* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [Press Conference: "Cesar Chavez/Dolores Juerta March for Justice Details"] [00:00:19] TODAY WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THE ACL U, UH, ATTORNEYS. WE HAVE SOME PARENTS THAT CHOSE TO BE IN THE NEWS CONFERENCE, AND I'M GONNA ALLOW THEM TO, UH, MAKE SOME STATEMENTS. ALSO, THE REASON WE'RE HERE IS THAT THERE WILL BE A MARCH, AND, UH, I WILL LET, UH, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES TO EXPLAIN TO YOU A LITTLE NARRATIVE ON THE MARCH AND THE REASON WHY IT'S TAKEN PLACE, UH, BECAUSE, UH, GARZA IS NOT ONLY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL LULAC EDUCATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIR, BUT HE IS BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN MARCHES THE, UM, SUCCESS OF THIS UPCOMING MARCH ON MARCH THE 31ST AT THE CESAR CHAVEZ SCHOOL, UH, WILL DEFINE HOW LOCAL GOVERNMENT SURVIVES IN, IN HOUSTON, TEXAS, IN HARRIS COUNTY. THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE STATE UN FEELING UNCOMFORTABLE WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN HARRIS COUNTY, BUT IT APPEARS THAT THEY'RE STARTING TO MACROMANAGE POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN AUSTIN AND OTHER COMMUNITIES. SO, WHAT'S AT STAKE HERE IS NOT ONLY THE STAKEHOLDER OF HISD, BUT THE INTRUSION OR THE OVERREACH OF GOVERNMENT AT WHATEVER LEVEL. SO, WE'RE HERE TO SAY THAT THIS MARCH, AND WE'RE TELLING THE COMMUNITY THAT ARE GONNA PARTICIPATE THAT MANY OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS FROM WAY BACK HAVE BEEN A MEMBER FOR LULAC FOREVER. UH, WE ARE, SINCE THE ORGANIZATION IN 1929, WE SUBSCRIBE TO NONVIOLENT, PEACEFUL, DEMI, UH, MARCHES AND PROTESTS. SO WE ASKED THE COMMUNITY THAT CHANNEL YOUR ANGER INTO THE POSITIVE OF ALSO REGISTERING TO VOTE AND TO BECOME BETTER CITIZENS IN VOTING WHEN ELECTIONS COME. THAT'S HOW DEMOCRACY IS PRESERVED. I WOULD ALSO SAY, NOW THAT I HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY, WE JUST CAME WITH A LAW ENFORCEMENT, A MEETING FOR THE MARCH ALMOST 50 LAW ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE UNDER THE DIRECTIVES OF THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE CHIEFS AND THE POLICE CHIEFS, ASSISTANT CHIEFS AND ALL. AND I REALLY PRAISE THEM FOR THE INTEREST AND CONCERN OF THE SAFETY ALL CITIZENS OF HOUSTON AND SURROUNDING, UH, COMMUNITY. IF WE WANT TO SEND A REAL RESOUNDING MESSAGE THAT I ONLY OPPOSE THIS TAKEOVER, LET'S SHOW UP WITH A HIGH NUMBERS IN THIS MARCH. WE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, UH, DELORE THE MANNER AND THE DISCRIMINATORY MANNER THAT THIS ACTION HAS TAKEN PLACE, AND WE APPEAL TO THE STATE AND THE TEXAS EDUCATIONAL AGENCY. DON'T DISRUPT THE PROGRESS THAT'S ALREADY BEEN DONE AT A-H-I-S-D PROGRESSES BEING MADE. PATIENT HAS TO BE TAKEN. AND IF YOU WANNA [00:05:01] DO, TAKE CARE OF THE CHILDREN, INCREASE THE FUNDING PER CHILD, INCREASE THE SUPPORT FINANCIAL AND OTHERS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE STATE OF TEXAS IS BRAGGING ABOUT HAVING MILLIONS IN RESERVE TO BUILD A WALL BETWEEN MEXICO AND TEXAS, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE, AND THEY DON'T KNOW HOW, IN THE SENSE BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. SO OUR RECOMMENDATION FROM THE GREATER HOUSTON COALITION THAT COMPOSED OF ABOUT 25 CIVIL RIGHT GROUPS AT ALL LEVELS, IS SPEND THAT MONEY IN INVESTING ON