HISD TAKEOVER - August 2023

                         Page Contents
LIBRARIES                           Opinion/Letters
National Media                  Social media
Unexpected media ​

HISD LIBRARIES
KHOU. “Houston ISD holds final family night.” YouTube, 2 Aug 20233. 85 min. Speaker tells Miles that this was a smug comment and asks him is he here for the kids or here for his ego? (at 54min) #HoustonISDwatch, 2 Aug 2023. Cheryl Hensley at 45:30-49:30 including Miles response. at 59 minutes, great library comment embedded in Odessa question. 1:01 Cheryl’s student was amazing re schools, libraries and elections. 1:15 Sarah Terrell re policy changes including that any expenditure under $2 Million not to be approved by the BoM.
​Tawatari, Zach. “HISD parents continue to push back on plan to turn libraries into 'team centers' without librarians.” KHOU, 3 Aug 2023. VIDEO
​Baumann, Anna. “HISD library rally draws large crowd in opposition to dismantling libraries.” Houston Chronicle, 5 Aug 2023.
Kless, Troy. “Community members rally outside HISD headquarters to support librarians who were let go by district.” KHOU, 5 Aug 2023. video. Cheryl Hensley VIDEO
Fox 26. “Protests over Houston ISD plan for libraries.” Fox 26 Houston, 6 Aug 2023. VIDEO
Baumann, Anna. “As Miles dismantles HISD libraries, data shows book checkouts soared in 2022 under expanded staffing.” Houston Chronicle, 12 Aug 2023.
Turner, Re’Chelle. “Community leaders host block walk to inform parents about HISD library cuts.” Click2Houston, 20 Aug 2023.  The following clips are linked on the same webpage.
#siempreSarah. “From @ProseFrancine: "It’s hard to imagine what students will learn from these cheerless, punitive spaces – except for the grim possibility that they are being prepped for incarceration." X (formerly Twitter), 19 Aug 2023.
Kelly, Sam Gonzalez. “These HISD advocates are fighting Superintendent Mike Miles' systemic reforms — one door at a time.” Houston Chronicle, 23 Aug 2023.
​Kelly, Sam Gonzalez. “TEA's Mike Morath defends HISD superintendent's move to convert libraries into discipline centers.”  Houston Chronicle, 30 Aug 2023.

NBC on Aug 30
​Adams, Char. “Some Houston school libraries will become disciplinary spaces.” NBCnews.com, 1 Aug 2023.
​Wagner, Alex. “Houston school libraries turned into discipline centers.” NBC YouTube channel, 30 Aug 2023.
​Hilton, Antonia. Nightly News with Lester Holt. NBC, 30 Aug 2023. Clip quotes Mike Miles saying kids are reading more and that there is still a library, and Cheryl Hensley pushing back.
Adams, Char; Antonia Hylton; Emmily Berk; Mary Godie. “Houston parents push back against the state’s school takeover.” NBC News, 30 Aug 2023. print
#HOUmanitarian. “"I can't afford a laptop for my kid. So books is where we get to travel. To dream." X (formerly Twitter), 30 Aug 2023. Houston-ISD made more national news last night as @NBCNightlyNews talked to parents & state takeover superintendent Mike Miles about libraries and other changes he's made on NES campuses. Parent interview.
#NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. #ahilton (Antonia Hylton). (“The Houston Independent School District announced a plan to eliminate 28 libraries and replace them with a center for work and discipline after allegations of poor academic performance.” X (formerly Twitter), 30 Aug 2023. featuring our own Cheryl Hensley. SNL webpg)
#NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. #ahilton (Antonia Hylton). (“The H
​#brooke_bking (Brooke King). “@HISDSupe says “There weren’t that many libraries that were changed.” 28 seems like a large number to me. Changing even 1 library to a detention center is a bad idea. @HoustonCVPE @houstonisdwatch @HisdLibFrnds #txlege #txed.” X (formerly Twitter), 31 Aug 2023. NBC Nightly News.
​#siempre_sarah (Sarah). “"We're sitting in a library right now." "It's not a traditional library." "It's not a traditional library because they don't have a librarian." BECAUSE YOU FIRED THEM ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW.” X (formerly Twitter), 31 Aug 2023. NBC Nightly News.

