[Press Conference: "Denouncement of HISD Library Plans"]
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I'M HONORED TO, UH, BE STANDING HERE TODAY WITH, UH, CONGRESSMAN NOW GREEN AND CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE, UM, COUNTY COMMISSIONER, UH, ADRIAN GARCIA PRECINCT TWO, UM, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, CARLOS CI AND ROBERT GALLEGOS.UM, JUSTIN ROBINSON OF THE HOUSTON AREA, UH, URBAN LEAGUE.
AND THEN A NUMBER, UH, LARRY PAYNE WAS AN EDUCATOR HIMSELF, AND, AND HAS WORKED WITH THE CITY AND OTHER MAYORS OVER THE YEARS.
HAS A LONG HISTORY OF BEING HEAVILY INVOLVED IN EDUCATION.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE, UM, UH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE HOUSTON BAPTIST MINISTERS, MINISTERS AGAINST CRIME PARTNERSHIP MINISTERS FROM THE PARTNERSHIPS OF SCHOOLS, FROM THE HOUSTON METROPOLITAN MINISTERS, UH, AS WELL, UH, AND PASTORS AND MINISTERS COVERING A NUMBER OF CHURCHES, UH, THAT ARE HERE, QUITE FRANKLY, ABOUT THREE DOZEN OF THEM WHO ARE PRESENT AND APPRECIATE THEM.
AND YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM SOME OF THEM AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
UH, THIS PRESS CONFERENCE IS IN REFERENCE TO THE CLOSING OF SCHOOLS IN, UH, HISD BY THE CURRENT SUPERINTENDENT AND THE BOARD OF MANAGERS.
UM, AND ALL OF YOU KNOW HOW, HOW I FEEL ABOUT THE CLOSING OF SCHOOLS, UH, CLOSING OF LIBRARIES, UH, AS IT RELATES TO HISD.
BUT EVEN BEFORE I GET I GET STARTED, UM, THE SUPERINTENDENT, OF COURSE, IS AWARE OF THIS PRESS CONFERENCE, AND I, AND I SEE HE HAS ALREADY ISSUED HIS STATEMENT, UM, WHICH I'M GOING TO READ.
AND HE SAYS, I'M AWARE OF MAYOR TURNER'S PLAN, PRESS EVENT.
I CANNOT AND WILL NOT GOVERN THE STATE'S LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT BY PRESS CONFERENCE OR PRESS RELEASE.
THE TIME FOR POLITICS IS OVER, AND WE WILL NOT BE DISTRACTED BY INTENTIONAL MISINFORMATION.
I WILL WORK WITH ANYONE WHO IS SERIOUS ABOUT IMPROVING THE LEARNING AND LIFE OUTCOMES OF HISD STUDENTS.
I HAVE EXTENDED AN INVITATION TO THE MAYOR TO COME SEE THESE SCHOOLS IN ACTION AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NES MODEL, WHICH IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE THE MOST IMPORTANT, MOST SUPPORT TO HOUSTON'S MOST DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN.
AND I EXTEND THE SAME LIMITATION TO OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS SO THAT THEY CAN SEE FOR THEMSELVES THE DIFFERENCE HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION CAN MAKE FOR OUR KIDS.
WELL, LEMME JUST SAY BEFORE I GO TO MY PREPARED REMARKS, I AM SERIOUS ABOUT THE LEARNING AND LIFE OUTCOMES OF HISD STUDENTS.
AND I'VE BEEN SERIOUS BEFORE THIS SUPERINTENDENT EVER STEPPED ON HOUSTON'S GROUNDS.
I HAVE COMMITTED MOST OF MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR STUDENTS, NOT JUST IN HISD, BUT ACROSS THIS STATE.
NO ONE CAN TAKE ACTION IN THIS CITY AS IF YOU ARE THE GENERAL, AND WE ARE LESS THAN YOUR SOLDIERS THAT WILL NOT WORK.