HISD IF YOU THINK IT'S THAT BAD. NOW, HAVING SAID THAT, WE WANT TO NOT ONLY, UM, ANNOUNCE, UH, THE PARADE, I MEAN, SORRY, THE, UH, MARCH THE ROUTE AND ALL THE DETAILS. UH, THE INTENT OF HOLDING THIS MARCH WAS GONNA BE DOWNTOWN, BUT THE POLICE, AS MUCH WORK AS THEY'RE GONNA BE STRETCHED OUT, NOT ONLY HPD, BUT LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH THE FINAL FOUR, WITH THE ASTROS AND THE OTHER ACTIVITIES, WE FELT THAT WE NEEDED TO TAKE IT OUT TO THE TO COMMUNITY. NOW, HAVING SAID THAT, I'M BE MORE THAN READY TO ANSWER ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, BUT NOW I WANT TO ALLOW, UH, THE A CLU REPRESENTATIVE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, AND THEN I WANT TO HEAR FROM THE PARENTS. THERE'S SOME PARENTS HERE, AND I WANT YOU TO HEAR FROM HIM. OKAY? UM, HARRIS? YES. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. HI. THANK YOU, DONNIE. REALLY APPRECIATE IT. UH, MY NAME IS ASHLEY HARRIS. I'M AN ATTORNEY AT THE A CLU OF TEXAS. I'M ALSO THE PROUD PRODUCT OF HISD. I GRADUATED FROM LAMAR HIGH SCHOOL, AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I WANTED TO BECOME AN ATTORNEY WAS BECAUSE OF ELECTIONS VIOLATIONS AND VOTING RIGHTS VIOLATIONS THAT I SAW IN TEXAS, UM, EVERY ELECTION WHILE GROWING UP HERE AND HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN. AND THE A CLU OF TEXAS IS CONCERNED TODAY ABOUT THE TAKEOVER OF HISD BY THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY FOR THESE VERY SAME REASONS, AND IS CONCERNED THAT OVERREACH BY THE STATE IS GOING TO VIOLATE NOT ONLY VOTING RIGHTS OF HOUSTON VOTERS AND VOTERS OF COLOR IN HOUSTON, BUT ALSO HARM THE EDUCATION OF THESE HOUSTON VOTERS, UH, STUDENTS AND CHILDREN, AND HARM THESE FAMILIES. UH, THE T'S ACTIONS ARE A PAT, A CONTINUAL PATTERN OF STATE OVERREACH THAT WE'RE SEEING, UH, OF TAKING AWAY LOCAL CONTROL, UH, AND TAKING AWAY ACCOUNTABILITY, UM, TO LOCAL OFFICIALS BY VOTERS. UH, THE HOUSTON BOARD OF TRUSTEES RIGHT NOW IS ACCOUNTABLE TO LOCAL VOTERS. HOUSTON IS OVER 75% VOTERS OF COLOR, AND OVER 90% OF THE STUDENT BODY IN HOUSTON IS STUDENTS OF COLOR. THESE ARE VOTERS OF COLOR AND CONCERN. THERE ARE CONCERNS THAT ARE BEING OVERRIDDEN BY A STATE AGENCY WHO IS NOT ACCOUNTABLE TO THESE LOCAL VOTERS. AND FOR THOSE REASONS, WE URGE THE TEA TO RECONSIDER THESE ACTIONS, TO LISTEN AND HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH BOTH HISD AND ALSO HISD VOTERS AND FAMILIES TO PUT A PAUSE ON THIS TAKEOVER THAT IS NOT WARRANTED UNDER STATE LAW, AND INSTEAD, UM, RE RESPECT THE ACCOUNTABILITY, UM, THAT HOUSTON VOTERS DESERVE, AND ESPECIALLY VOTERS OF COLOR IN HOUSTON. AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER NOW TO MY COLLEAGUE AS WELL. OH, I THINK YOU COVERED IT, . OKAY. UH, WE, UH, ALSO HAVE, UH, ONE OF OUR DISTINCT PERSON ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH IS THE URBAN LEAGUE. UH, AS WE'VE HAD THE NAACP LULAC, UH, LAWYERS, GI LACK COULD GO ON, BUT I, I, I WANTED TO, UH, CONSERVE [00:10:01] THE TIME TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO SPEAK. THANK YOU SO MUCH, JOHNNY. UM, AS I THINK EVERYTHING HAS BEEN BASICALLY STATED, BUT THE ONE PIECE THAT WE REALLY WANT TO WALK AWAY, AND THE TAKEAWAY OF THIS IS THAT WE HAVE CHILDREN WHO ARE IN NEED OF A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW, COMPLETE HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF WHAT MAKES TEXAS, TEXAS. YES. AND I THINK