HOUSTON – Port Houston Elementary parents gathered Monday night to press Houston Independent School District officials for answers after HISD identified the more than 100-year-old school as one of 12 campuses that could close next school year.
Dozens turned out at a meeting at Port Houston Elementary on Monday night to ask district leaders why the school is on the list, voice concerns about displaced students and push for alternatives to closure.
Parents held signs and urged HISD not to close the neighborhood school.
“I feel like we were blindsided,” said parent Tashiba Dixon.
HISD told KPRC 2 News Reporter Corley Peel that news outlets were not allowed inside the meeting, the session was for parents only.
“We really felt like our voices were not being heard in there,” parent Deysy Arellano said.
HISD officials say the district is weighing closures because of declining enrollment and aging facilities. Under the proposed plan, Port Houston students would be moved to Pleasantville Elementary.
“Our school’s a B school. So, they’re transferring the kids from here into Pleasantville. Pleasantville is a C school,” parent Bianey Torres said, describing what she sees as a drop in quality under the proposed move.
Parents raised specific worries about special education services and bilingual instruction. “Two of my children are enrolled in special education. The reason we are enrolled here is because Pleasantville does not currently have a special education program,” Dixon said.
Transportation and student safety were also top concerns. Parents walked the roughly 30-minute route from Port Houston to Pleasantville this morning to illustrate hazards students could face.
“It was a 30-minute walk. One thing they didn’t realize is the aggressive dogs, the way people were just driving up and just running stop signs, they were driving too fast. Do we really want to expose our kids through that danger?” Arellano asked.
Some parents said they were allowed to ask questions, while others felt the district had already decided the school’s fate.
“The way they were speaking, it seems like their decision is already made,” Arellano said.
HISD officials told parents they expect to make a decision about school closures on Thursday. Parents add, the district will extend school choice application deadlines for students affected by any closures and will offer tours of Pleasantville Elementary. Families who do not see Pleasantville as a good fit will be able to apply through the district’s school choice portal.
HISD was not available for comment after the meeting. KPRC 2 News reached out for comment via email and will update this article when we hear back.