PROTESTERS GO TO HOUSTON ISD ADMINISTRATION BUILDING TO CONDEMN RUMORED TEA TAKEOVER

By PATRICIA ORTIZ / ASHLEY BROWN, HoustonPublicMedia.org

this takeover is a disingenuous one and an egregious one at this time. HISD is doing a phenomenal job. … as we currently speak, HISD has a B+ rating.” charter schools that might exclude low-income students from receiving an education.

Johnson acknowledged that there was a time where HISD needed to be taken over by TEA, but “not at this time”.

Mayor Turner said on Saturday he called TEA Commissioner Mike Morath and asked him about the rumors personally.

Another protestor, Kourtney Revels, is a parent who lives in an area of Houston that used to be a part of North Forest ISD.

"When TEA forced HISD to absolve them, we did see a lot of school closures," Revels said. She said a takeover is unwarranted and parents want thriving schools in their neighborhoods.

“That’s what’s help with our socioeconomic state. Kids being educated and not having to leave, that’s another fear of mine,” she said. “That our kids are gonna be bused out to the Lamars and Bellaires. If they don’t charter down. If they still allow our kids to even get in.”

North Forest ISD was absorbed by Houston ISD after the state dissolved the district in 2013.

Elsewhere, government officials spoke out against the rumored takeover. State Rep. Jarvis Johnson, Mayor Sylvester Turner and Congressman Al Green were in attendance.

“Please know that everyone that is here is on the same accord,” Rep. Johnson said. “We understand that

“‘Are any of these rumors true? Do you all intend to take over HISD?’ And the commissioner would not confirm nor deny,” Turner said. “What he did say is that there are some provisions that are discretionary for the state. And then there are some provisions that are mandatory. … So you know, there are two options, either you close the school or you take over the district, which do you prefer?'”

Turner said that there was a third option where it can be handled via the Legislature.

The TEA has yet to confirm an HISD takeover.

Texas A&M University System

Chancellor John Sharp has directed leaders of its 11 universities and eight agencies to stop asking job candidates for statements about their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in their applications.

Last month, Gov. Greg Abbott’s office sent a letter to public universities and state agencies saying that DEI hiring practices violated federal and state employment laws and barring them from hiring on factors “other than merit.” Legal experts have said the governor’s office mischaracterized the legal practices employers use when considering diversity in their hiring.

Sharp said Thursday he directed all A&M system universities and agencies to review their employment and admissions practices. He said he is standardizing hiring practices systemwide by limiting faculty and staff applications to a cover letter, curriculum vitae, statements on research or teaching philosophies and professional references.

“No university or agency in the A&M System will admit any student, nor hire any employee based on any factor other than merit,” Sharp said in a directive sent to university leaders Thursday.

Texas State University System Chancellor Brian McCall shared similar instructions to the seven institutions in his system on Thursday. On Friday, University of Houston System Renu Khator followed suit when she said in a letter to system employees that the system of more than 47,000 students would also not allow the use of diversity statements

By KATE MCGEE. TexasTribune.org

in hiring or promotion at any of its four universities. "We will continue to ensure our policies are consistent with state and federal laws, and we stand against any actions or activities that promote discrimination in the guise of diversity, equity and inclusion," Khator wrote in the email.

Universities and system agencies were also directed to make sure websites and printed materials related to employment and admissions practices reflect these changes. Texas A&M University has not considered race in student admissions since 2003.

Abbott’s order prompted multiple universities to make changes to hiring, particularly in the practice of asking job candidates to submit diversity statements, which are typically one- to two-page letters in which job candidates are asked to share their experiences working with diverse populations and their commitment to helping a diverse group of students succeed. Critics have characterized them as political litmus tests.

Last week, the University of Texas System announced a pause on future DEI initiatives and called for all universities in the system to review their

DEI policies.

UT System board Chair Kevin Eltife said last week that while the system strives to promote diversity among its students and faculty, “certain DEI efforts have strayed from the original intent to now imposing requirements and actions that, rightfully so, has raised the concerns of our policymakers around those efforts on campuses across our entire state.” The university has not responded to requests for more specifics about which efforts he was referring to.

Texas A&M University in College Station had already directed departments to no longer require diversity statements in future job postings, according to emails obtained by The Texas Tribune.

Texas Tech University also came under fire recently after a conservative advocacy group criticized the university’s biology department for evaluating job candidates based on their understanding of diversity initiatives and commitment to fostering an inclusive atmosphere among students and faculty. The university said it was reviewing hiring practices within its departments to ensure other areas were not using similar criteria.