THAT IF WE JUST HAVE THAT APPROACH IN TERMS OF HAVING THE KIDS AT THE EPICENTER OF OUR CONCERNS, UH, I REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A VERY LARGE COALITION OF FOLKS WHO REALLY CARE ABOUT HOW THE APPROPRIATION OF EDUCATION IS DISSEMINATED TO OUR KIDS ACROSS THE BOARD. AND SO WE JUST REALLY URGE, UM, THE GOVERNOR AND WE URGE DAN PATRICK, AND WE URGE, UH, MIKE MORATH TO REALLY RETHINK HOW THEY'RE APPROPRIATING EDUCATION IN TEXAS. WE STAND TOGETHER, WE ARE STRONG, AND WE'RE GONNA FIGHT THIS BECAUSE IT IS IMPERATIVE FOR OUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE. THEY ARE THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. WE ALSO HAVE THE PRESIDENT OF THE ORGANIZATION, THE URBAN LEAGUE. I'M VERY PROUD OF THIS YOUNG MAN BECAUSE HIS FATHER WAS THE FIRST CITY COUNCILMAN OF AFRO-AMERICAN DESCENT. AND HE HAS FOLLOWED THE FOOTSTEPS, BUT HE HAS MADE HIS OWN MARK IN HOUSTON. THANK YOU, JOHNNY. IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO, UH, STAND WITH OUR LOCAL LEGEND. YES. ACTUALLY A NATIONAL FIGURE. JOHNNY MATA, UH, JOHNNY IS ALWAYS KNOWN TO STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT, UH, TO STAND UP FOR THE LEAST OF US, UH, TO STAND UP FOR THOSE WHO ARE DISENFRANCHISED. AND SO WE ARE HERE TODAY IN COALITION, UH, WITH SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING THE EASTERN AREA URBAN LEAGUE, TO ENSURE THAT VOICES ARE BEING HEARD, TO ENSURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT HERE PRESENTLY TODAY ARE STILL BEING RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR NEEDS AND WANTS IN THIS COMMUNITY, IN EDUCATION, MAKING SURE THAT PARENTS HAVE A VOICE FOR OUR CHILDREN IN THEIR FUTURE, AND REMINDING OUR LEGISLATORS THAT THIS IS A FIGHT THAT MUST BE WAGE IS NOT ONE THAT WE'VE ASKED FOR. UH, WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE GOOD RESULTS IN TERMS OF WHAT HISD IS DOING CURRENTLY, AND SO WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN WAS CHOSEN TO DO. SO WE'RE HERE TODAY TO PRESS FORWARD. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS AN ISSUE, UH, THAT, THAT IMPACTS DISEN DISENFRANCHISED POPULATIONS. AND SO THEREFORE, WE ARE HERE TODAY TO MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP, JOHNNY. THANK YOU. OKAY. YOU KNOW, WE ORGANIZATION LIKE THE COALITIONS, HAVE SO MANY ISSUES. I REMEMBER THE DAY THAT, UH, THE PRESIDENT OF THE NAACP CALLED A LEADERSHIP, UH, MEETING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, AND IT STARTED SNOWBALLING AND SNOWBALLING. BUT WE HAVE HAD OTHER ISSUES AND WE'VE BEEN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SOME. BUT, UH, I'D LIKE TO CALL, UH, ONE OF THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE I 45 TO TALK ABOUT THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THEY'VE DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB IN OTHER ISSUES. OKAY. HI. THANK YOU. UM, MY NAME'S BONNIE ROSENSTEAL. I AM A HOUSTON RESIDENT. I'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST 20 YEARS. UM, AND I'M HERE REPRESENTING STOP TXDOT, UH, WHICH IS AN ORGANIZATION, UM, THAT WE ARE THE FREEWAY FIGHTERS AS THEY CALL US. UM, TDOT HAS CONTINUED TO EXPAND PROJECTS THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES. UM, I'M AN ARMY VETERAN. I SERVED IN THE US NATIONAL GUARD FOR ALMOST 17 YEARS. AND, UM, I'M WELL AWARE THAT WHEN YOU EQUIP PEOPLE AND ASK WHAT THEY NEED AND YOU GIVE THEM THE