Related Local News
Dunlap, Miranda. “HISD’s newly appointed board isn’t talking much — and that’s on purpose.” Houston Landing, 3 Aug 2023.
Baumann, Anna. “Ousted HISD trustees hosting their own virtual meeting to review 'questionable' board agenda.” Houston Chronicle, 8 Aug ​
2023. ​Dunlap, Miranda. “Houston ISD board shrugs off protests, unanimously votes to increase superintendent’s power.” Houston Landing, 10 Aug 2023.
Menchaca, Miranda. “Here's what you need to know about the HISD superintendent's New Education System.” Houston Chronicle, 10 Aug 2023.
​Menchaca, Monica. “'A $1 million power grab': Houston ISD board votes to remove several limits on superintendent Miles' power.” Houston Chronicle, 11 Aug 2023.
Walsh, Dominic Anthony. “Mike Miles gains power as Houston ISD Board of Managers approves major policy changes, union files grievances and community members protest.” Houston Public Media, 11 Aug 2023.
Houston Teachers United, “Mass Layoffs in Special Ed
​#HoustonEducationAssociation-TSTA/NEA. “So Mike Miles has had Destination 2016-Harrison School District 2020-Dallas ISD , 2035- HISD. This gives shady salesman vibes.  X (formerly Twitter), 21 Aug 2023. reposts a video from Harrison SD2 (CO) from 2011 which sounds much like the DISD and HISD speeches of more recent fame. “Harrison School District 2 has been seeing some push back from students, parents and teachers. FOX21 put the issue on the balance bar to find out what exactly is going on in D-2.” Fox21, 27 Sept 2011.
​#HRCSuperVol1. “Some new policies at #HISD that haven’t been publicly communicated to parents & students. I don’t know how anyone cld expect a teacher to teach like this. They want a generation of students with no critical thinking skills/creativity to problem solve. They’re going to be drones. X (formerly Twitter), 26 Aug 2023.​

Opinion / Letters to the Editor
Letters to the Editor. “Mike Miles' Zoom rooms will become 'doom rooms' (Opinion).” Houston Chronicle, 2 Aug 2023. Martha Anne Pierson, Seabrook; Ted Weisgal, Houston; Kathy Cire, Houston; Julie Clark, Houston.
Letters to the Editor. “State’s ‘Misguided Takeover’ of Houston Schools.” NYT, 17 Aug 2023. Gary J. Whitehead, Tenafly, N.J., The writer is a high school English teacher. Eve Wolfsohn, New York, The writer is a school librarian. Greg Vouros, Seattle.
Letters to the Editor. “Mike Miles' NRG show was humiliating for teachers (Opinion).” Houston Chronicle, 18 Aug 2023. Susan Shafer, Houston; Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers; Jackie Anderson, president of the Houston Federation of Teachers; Ronald Joubert, Houston.

National Media (and beyond)
Education Media
Ravitch, Diane. “Hechinger Report: State Takeovers of School Districts Have a Poor Track Record.” Diane Ravitch’s blog, 13 Aug 2023. “Steven Yoder writes in the Hechinger Report about the state takeover of the Houston Independent School District and the dismal record of state takeovers.”

​Other National Media
Yorio, Kara. “Backlash Continues, Protest Planned Against Houston ISD Decision to Repurpose 28 School Libraries Into Discipline Centers.” School Library Journal, 1 Aug 2023.
Heubeck, Elizabeth. “One of the Country’s Largest Districts Is Turning School Libraries Into Discipline Rooms.” EdWeek, 3 Aug 2023.
​ Yorio, Kara. “Backlash ContinuesProtest Planned Against Houston ISD Decision to Repurpose 28 School Libraries into Discipline Centers.” SLJ, (5) Aug 2023.
Prose, Francine. “Why is Houston shutting down libraries at some of its poorest public schools?.” The Guardian UK, 15 Aug 2023.

