Houston ISD teacher fights potential termination after ‘dictatorship’ comment

Houston ISD teacher fights for job following Facebook comment

A longtime Houston ISD teacher will be speaking at a hearing on Thursday after her critical Facebook comment allegedly put her job in jeopardy. FOX 26’s Sherman Desselle explains the teacher’s case and spoke exclusively to the teacher herself.

HOUSTON – A veteran Houston ISD teacher who once criticized the district’s state-appointed leadership on social media is fighting to keep her job as the Board of Managers prepares to vote on her contract this week.

Houston ISD teacher’s job on the line

Big picture view:

Jamie Russo, a first grade English teacher at Mandarin Immersion Magnet School with nearly 40 years of experience, was informed last year that her contract would not be renewed. 

According to state documents, district officials cited six grounds for nonrenewal, including failure to comply with board policies, concerns about classroom observations, and alleged deficiencies in her instructional practices.

Records state Russo received an 83% performance score during the 2024–25 school year. She disputed the rating, requesting a recalculation because her roster included students who had been disenrolled. Records show the recalculation was never provided.

“When she came in with this list of six, I was not happy,” said Russo. I had not been written up. My reading students ended up at 100 points on reading growth. I wrote on the paper that these were false accusations and lies.” 

In June 2024, under a Houston Chronicle Op-Ed article posted on Facebook, Russo posted a comment in response to public criticism of Superintendent Mike Miles and the district’s decision to close school libraries. “I am staying, too — hopefully to watch this dictatorship fall,” she wrote. 

The district later described the comment as “critical” of HISD leadership.

Russo told FOX 26 she did not anticipate the remark would jeopardize her job. “I was just making a comment about the libraries being closed,” she said.

Houston ISD teacher fighting for contract renewal | FULL INTERVIEW

A veteran HISD teacher is fighting nonrenewal of her contract after the district flagged a Facebook comment criticizing leadership and cited alleged instructional deficiencies. She spoke about her case exclusively with FOX 26’s Sherman Desselle ahead of her hearing.

In that same year, during an Intervention Assistance Team meeting discussing a student’s academic progress data, documents state Russo made “inappropriate” comments about the administration. 

HISD also claimed that Russo misrepresented her employment history on her 2015 application before coming to Houston ISD from Spring Branch. Russo testified that she “answered the application questions in good faith based on legal advice.”  

Documents state that on May 9, 2025, Superintendent Mike Miles notified Russo of HISD’s intent not to renew her contract — citing six grounds for nonrenewal. 

In August, an independent hearing examiner appointed by the state recommended against the district’s decision not to renew Russo’s contract. The examiner concluded that the district had not justified the nonrenewal.

“It meant the world to me,” Russo said. “I’m just a teacher — one teacher in Houston. I’ve touched many lives.”

‘I speak up’

What they’re saying:

Russo, who has been on home duty — administrative leave with pay — since the start of the school year, believes her willingness to speak openly played a role in the district’s decision. 

“I’m Gen-X, I speak up,” said Russo. “This new HISD just wants us to keep moving forward. I was told to never stop moving, keep going. My kids are 6 years old. You stop for one.” 

The other side:

HISD has not responded to multiple questions from FOX 26, including why the administration is moving forward with nonrenewal despite the examiner’s recommendation and what guidance exists for teachers regarding public comments on district policy.

What’s next:

Nearly 30 parents and students from Mandarin Immersion are expected to speak on Russo’s behalf at Thursday’s board hearing.

Russo says she hopes the board will allow her to return to her classroom.

The Source: FOX 26 gathered information from the State of Texas and Houston ISD educator, Jamie Russo.

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