RIGHT EDUCATION AND INFORMATION, UM, WE WORK WELL AS A TEAM. AND, UM, THAT STOP TEXTILE. YOU KNOW, OUR PARTICULAR FIGHT IS WITH THE EXPANSION OF FREEWAYS THAT DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW, RIGHT THROUGH DOWNTOWN HOUSTON. UM, BUT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT CHILDREN ARE AFFECTED. AND, UH, IT'S INTERESTING THAT, UH, GIVEN THE GRADING THAT, UH, HOUSTON, HISD HAS GOTTEN A A, B, THE QUESTION IS WHY, UM, WHY IS THIS HAPPENING? UM, IT'S VERY CURIOUS. SO, UH, WE'RE HERE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR THIS COALITION. AND, UM, THE ASK IS THAT WE SHOW UP AND SHOW OUT AND MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD. UM, 'CAUSE WE KNOW THAT WHEN WE DO THAT, WE CAN DO GREAT THINGS TO STOP TECH STOCK, CONTINUE TO DO THAT. WE BROADEN OUR REACH AND ARE, UH, COUPLING WITH SEPARATE ORGANIZATIONS [00:15:01] TO HAVE THAT KIND OF IMPACT. 'CAUSE WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER, WE GET SO MUCH MORE DONE. THANK YOU. WHEN I HEAR, UH, IT'S ALWAYS HERE TO HEAR FROM THE TEACHERS AND THE PARENTS. WE HAVE A PARENT THAT IS HERE TO EXPRESS HER CONCERNS. THANK YOU, JOHNNY. MY NAME IS AUDREY NTH AND DR. AUDREY, DR. AUDREY NTH. I AM A PROUD PARENT OF A KINDERGARTNER AT WHARTON ELEMENTARY, AS WELL AS A PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGIST. ESSENTIALLY, FROM SPEAKING WITH OTHER PARENTS, THERE JUST HAS NOT BEEN A SINGLE PARENT WHO HAS EXPRESSED AT THE SCHOOL OR A PLAYGROUND THAT WE REALLY NEED A TAKEOVER. UM, TO ECHO WHAT OUR A CLU REPRESENTATIVE WAS SAYING, WE REALLY MUCH, WE VERY MUCH VALUE THE LOCAL CONTROL THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND THAT OUR CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS ARE ELECTED BY US. BRIEFLY TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE LOCAL CONTROL HAS ALLOWED THE PARENTS AND OUR ELECTED LEADERS TO CREATE POLICIES FOR HISD THAT COME FROM OUR OWN VOICES IN TEXAS, THERE IS A BROADER LAW, TEXAS PENAL CODE 46.03, THAT ALLOWS SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO GIVE WRITTEN PERMISSION TO ANYONE TO CARRY A FIREARM ON CAMPUS, UH, WITHOUT ANY SPECIFICATIONS OF SAFETY TRAINING. AND I SAW YET ANOTHER STORY IN THE NEWS TODAY OF THERE BEING A GUN LEFT IN A BATHROOM AT A SCHOOL. AND THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. SO, PARENTS AND TEACHERS AND THE BOARD MEMBERS WITHIN HISD HAVE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THIS. AND THE HISD LOCAL POLICY IS TO NOT ALLOW FIREARMS ON CAMPUS, WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE STATEWIDE LEGISLATION. SO AS A PARENT, THIS IS JUST ONE OF MANY ISSUES WHERE I'M LEFT WONDERING, IS THE TEA GOING TO REMOVE OUR VOICES AND REMOVE THE POLICIES THAT WE PUT INTO PLACE TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN? ON MY OTHER, WEARING MY OTHER HAT AS A PEDIATRIC NEUROLOGIST, WE HAVE MANY PATIENTS WHO HAVE NEURO-DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, WHO HAVE SO MUCH POTENTIAL. UM, AND THERE WAS RECENT REPORTING IN THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE THAT THERE WILL BE SOME VERY VAGUELY DEFINED CRITERIA OF HOW HISD COULD RESUME LOCAL CONTROL. AND ONE OF THOSE CRITERIA INVOLVED THE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM MEETING ALL, UH, NECESSARY CRITERIA OF SUCCESS. BUT I'M LEFT WONDERING, WHAT IS THE FUNDING GOING TO BE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN? IS