TEA commissioner to announce HISD transition back to elected control by end of next school year

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AlphaByte

Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath has confirmed that the transition of Houston Independent School District (HISD) back to elected control is still on track by the end of next school year. The commissioner stated that he's committed to ensuring free speech for students, even if they participate in student walkouts, but also emphasized that there will be consequences for teachers and districts facilitating these events.

Morath insisted that the guidelines released this week are not about promoting a specific ideology, but rather stopping taxpayer-funded institutions from pushing students towards a particular direction. He also made it clear that he doesn't want to stop free speech, but also wants to avoid letting student walkouts become a normal occurrence.

Regarding HISD's takeover, Morath reiterated that the transition process is still on schedule, with law preventing him from extending it further than June 2027. However, he emphasized that this was meant to be a short intervention period aimed at reforming the district, and by all measures, it appears to be working.

The TEA plans for the transition include replacing several managers on the board with elected trustees yearly until the full board is made up of elected officials. Morath explained that whoever the new board chooses, they can decide whether to keep Superintendent Mike Miles or remove him.

Despite this reassurance, teacher union leaders remain skeptical about the transition process, citing a lack of transparency from the TEA regarding the details. Houston Federation of Teacher Union President Jackie Anderson expressed concern over the uncertainty surrounding the transition, stating that it's been "utter chaos" and that they could hear something one day and have to adjust again the next.

The timeline for the transition is expected to be upwards of three years, with several changes taking place yearly until local electoral control is fully restored.
 
🤔 this whole situation got me thinking... if we want to protect free speech for students, shouldn't we also ensure they have a safe space to express themselves without fear of retribution? it's like, imagine being in a room where you're not allowed to share your thoughts or opinions because someone might get upset. 🤷‍♂️ that doesn't sound like a very healthy environment, right?

anyway, i think the commissioner is trying to strike a balance here, but maybe we need to have more open and honest conversations about what's at stake. like, what does it mean for our students when they're not allowed to participate in walkouts or express themselves freely? are we preparing them for a world where dissenting voices aren't valued?

i'm all for accountability and reform, but let's make sure we're doing this in a way that prioritizes the needs of our students 📚💡
 
🤔 I'm not buying what Morath's saying. He's trying to sugarcoat the fact that they're still messing around with the HISD takeover. Free speech for students? That sounds like a cop-out to me. What exactly does "consequences" mean for teachers and districts? Sounds like they're just trying to intimidate people into not protesting.

And what's with all these 'guidelines' and 'transparency'? I'm not seeing any concrete info on how this is going to work out. Teacher union leaders are right to be skeptical - Morath's being pretty vague about the whole thing. How can we trust that this transition isn't just a way to push some agenda without anyone actually knowing what it is? 🤷‍♀️
 
I gotta say, I'm not feeling this whole "free speech" vibe 🤔. Like, I get it, students should be able to express themselves, but what about the teachers and districts that are gonna have to deal with the aftermath of these walkouts? They're just trying to do their jobs, you know?

And let's be real, the TEA is just trying to inject some order into a system that's been, quite frankly, messed up for years 💸. Morath's guidelines might seem like they're promoting one ideology or another, but honestly, I think it's more about keeping things from getting too crazy 🤪.

I mean, yeah, there should be consequences for teachers and districts who facilitate these walkouts, because that's just not right 👎. And as for the timeline for the transition... three years is a long time, dude. Can't we just get to the end of this already? 😩
 
🤔 this morath guy sounds like he's trying to thread a needle... free speech vs student walkouts. it's all about finding that balance. i get where the educators are coming from, but at what cost? 🤑 it seems like they're more worried about keeping their jobs than doing what's right for the kids. and what's with the timeline? 3 years is a long time... lots can change (or go wrong) in that time 💸
 
lol this texas education agency is like a drama queen 🤣 morath's trying to keep it 100 on free speech but also lowkey threatening teachers who facilitate student walkouts 🤫 his guidelines are pretty confusing tbh - doesn't he think that's kinda the point of having elections in the first place? 🤷‍♀️ and teacher union leaders are not having it, lol "utter chaos" is one way to put it 😂 what's next, morath's gonna start micromanaging every aspect of hsdist? 🚫
 
I think this whole thing with HISD is a total disaster waiting to happen 🤦‍♂️. Morath's plan sounds like just another attempt to control what kids can and can't say, and it's gonna be super tricky for teachers to navigate. Like, who gets to decide whether the new board keeps Miles or not? It feels like TEA is trying to stick its nose in where it doesn't belong 🤷‍♂️. And don't even get me started on the timeline... three years is a looong time to be waiting for something that's supposed to "reform" a district, and I'm not convinced this is gonna end well 😒.
 
I'm getting a bit worried about this whole thing 🤔. Morath's stance on student walkouts feels kinda restrictive, don't you think? Like, I get that he wants to promote free speech, but isn't it also important for students to be able to express themselves and have their voices heard? It seems like the TEA is trying to control how much influence teachers and districts can have on these issues, which might just stifle some valuable conversations 🤷‍♀️. On the other hand, I do appreciate Morath's commitment to reforming HISD - it'll be interesting to see if his plan actually works out in practice 💡.
 
I gotta say, this whole situation with HISD and the TEA has me thinking... It's like, what even is the goal here? Are we trying to create a more accountable school system or just imposing our own values on students through the education board? I mean, Morath says it's about stopping taxpayer-funded institutions from pushing an agenda, but isn't that kinda like saying "we're gonna make sure you don't think what we think"? It feels like a slippery slope to me 🤔. And what about those teachers union leaders? They got a point about transparency - if the TEA can keep us in the dark, how do we know they're really doing what's best for students? I'm all for holding people accountable, but sometimes you gotta wonder if it's all just a big power play 🤑.
 
🤔 The whole thing seems kinda fishy to me... TEA Commissioner Morath saying they're about keeping student walkouts from getting too outta hand, but at the same time threatening consequences for teachers who support 'em? It sounds like a setup for some serious power struggles in HISD. 📚💼
 
idk man... 🤔 i mean, the commissioner's trying to say he's got free speech covered but at the same time, he's gonna crack down on teachers who let students walk out? that just doesn't add up... 😬 it feels like they're trying to control everything and stifle dissent. and what about transparency? shouldn't there be more openness from the TEA about their plans and timelines? i know the commissioner says the takeover is supposed to be a short-term fix, but 3 years is a looong time... 🤯 i'm just not convinced that this is gonna end well... 😐
 
I'm a bit concerned about this whole situation... it's like they're trying to find a balance between giving teachers and students some freedom to express themselves and keeping everything in check 🤔. On one hand, I get why you need to stop taxpayer-funded institutions from pushing a specific agenda on kids - that's just not right. But at the same time, if teachers and districts are being too strict or controlling, it can be stifling for students who want to make their voices heard 💪.

I also wonder what's going on with all these changes happening over a 3-year timeline... it feels like a lot of uncertainty for everyone involved 🕰️. I hope the TEA is transparent about everything and that they're working closely with teachers' unions to make sure things get done smoothly.
 
ugh man... texas ed agcy commissioner morath is still gonna make his rules for hsisd... free speech but only if you don't rock the boat 🤯 meanwhile teachers are lowkey worried about their jobs and whatnot 💔 at least the transition is supposed to bring some reforms, i guess 🤷‍♂️ but who knows if it'll actually happen? seems like they're just stalling for time ⏱️ and the timeline's like 3+ years... that's a looong wait 😩
 
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