Mayor Turner’s Statement on TEA Takeover of the Houston Independent School District

«This process has been without community engagement or any transparency. It is disheartening that the Texas Education Agency has yet to speak directly to parents or school children. This announcement is happening during their spring break, creating a great deal of disruption, anxiety, and stress.

«This does not make good sense. And if the focus is on the kids, then you tell me how this benefits the kids. TEA is selecting the board of managers. So who are they? The state deserves an F on how they have handled the process up to this point. Just a flat-out F.

«This takeover is not about the quality of education. If you look at the Texas Legislature, several bills have been filed to pre-empt the authority of the city of Houston and other local jurisdictions. HISD happens to be one of those local jurisdictions.

«There is no example of a successful takeover by the state of a local school the size of HISD. A report by the Kinder Institute said the school district’s status is worse after a school takeover. So, by what standard should we measure TEA? Is the agency saying to teachers and parents that after this takeover, there will be no failing schools in HISD, none?

«I’m also told that they’ve already decided who the superintendent is going to be, and that decision has been made. This process needs more transparency with community engagement. «This is about Austin and the leadership in Austin wanting to run local government, and they want it their way. This takeover is not about the kids, and the sad part is that they are using the kids for their own politics.»

In the headlines:

• Houston mayor speaks against TEA takeover of HISD
• Mayor Turner says TEA has already chosen a new HISD superintendent
• Mayor Sylvester Turner slams TEA’s lack of transparency in Houston ISD takeover «Parents have a right to say what’s going to happen with their schools,» Turner said.