THE FUNDING FOR OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES GOING TO STAY WHERE IT IS OR BE INCREASED TO HELP US MEET THIS GOAL? OR WILL IT BE CUT? AND HENCE, UH, DEVASTATING TO OUR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND SABOTAGING ANY EFFORT WE WOULD HAVE TO REGAIN LOCAL CONTROL. AND I JUST HAVEN'T SEEN ANY ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS. SO IN CLOSING, AS A PARENT, WE ARE ABSOLUTELY FIGHTING FOR NOTHING LESS THAN FULL DEMOCRATIC CONTROL, LOCAL CONTROL, AND DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS FOR HOUSTON, ISD. THANK YOU. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ALRIGHT. I, I DON'T LIKE TO USE STRONG WORDS, BUT I I, FROM WHAT YOU SAID, I DON'T THINK TEC KNOWS WHAT THE HELL THEY'RE DOING. AND I, I, I CONCUR. UH, I HAVE TWO PERSONS THAT HAVE BEEN VERY INSTRUMENTAL WITH US AT THE COALITION. ONE IS OUR SECRETARY AMALIA, AND THEN OF COURSE, UH, I, THERE'S TWO PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN DONE A LOT OF WORK ON THE MARCH. AND ONE OF 'EM PRESENT HERE IS MR. RO GARZA. HE WILL SPEAK BECAUSE HE WILL GIVE YOU THE DETAILS, UH, OF WHAT'S, UH, IN REGARDS TO THE MARCH. UH, BUT RIGHT NOW I'M GONNA LET, UH, AMALIA SAY A FEW WORDS, AND THEN I'M GONNA PASS THE MIC TO RO TO PROVIDE DETAILS AND INFORMATION. AND THEN WE'LL ASK WHATEVER, ANSWER, WHATEVER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. AM I THERE? HELLO. UM, MR. MATA, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE. MY NAME IS AMALIA TORRES, MEMBER OF THE GREATER HOUSTON COALITION FOR JUSTICE. I AM HERE TALKING TO THE PEOPLE, OUR PEOPLE, [00:20:01] UM, PEOPLE UNITED WILL NEVER BE DIVIDED. OUR CESAR TRAVIS MARCH IS THERE TO SHOW SOLIDARITY WITH EVERYBODY WHO STANDS BEHIND, INCLUDING PARENTS, STUDENTS, AND WORKERS. SO, I IMPLORE FOR THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON TO PLEASE SHOW UP ON THIS MARCH TORRES GREATER HOUSTON COALITION FOR JUSTICE CESAR CHAVEZ HIGH SCHOOL. HOW CAN YOU FOLLOW THAT? UH, MY NAME, ISIDRO GARZA. UH, I HAVE BEEN IN LULAC FOR, UH, 48, UH, YEARS, GOING ON ON 49 THIS MAY. UH, AND ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, UH, HISD PASSED THE SCHOOL TRUSTEES, NO BOARD OF MANAGERS. THE SCHOOL, UH, TRUSTEES PASSED, UH, CESAR CHAVEZ HOLIDAY. UH, AND, AND FOR THREE YEARS, UH, THE, THE LEGACY THAT CESAR CHAVEZ LEFT FOR US, UH, CONTINUES IN, UH, RIGHT NOW THROUGH 194,000 STUDENTS IN HISD THAT SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER GETS SOMETHING TO GET TO DO, SOMETHING TO COMMEMORATE A GREAT HERO, UH, SOMEONE, A SELFLESS PERSON THAT NEVER MADE OVER THREE, $3,000 A YEAR, UH, YET ALL OF HIS KIDS, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, GRADUATED FROM IVY SCHOOL. HOW IMPORTANT IS EDUCATION? HOW IMPORTANT IS, ARE THE STEPS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN RIGHT NOW THAT ARE BEING THREATENED? UH, WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW THEY'RE GONNA RUN. THE ONE THING THAT WE DO KNOW IS IT'S, TO ME, IT JUST FEELS LIKE BIG GOVERNMENT TAKING OVER LOCAL, UH, CONTROL. NOTICE THAT IN, IN, IN TEXAS, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINES, IT WAS RECOGNIZED BY ALL THAT. NO ONE CAN BETTER DEFINE WHAT IS TO BE TAUGHT AND HOW IT'S TO BE TAUGHT THAN THE LOCAL LEADERS. