Despite accusations of “segregation” and a federal investigation, the Houston ISD board of managers found no reason to hit pause Thursday night on an administration plan that will move as many as 5,000 special ed students to new “Special Education Specialty Schools” by next August.
While the plan as presented by Deputy Superintendent Kristen Hole had several positive aspects to it — smaller classes organized by a smaller range of age groups in each class — the audience assembled was having none of it. Two parents overstayed their allotted one minute to address the board and were booted from not only the room but HISD premises, escorted by HISD police.
At issue: the complete lack of involvement by any HISD parents of special education students in developing what they call a last-minute plan. And the plan itself which parents said was isolating a class of students who have difficulty with change to begin with – just to make things easier for the administration.
The U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights’ Division has announced an investigation into the relocation proposal calling it “alarming.”
As previously reported by the Houston Press, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey wrote: “Schools cannot exclude students with disabilities simply because of their disability status. Placement decisions must be made individually, based on each student’s needs, rather than by blanket policies that segregate students by disability category.
Several speakers broke down in tears while addressing the board, asking that their children or siblings not be removed from the schools in their community where they had made friends and knew their teachers.
Deputy Superintendent Kristen Hole acknowledged their feelings as she began her power point presentation, in which she said one class of kindergarten through grade 5 was not unusual and how difficult that makes it for special ed teachers to serve all the students there.
Under the proposed plan scheduled to go into effect next fall, in most cases, only two grades will be in each elementary school special ed classroom. The maximum class size will be 15 with a 1:5 teacher/student ratio (aided by assistants.) The plan does not affect all special education students, just those who are in self-contained classrooms already and even some of those children will not be moved.
Parents were also concerned about the travel time it may take to move their children to a new school. “My son, like many disabled children, also has therapies after school,” Ana Morello said of her 5-year-old son with autism. An hour-long commute from specialty campuses would mean that he’s wasting that time instead of accessing those much-needed therapies.”
Tongue firmly in cheek, parent Thomas Comstock congratulated the state-appointed board on accomplishing “the seemingly impossible.”
“Y’all managed to unite education academics, CVPE [Community Voices for Public Education] and the Trump administration’s Department of Education with just how poorly and unlawfully you’re running this district. And it’s truly innovative how you’ve done it. I would have never thought to apply the logic of military invasion where you treat your constituent students, parents and teachers as insurgents to be quickly and brutally overwhelmed to reform a school district.
“You have the courage to look yourselves in the mirror and say ‘We are invaders and we will invade,” he finished up his speech with to a round of applause.
Elected trustee Maria Benzon “What Miles is doing to children with disabilities is morally wrong, ethically indefensible and a potential violation of federal law.” What is being proposed is not a solution to a problem. It is a consolidation that makes things easier for the district and harder for the child.”
Jessie Dugan was the first speaker removed for speaking too long. Cristian Garcia was the second later in the meeting. Both are parents of special needs children and criticized the plan to consolidate special ed classes at certain schools, removing all special ed students from other campuses.
Board President Ric Campo warned each that they would be removed for speaking too long and “disrupting the meeting.” In each case, watching the YouTube recording of the meeting contains no footage of the officers escorting the person out.
