What do you think of HISD?

Readers respond to HISD at a crossroads: A four-part series by the Editorial Board.

TEA will own its errors

In 2003 in the lead up to the Iraq War, Defense Secretary Colin Powell said regarding an invasion and overthrow of Iraq — if you break it, you own it. While the Texas Education Agency and Commissioner of Education Mike Morath certainly didn’t break Houston ISD, they certainly now will own it with their impending takeover of the district.

Locally run and administered Independent School Districts are the bedrock of our democracy and the avenue by which a diverse society becomes and functions together as Americans.

Each local school district has its own unique wants and needs. Houston, Friendswood and Sweeney ISDs are each very different from the other, but each function best when important decisions regarding the district are made by school board members and administrators who are accountable to the people living in that community. If you run into an elected official at the grocery store who you know personally, he or she is more likely to be a member of your school board than your representative in the Legislature.

Unfortunately the law as passed by the Legislature a few years ago apparently requires the takeover by the state of HISD. I say unfortunately because a big part of the problem in HISD was the school board, which the voters corrected last month in replacing half the board (which is exactly how democracy is supposed to work). Regarding the impending takeover of HISD by the TEA and Commissioner Morath, we should feel comforted in that they are supposed to be the best of the best in the education field — the experts. We should all be watching closely over the next year or two to hold them accountable, as we would be if they were the democratically elected school board. I know I will. Matt Robinson, Texas State Board of Education District 7

More training needed

All of the listed factors in the Dec. 29 article are valid, but another factor should be included: Teachers need more training in handling difficult behaviors so that they can focus on teaching the curriculum. Perhaps the more effective teachers can share their techniques. It is clear when I observe even the youngest students that some are not used to paying attention to and responding to simple adult directives. Thus, parent education is also a need. Mary Wenzel, Houston

Yi-Chin Lee / Staff photographer Community members line up at a public meeting last year as the TEA prepared to take over HISD, replacing its elected board.