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE CALLED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS. AND YET SOON TO BE MANAGERS WHOM WE DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE, WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, THEIR BACKGROUNDS ARE COMING IN, AND THEY'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE TO ANYBODY BUT THE GOVERNOR. SO, WHO IS, WHO ISN'T FOR LOCAL CONTROL? I ASK YOU DECISION MAKERS. I ASK YOU, GOVERNOR, THAT'S PART OF OUR PLATFORM, HAS ALWAYS BEEN PART OF OUR PLATFORM. LOCAL CONTROL, SMALLER GOVERNMENT. SO IT'S THE UNKNOWN THAT WE FEAR. WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE AT, OUR SCHOOLS ARE PROGRESSING. UH, AND ON THAT DAY, THE 31ST OF MARCH, CESAR CHAVEZ'S BIRTHDAY, WHAT A BETTER WAY TO CELEBRATE HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS. IT'S DOLORES HUTA, CESAR CHAVEZ, MARCH FOR JUSTICE, UH, VERY WELL COORDINATED BY THE HOUSTON PD. THEY HAVE GONE WAY OUT OF THEIR WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS A SAFE MARCH AS I SPEAK. THERE WILL BE STREETS THAT WILL BE BLOCKED. THEY'LL PROBABLY BE THE LARGEST, UH, MARCH EVER IN THE HISTORY OF HOUSTON. UH, WE HAVE GOTTEN INTEREST FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. UH, MANY OF THE ORGANIZATIONS, SOME ARE HERE TODAY, UH, THAT WILL SHOW UP. AND ALSO REMEMBER ON THAT DAY, WHAT WAS PASSED THREE YEARS AGO, WE WILL HAVE 194,000 STUDENTS. THEY'RE GONNA BE HOME. WE'RE GONNA HAVE 27,000 HISD EMPLOYEES, TEACHERS, ET CETERA. THEY'RE GONNA BE HOME. SO IT'S A, IT'S THAT POOL THAT WE'RE ASKING. LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT JUST MAKE IT A PAID HOLIDAY, BUT CELEBRATE CESAR CHAVEZ AND DOLORES HUTA BY COMING INTO THE MARCH CESAR CHAVEZ. I HAD THE HONOR OF MARCHING WITH HIM, AND HE WOULD ALWAYS SAY, UNITE, UNITE, UNITE. WE NEED THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST HISD AND ITS EMPLOYEES AND, AND STUDENTS, BUT WE NEED EVERYBODY. UH, UH, AND, AND [00:25:01] I WOULD, AS, UH, AMALIA VERY ELOQUENTLY STATED, UH, WE NEED EVERYBODY TO COME OUT ON, ON THE 31ST. THE MARCH WILL START AT NINE. IT WILL BE HELD. AND I'VE SENT TO ALL OF THE MEDIA. IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT, UH, PLEASE, UH, GIVE A CARD AND I'LL SEND IT. BUT, UH, I HAVE THE ROUTE, UH, THE MARCH ROUTE THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN PLANNED OUT. IT'S, UH, A LITTLE OVER A MILE. UH, IT'S A MILE, 1.4 MILES. UH, IT'LL START AT CESAR CHAVEZ HIGH SCHOOL AND END AT CESAR CHAVEZ HIGH SCHOOL. UH, THERE WILL BE, UH, METRO WILL BE PROVIDING, UH, SHUTTLE BUSES BACK AND FORTH FROM THE PARKING. UH, AND, AND, UH, WE HAVE THE, THE, THE, UH, PD AND, AND MANY OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, MANY, UH, I I, THERE MUST HAVE BEEN ABOUT FIVE THIS, THIS MORNING AT OUR MEETING, FIVE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. WE HAD 50 PEOPLE THERE. UH, UH, COORDINATING THE SAFETY. UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT'S IT, THAT THE MARCH IS WHAT IT'S INTENDED, UH, A PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION, UH, OF SOMETHING THAT WE ARE AGAINST AND SOMETHING THAT WE ARE FOR. SO, HAVING SAID THAT, UH, UH, THE, THE, I ALSO WANNA ANNOUNCE THAT THE GRAND MARSHAL, THE GRAND MARSHALL FOR THIS PARADE. SAY AGAIN. HIT ME MARCH. THANK YOU. THIS IS NOT A PARADE. THIS IS A MARCH. MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MARCH AND A PARADE. A MARCH ALWAYS HAS A CAUSE. AS A CHAVEZ WOULD TELL US, IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S