One Houston parent says multiple generations of his family attended the same elementary school where his mom taught for decades. Now he’s learning it may close.
HOUSTON — Houston Independent School District Superintendent Mike Miles defended his decision to close a dozen schools, saying there’s never a good time to make such an announcement, as parents and educators expressed frustration Friday over the lack of community input in the process.
“There’s no good opportunity or no date that’s best to announce it — at some point you have to announce it — and I think we’ve been working on this for some time,” Miles said when asked about families feeling blindsided by Thursday night’s announcement.
The superintendent said the closures were primarily driven by deteriorating facilities and declining enrollment rather than academic performance. He visited several of the affected campuses Friday, including Burrus Elementary.
“I’m saddened by this, but at the same time, I have a responsibility to be fiscally responsible and put our kids in the best environment that they can possibly be in to learn well,” Miles said.
Houston Federation of Teachers President Jackie Anderson said she understands the financial reasoning behind the closures but criticized how the district handled the announcement.
“Coming out of HISD, we never know what is going to happen,” Anderson said.
Anderson said HISD’s approach differs sharply from other area districts that have solicited extensive community input before proposing school closures. Many families are now left scrambling to plan for next school year, including figuring out transportation arrangements.
“Reason would tell you that you have to do something, but there’s a way to do anything, and anything like that needs to be brought to the stakeholders. The parents need to have been informed,” Anderson said.
The closures carry emotional weight for families with deep ties to their neighborhood schools. One parent told KHOU 11 that multiple generations of his family attended Betsy Ross Elementary, where his mother also taught for decades.
Miles assured staff members that any teacher who would have been retained for next school year will still have a job, regardless of whether their current campus is closing.
The district’s board of managers will vote on the proposed closures on Feb. 26.
The 12 campuses set for closure or co-location include Burrus Elementary, Gulfton Middle College High and several other schools across the district. Miles announced the plan at Thursday night’s board meeting, citing the schools’ physical condition and enrollment declines as the primary factors in his decision.
RELATED: HISD Superintendent Mike Miles proposes closing 12 campuses | See the list
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