HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A city council meeting left some members stunned at what they heard from the teachers’ union and parents just days after school started.
A week after a Marshall Middle School student died, Houston city council members held a hearing on HISD. During the meeting, the student’s death took center stage.
“This was something that never should have happened,” Houston Federation of Teachers chief of staff Corina Ortiz said.
A week ago, HISD said the student suffered a medical emergency. On Thursday, Houston Federation of Teachers leaders told the council the nurse tried to use an AED, but it wouldn’t work.
The district won’t say if the AED worked at Marshall Middle School. However, a recent report from HISD showed that 170 machines across the district aren’t working, mainly due to batteries.
“If that life safety equipment is not being checked, is out of service, that’s unacceptable, and children’s safety always comes first,” Houston City Councilmember Abbie Kamin said.
That wasn’t the only issue discussed during Thursday’s labor committee hearing. For nearly an hour, the teachers’ union presented their concerns using a PowerPoint that showed students using cones as hall passes, webcams in classrooms making teachers feel like they’re constantly monitored, and statistics of new teacher hires.
“Almost half of your teaching workforce has never been a teacher,” Ortiz explained. “They don’t know anything about teaching. That’s going to be a problem.”
“Honestly, shocked and concerned,” Kamin said. “We know a lot that we read from the news, but it’s different to hear the firsthand account.”
Parents shared concerns about the air conditioning in classrooms and frustration over the cones as hall passes.
“I feel like it makes kids embarrassed to go to the bathroom,” parent Teisha Mayes explained.
Council members say the meeting’s purpose was to hear those concerns and gather resources to pass along to parents. The council doesn’t oversee HISD.
However, the teachers’ union provided ways leaders could help. The teachers’ union raised concerns about long grass and debris on campuses.
Recently, volunteers cleaned up Marshall Middle School. Instead, the union suggested the city could crack down on the district if it does not maintain upkeep.
“I know that in the grand scheme of things, tall grass isn’t the most serious of things, but it’s indicative of the lack of operations, the lack of planning, and the lack of staffing, and just incompetence,” Houston Federation of Teachers digital organizer Jessi Heiner said.
Earlier this summer, HISD Superintendent Mike Miles met with the city council. Lawmakers said Thursday’s hearing was an opportunity to hear the other side.
Eyewitness News reached out to HISD about concerns Thursday afternoon after the hearing ended. We’ll let you know when we receive a response.