A FEW THAT SHOW UP, OR THOUSANDS THAT SHOW UP. IF THE COST IS RIGHT, IT'S A SUCCESS. SUCCESSFUL MARCH. SO WE WILL HAVE A SUCCESSFUL MARCH BECAUSE THE COST THAT WE ARE STANDING UP FOR AND STANDING UP AGAINST IS THAT OF TEA TAKING OVER, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT. SO, UH, THE, THE, THE GRAND MARSHAL IS NO OTHER THAN VIRGIL, DR. VIRGIL WOOD, DR. VIRGIL WOOD MARCH WITH ESSAR CHAVEZ, MARCH WITH MARTIN LUTHER KING. UH, YOU'LL SEE IF YOU GOOGLE HIM AND PUT MARTIN LUTHER KING, YOU SEE A PLETHORA OF PICTURES WITH HIM IN THE PLANNING ROOMS. UH, AND, AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MARCHES, HE WAS, UH, UH, HE, HE'S GONNA HONOR US, UH, BY BEING THE, THE GRAND MARSHAL. HE TOO WILL BRING IN, UH, 12 PEOPLE, UH, UH, THAT WILL, HE CALLS THEM SUB MARSHALS, UH, THAT, BUT THEY WILL BE AROUND HIM, UH, THAT ARE, THAT ARE HIGH PROFILE NAMES, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. SO, UH, HAVING SAID THAT, UH, ON THE LOGISTICS, UH, WE ASK ALL THE PARENTS THAT ARE WITHIN THE INSIDE OF THE, OF, OF THE, UH, MARCH, UH, TO BE PATIENT WITH US, UH, UH, BECAUSE IT WILL BE DISRUPTIVE. WE WILL CLOSE DOWN STREETS AS WE GO AROUND THE, THE MARCH. UH, AND, UH, WE WILL HAVE ALSO, THAT'S BEING PROVIDED BY THE CITY IS EMERGENCY FACILITIES. WE WILL ALSO HAVE COOL DOWN AREAS PROVIDED BY THE, BY, BY, UH, METRO. UH, SO IF THIS IS A, A WELL PLANNED, BUT THERE'S NEVER ENOUGH PLANNING, UH, WE CONTINUE TO MEET EVERY DAY, UH, UH, AND WE ASK EVERYONE TO PARTICIPATE AND TO PARTICIPATE, PARTICIPATE IN A, IN A FRIENDLY, SAFE, SAFE WAY, SO THAT WE CAN SEND OUR MESSAGE TO AUSTIN, WHAT THE MARCH IS ABOUT. VIRGIL WOOD, DR. VIRGIL WOOD, VIRGIL WOOD, MARTIN LUTHER KING, MARTIN LUTHER KING. HE IS 92 YEARS OLD, AND, UH, THOUGH HE MAY NOT BE ABLE [00:30:01] TO WALK, UH, HE WILL BE AT THE FRONT OF, OF OUR MARCH. AND, UH, UH, WE ASK EVERY NO IDEA. UH, WE'RE GONNA OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS FROM ANY OF 'EM. BUT, UM, LET ME, UH, STATE THAT THE VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE HERE. I WANNA QUOTE WHAT ABRAHAM LINCOLN STATED IN THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS. AND THAT DEALT, UH, THE ISSUE OF GOVERNMENT BY THE PEOPLE. FOR THE PEOPLE. HIS CONCERN THAT HE, UH, MORE OR LESS FAVORED THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE BECAUSE THE CONSTITUTION, UH, PROVIDED FOR SLAVERY, HE WAS ABLE TO MAKE HIS ARGUMENT ABOUT EQUALITY AND THE PURPOSE OF WAR BEING A NEW BIRTH OF FREEDOM. UH, THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE CIVIL WAR, BUT MORE SO BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT GOVERNMENT, OTHER PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE, SHALL NOT PERISH FROM THIS EARTH. NOW, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IN THIS WHOLE COUNTRY, NOT ONLY I, BUT WHAT I HEAR FROM MY COLLEAGUES IS THAT AMERICA WAS BUILT BY A LOT OF PEOPLE. AND OUR POLITICIANS OR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE NOW DENOUNCING DIVERSITY AND EQUALITY. AND THAT'S VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT IS AMERICA HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE ENVIEW OF THE WORLD. AND THERE'S MANY PEOPLE OF OTHER NATIONS THAT WOULD LIKE TO SEE US WIPED OUT OF THIS EARTH. SO EXAMINE YOUR CONSCIENCE AND REFORM YOUR CONDUCT. