HOUSTON – The Houston ISD Board of Managers unanimously voted 9-0 Thursday to close or consolidate 12 schools across the district, but not before a woman was removed from the meeting by police.
The incident took place around 6:45 p.m. Thursday.
“I’m a parent of one of the affected campuses and we weren’t called in the first group, so we’re going to go now,” she said as she walked up to the podium.
She was asked whether she had registered to speak.
“You know, it turns out y’all didn’t communicate very clearly and welcome us affected parents into this process, that affects all our teachers,” she said.
She was allowed to speak by the board.
“Three years ago, my kid attended an excellent neighborhood school, she checked out books every week from her library and she was taught by experienced, qualified, certified teachers, who challenged her creativity and her critical thinking skills and had devoted their lives to our community,” she said before turning around. “But for the past three years, I’ve had to watch as you destroyed this school, piece by piece,”
The woman continued.
“You forced out a beloved principal because she wouldn’t bend her knee to policies that harm our children. You replaced books with worksheets, closed the library, replaced teachers with screen time, which we know harms children’s learning, mental health...”
At that point, she was told her time was up. The woman continued speaking and was given a warning that if she continued, she would be asked to leave. When she continued again, police came up to escort her out of the building.
The woman briefly jumped on the podium.
“Schools in River Oaks and Montrose aren’t on the chopping block,” she said, before being removed.
The board then took a brief recess.
Following the end of public comment, the motion passed unanimously.
Under the approved motion:
- N.Q. Henderson Elementary students would move to Bruce Elementary
- Port Houston Elementary students would also move to Bruce Elementary
- Fleming Middle School students would relocate to Mickey Leland College Preparatory Academy
- Rose Elementary students could move to Roosevelt Elementary or C. Martinez Elementary
- Burrus Elementary students would transition to Kennedy Elementary
- Franklin Elementary students would move to Gallegos Elementary
- Alcott Elementary students would attend Mading Elementary
- Hobby Elementary students would relocate to Lawton Middle School
- Cage Elementary students would move to Lantrip Elementary
- Briscoe Elementary students would transition to Carrillo Elementary
- Gulfton Middle College would relocate to a nearby campus