SUPERINTENDENT, UM, ALSO PLEASED TO HAVE, UM, CITY COUNCILWOMAN, COUNTY GOVERNOR SHABAZZ.
UH, LEMME THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
UM, I ALSO HAVE INVITED, UH, MORE THAN THREE DOZEN PROMINENCE, HOUSTON FAITH LEADERS TO STAND UNITED ON THIS IMPORTANT ISSUE, PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN AND PREVENTING SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS FROM BEING DISMANTLED AS A RESULT OF THE STATE'S TAKEOVER.
FOR THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS, EVER SINCE THE STATE REPLACED THE SUPERINTENDENT AND ELECTED BOARD OF TRUSTEES WITH AN APPOINTED BOARD OF MANAGERS AND AN APPOINTED SUPERINTENDENT, WE HAVE WATCHED THE REMOVAL RESIGNATIONS AND REASSIGNMENT
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OF KEY PERSONNEL WITHIN HISD.SIMPLY PUT, A SIGNIFICANT OVERHAUL IS HAPPENING IN THE STATE'S LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH VERY LITTLE INPUT FROM PARENTS AND COMMUNITY.
WE ARE ONLY WEEKS AWAY FROM THE START OF SCHOOL, AND THERE ARE CHANGES IN CURRICULUM, A SHORTAGE OF CERTIFIED TEACHERS THAT IS FORCING THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO HIRE HUNDREDS OF SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS.
EACH STEP HAS CREATED CONCERN FOR PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND STAFF, WHICH ULTIMATELY AFFECTS THE STUDENTS THEMSELVES.
WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT GRADES AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT MUST IMPROVE AT ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.
AND THERE ARE STUDENTS WHO NEED REMEDIAL HELP TO IMPROVE THEIR READING, THEIR WRITING, THEIR MATH SKILLS, AND WE STAND READY TO ASSIST ANY PERSON, SUPERINTENDENT, BOARD OF MANAGERS, TEACHERS, ANYONE ELSE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.
BUT YOU CANNOT DO THAT BY CLOSING LIBRARIES ON SOME CAMPUSES AND CONVERTING THEM INTO DISCIPLINARY CENTERS.
CANNOT, CANNOT, THAT YOU CANNOT DO.
WE ARE NOT IN 1953, BUT 2023, THIS SENDS THE WRONG MESSAGE.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A STRONG PROPONENT OF LIBRARIES, ESPECIALLY IN SCHOOLS AND NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE CHILDREN ARE CHALLENGED FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
POVERTY, UNEMPLOYMENT, AND MAY BE ALL KINDS OF ISSUES.
LACK OF, UH, TRANSPORTATION, LACK OF RESOURCES AT HOME, NOT CONNECTED TO THE WIFI, DON'T HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY OF ALL OF THOSE DEVICES.
THOSE ARE REASONS WHY WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE STRONGER AND BETTER.
WHEN YOU CLOSE LIBRARIES, YOU DEPRIVE ALL STUDENTS OF RESOURCES THEY NEED TO LEARN AND ACHIEVE.
NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE BOARD OF MANAGERS HAVE DECIDED THAT WE ARE GOING TO TAKE THIS LIBRARY SPACE AND USE IT FOR DISCIPLINARY CENTERS, FOR KIDS THAT HAVE BEEN UNRULY IN THE CLASSROOMS. BUT THE PROBLEM WITH THAT MODEL IS THAT WHEN YOU REASSIGN LIBRARIES IN THESE SCHOOLS AND YOU TURN THE LIBRARY SPACE INTO THESE DISCIPLINARY SPACES, YOU DON'T JUST AFFECT THOSE KIDS WHO HAVE ACTED UP IN THE CLASSROOM.
YOU ARE DEPRIVING ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS ACCESS TO THE LIBRARY.
