For over a year, the threat of a state takeover has loomed over the Houston school district because of poor academics at several schools. Now, the elected board could be replaced with outside managers for an entirely different reason: governance.
Fujio Watanabe/Houston Public Media
HISD Trustees Sergio Lira, Diana Dávila and Elizabeth Santos speak at a community meeting where local leaders and parents gave their input on the superintendent search. Last fall, the three trustees as well as Holly Flynn Vilaseca and Anne Sung voted to abruptly fire the current interim superintendent, Grenita Lathan.
Last October, the Houston school board opened its regular, monthly meeting with the typical routines – the pledge of allegiance, recognitions – and then moved to the district’s business.
Except then, the meeting turned raucous, with shouting and racially-charged accusations. What happened has helped trigger a special state investigation into the Houston school board and intensified the already looming threat of a state takeover.
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