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYBODY HAS? WE'RE OPEN. QUESTION, QUESTION FOR DR. NAT AND ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTED TO SPEAK ON STAGE. YOU KNOW, UH, TA IS ONLY THEIR FIRST COMMUNITY MEETING TONIGHT. AND, UH, WANTED TO SEE, NUMBER ONE, ARE YOU PLANNING ON GOING TO ANY OR ALL OF THEM? AND, AND NUMBER TWO, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO HEAR? WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE TEA OFFICIALS, IF ANYBODY'S WELCOME TO JUMP UP AND, OKAY, I WILL LET THE ATTORNEYS BEGIN WITH. I THINK YES, UH, MANY PARENTS DO PLAN TO SHOW UP. I, I CAN'T TONIGHT, BUT I PLAN TO GO TOMORROW. I HAVE MANY QUESTIONS, INCLUDING HOW TRANSPARENT WILL THE BUDGET BE CURRENTLY ON THE HISD WEBSITE? WE CAN FIND A WHOLE PDF. IT'S OVER A HUNDRED PAGES LONG FOR EACH SCHOOL YEAR. AND ALL OF THE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES, ARE WE EVEN GOING TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING? I THINK A LOT OF PARENTS WANT TO KNOW, ARE CLASS SIZES GOING TO BE INCREASED? BECAUSE THEY COULD TOTALLY DO THAT. THEY COULD CLOSE SOME SCHOOLS AND INCREASE CLASS SIZES IN OTHERS. AND HOW ARE THEY GONNA MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHICH SCHOOLS TO CLOSE AND HOW DO WE KNOW HOW TRANSPARENT THAT PROCESS WILL BE, WILL BE BASED ON SCORES? OR HOW DO WE KNOW IF THERE COULDN'T BE A DISCRIMINATORY ELEMENT IN HOW THEY CHOOSE THESE SCHOOLS? WE, WE DON'T KNOW ANY OF THESE ANSWERS [00:35:01] AND WE WANT SPECIFIC ANSWERS, AND WE JUST HAVEN'T BEEN GETTING THEM. AND WE WILL ABSOLUTELY BE SHOWING UP AND ASKING THEM. ABSOLUTELY. COME ON. I KNOW Y'ALL DYING TO SAY THAT COVERED. I THINK, UM, I THINK ONE OF THE QUESTIONS ALSO WILL BE, YOU KNOW, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, HOW THE MONEY WILL BE APPROPRIATED BECAUSE THEY'RE, YOU'RE SAYING, OKAY, WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU $8,000 WORTH OF A VOUCHER, RIGHT? AND THEN THE ESCALATED COSTS OF SCHOOLS CAN, CAN ESCALATE AS WE'VE SEEN. SO ARE WE TAKING, ARE THE PARENTS TAKING THEIR TAX DOLLARS OR TAX CREDITS AND APPROPRIATING IT FOR THE DIFFERENCE? SO I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY MOST LIKELY GONNA BE ONE OF MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. UH, I HAVE A QUESTION. I JUST REFRESH MY MEMORY. THIS QUESTIONS ARE GONNA BE ASKED BY WHOM AND WHEN. UH, TE COMMUNITY MEETINGS TONIGHT? I BEG YOUR PARDON. UH, T IS ONLY COMMUNITY MEETINGS TONIGHT. OKAY. NEXT WEEK AS WELL. WHY DID YOU DISCRIMINATE AGAINST HISD? THAT'S WHY WE FILED AGAINST YOU AND, AND DESPAIR TREATMENT SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT, WHERE THERE'S OTHER MAJORITY WHITE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE IN WORSE SHAPE THAN TEA, I MEAN THE HISD. AND I BELIEVE WHETHER YOU DID IT, ADVERSE IT, THE DISCRIMINATION IS THE SAME, OVERT OR COVERT. AND MY QUESTION IS, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO RESENT YOUR ORDER ON THE TAKE ALL OVER OF HISD AND PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE THE MOUNT YOUR MOUTH, WHERE YOUR MONEY IS IN THIS HISD SCHOOL DISTRICT? NOBODY ELSE. WELL, IF THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS, UH, WE WANT TO THANK THE MEDIA AND I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE A MAJOR TURNOUT. I URGE THE STATION MANAGERS AND EVERYONE ELSE GIVE US THE AIRTIME NEEDS NECESSARY SO THAT OUR COMMUNITY WILL SHOW UP IN FORCE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.