTON – Dozens of parents are expected to pull out their students from more than 100 Houston ISD campuses as part of an organized ‘sickout’ Wednesday.
A ‘sickout’ is a form of protest where a group of workers collectively and unexpectedly call in sick to express their grievances or demands.
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On Monday, parents from several schools gathered outside HISD’s headquarters on W 18th Street to address the importance behind the sickout as a callout against the negative impact Superintendent Mike Miles’ policies have on students, staff as well as the community.
In a news release, organizers called the sickout a way to amplify how frustrated they are with HISD’s lackadaisical response to potential ICE raids on the heels of pressure teachers continue to face.
“Schools should be safe spaces for students to learn, not hunting grounds for ICE,” Briana Mohan, one of the organizers said. “Mike Miles is not sending a strong enough message of support to immigrant students and needs to take a stronger stand.”
“Families are frustrated with the harmful educational practices under the takeover and lack of support for both students and teachers,” Fred Woods, an HISD parent added. “Instead of a meaningful, well-rounded education, students are subjected to scripted, one-size-fits-all, AI-generated test prep, while teachers face unreasonable pressure to focus on testing or risk being fired.”
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In a letter Houston ISD Sup. Miles shared the following letter to the community about keeping students safe:
Many of our staff are receiving questions about how HISD manages state and federal law enforcement agencies on our campuses. We want to assure you that our policies have not changed, and they align with Houston ISD’s mission to provide a safe and nurturing learning environment for all students.
As always, HISD educates all students registered to attend our campuses, and nothing about the registration process for students has changed.
All student information is protected by federal law, specifically, the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This law prohibits the dissemination of student information and or records, without a lawful subpoena/warrant or permission from the student’s parents except in specific circumstances. HISD cannot and will not release any student records or information unless the FERPA requirements are met.
We have also not changed any of our policies related to law enforcement activity on our campuses. School administrators and front office staff are trained in engagement with law enforcement to ensure that student rights and information are protected, and any law enforcement action is managed by HISD Legal Services. Law enforcement is only granted access to students or student information when HISD Legal Services has verified that all required steps have been taken, and the law enforcement action does not violate any of the federal privacy protection afforded students and their records. We will update you if there are any required changes because of modifications to federal or state law.
As always, HISD is committed to educating every child who walks through our doors. We appreciate your continued support and partnership.
HISD shared a follow-up statement reiterating the commitment to educating, saying part “encouraging students to skip school only hurts students.”
“HISD has always, and will always, continue to support and educate every student who walks through our doors. While our commitment to students has not changed, we know this is an uncertain time for many in the Houston community. We will do everything within our power to ensure stability and continuity of care for our students while they are in our schools, and the safest place for our students to be during the school week is in school. It is entirely irresponsible for CVPE to cynically exploit people’s legitimate concerns about federal immigration policy to push their own political agenda about the state intervention. Encouraging students to skip school only hurts students.
“Every data point- STAAR, NAEP, School Accountability Ratings, College-Credit Course Access- shows that HISD’s students and schools, especially those neglected by previous administrations, are making significant progress.
“CVPE has already lobbied to defeat the bond and ensure students continue learning in aging buildings. What bad old days do they want the district’s most marginalized students to be dragged back to now? Do they want to go back to the time when only 17% of graduates earned a living wage, when the schools serving our poorest students graduated students with empty diplomas, or when students with special needs were so chronically underserved that the state had to step in? And are they really willing to encourage children to skip school to make their point?
“The old HISD may have worked wonderfully for a few students, but it didn’t work for most students. The systemic transformation underway at HISD is the best shot to ensure that all of Houston’s students have a fair shot at the education and life they deserve. Unfortunately, a small group of adults continue to put their interests ahead of students.”
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