Social Media
​#MeganMenchaca. ““Our freedom is being taken away” “This is really hurting me” “It's not fair to my students” More than 100 people rallied today to oppose the dismantling of some @HoustonISD school libraries.” X (formerly Twitter), 5 Aug 2023.
​#shafaqpatel_ . “Incoming 5th-grade student at an NES school "I feel like half of my heart is broken ... You're thinking that we are bad kids. We are not. We are wonderful, kind and smart." 11th grader: "I read every day constantly. And this is like, I feel like it's gonna hurt my education." X (formerly Twitter), 6 Aug 2023.
#Daniel Santos. “In Houston, school libraries in black & brown communities are under attack. Why? Because libraries teach us to dream, reimagine and engineer better futures. Because libraries mold activists, heroes and leaders. Because libraries emancipate us. Stand with us on Aug 10th.” X (formerly Twitter), 6 Aug 2023.
​#TracieDHall. “The distressing and detrimental initiative to convert Houston School District libraries into detention centers remains on my heart. A colleague shared this chilling photo after books were removed from the Thurgood Marshall Elementary School library Monday. We can’t be silent!” X (formerly Twitter), 9 Aug 2023.
​#HoustonCVPE. “Parents, teachers and young children participated in a read-in for freedom.” X (formerly Twitter), 10 Aug 2023. photo from Read-In at Hattie Mae White.
#DanielSantos. “The unelected Houston school board managers ignore the community (again).” X (formerly Twitter), 10 Aug 2023. read-in photo
#DanielSantos. “We have a Read-In - Libraries for every school.” X (formerly Twitter), 10 Aug 23.  photo
#HoustonCVPE. “In the fifth grade, a librarian put in my hand a book about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Had it not been for that librarian and that book, I would not be standing here today.”  Bishop James Dixon II, Pastor. X (formerly Twitter), 11 Aug 2023.
​#houstonisdwatch. “Even with these gains, Wheatley is expect to receive an F rating due to changes to the CCMR portion of the accountability system. …” “Wheatley sees double digit gains in English I, English II, and US History Passing Rates. X (Formerly Twitter, 12 Aug 2023.
​Adams, Jenny. “My heart. Study after study shows that librarians and library access improve student outcomes across the board.” X (formerly Twitter), 13 Aug 2023.
#meganmenchaca. “Here's some of @houstonchron's recent Qs to Miles: - Are you concerned about the financial sustainability of NES reforms? - How is HISD preparing for a new school safety law? - Where will the district's uncertified teachers work? in explaining repost of #sgonzaleskelly including short clip of MMiles musical PD. X (formerly Twitter), 16 Aug 2023.
​#TinaASanders. ““‘We didn’t do well’: Houston ISD superintendent breaks down STAAR test results.” But tell me again how closing all the libraries will help increase those dropping reading scores.” X (formerly Twitter), 18 Aug 2023.
​#FriendsofHISDLibraries. “Many studies show that 21st century school libraries help students succeed in class & in life. #HISD libraries are important investments in our city's future.” X (formerly Twitter), 24 Aug 2023.
#HoustonCVPE. “Yesterday, #HISD Central Office staff demanded that NES/A teachers dismantle their classroom libraries. Libraries turned into zoom discipline centers. NOW classrm libraries and comfy reading books called “clutter.” X (formerly Twitter), 26 Aug 2023.
#mr_dsants (DanielSantos). “And moreover - in Houston’s largest school district - these mandated practices that presumably may improve student scores on standardized exams are NOT grounded on empirical, peer-reviewed studies. We are experimenting. Ed Reform zealots are doubling down on failed policies.” X (formerly Twitter), 26 Aug 2023.
“Opinion: Eliminating school libraries is senseless.” Austin Statesman, 31 Aug 2023.​

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Unexpected Media Mentions