WHAT ABOUT THOSE 99% OF THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE NOT ACTED UP? WHAT ABOUT THE 99% OF THE STUDENTS WHO ARE FOLLOWING THE TEACHER'S INSTRUCTIONS, BEING RESPECTFUL? AND WHAT ABOUT THE 99% OF THOSE STUDENTS WHO MIGHT WANT TO GO TO THE LIBRARY OR RESEARCH SOMETHING? WHEN YOU SHUT OFF THE LIBRARY WITHOUT LIBRARIANS, YOU ARE NOT JUST PROVIDING SPACE TO THOSE KIDS WHO ARE UNRULY.
YOU ARE DENYING FUNCTIONAL SPACE TO EVERY STUDENT AT THAT SCHOOL.
AND WHAT IS THE MESSAGE THAT YOU ARE SENDING TO THOSE STUDENTS? WHAT'S THE MESSAGE THAT YOU'RE SENDING? AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THOSE STUDENTS GO A FEW MILES DOWN THE STREET? AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA, THEY GO TO ANOTHER SCHOOL WITH A FULLY FUNCTIONAL LIBRARY.
LIBRARIANS, BOOKS, TECHNOLOGY, THEY HAVE ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY NEED FOR THEMSELVES, BUT WHEN YOU COME TO THESE SCHOOLS, THEIR SERVICES, THEIR FACILITIES ARE FAR LESS.
NOW, IF PEOPLE CAN'T SEE THE DISPARITY IN THAT, IF THEY CAN'T SEE THE DISPARITY IN THAT SOMETHING'S MISSING.
AND HOW CAN YOU TEACH THESE KIDS IF YOU DON'T SEE THE DISPARITY IN
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WHAT YOU ARE DOING? AND WHY WOULD YOU EXPECT A CITY OR A COMMUNITY TO STAND QUIET WHEN WE SEE THAT DISPARITY? BUT THE SUPERINTENDENT PREFER THAT WE NOT SAY ANYTHING.YEAH, BUT THE SUPERINTENDENT PREFERRED THAT WE JUST RUBBER A STAMP THIS DISCREPANCY.
AND THEN WHAT DO WE SAY TO OUR CHILDREN? WHAT DO WE SAY TO THEM? THAT IT'S OKAY THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT TOLD ME TO MIND MY OWN BUSINESS.
WHEN I BECAME MAYOR, I SAID, I DID NOT WANT TO BE THE MAYOR OF TWO CITIES AND ONE OF HAVE AND HAVE NOT.
THAT'S WHAT I SAID EIGHT YEARS AGO.
I AM STANDING FIRMLY ON THAT TODAY.
I WILL NOT BE THE MAYOR OF TWO CITIES IN ONE, AND I WILL NOT BE THE MAYOR.
WHERE WE ARE CREATING TWO DIFFERENT SYSTEMS IN THE SAME SCHOOL DISTRICT.
HISD IS CREATING A SCHOOL DISTRICT OF THE HAVES AND HAVE NOTS WITH SOME AREAS OF THE DISTRICT, EQUIPPED WITH LIBRARIES FULL OF BOOKS AND TECHNOLOGY, WHILE OTHERS WILL RESEMBLE A STARK INSTITUTION WITH NO PLACE FOR THE STUDENTS TO GO TO THEIR SCHOOL LIBRARY TO STUDY, CHECK OUT A BOOK, GET THE ASSISTANCE OF A LIBRARIAN, AND EXPAND THEIR OWN IMAGINATION BY EXPLORING TREASURED AUTHORS IN HISTORY.
YOU CANNOT HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE YOU ARE CLOSING LIBRARIES FOR SOME SCHOOLS IN CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS.
WHILE MORE AFFLUENT NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS HAVE LIBRARIES THAT ARE OPEN AND STOCK WITH BOOKS AND OTHER RESOURCES.
NOW, LEMME JUST SAY THIS, I UNDERSTAND THAT TEACHERS DON'T WANT UNRULY KIDS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. I GOT THAT.
I DON'T WANT UNRULY KIDS IN THE CLASSROOMS. BUT THE ANSWER IS NOT TO CLOSE THEIR LIBRARIES.
THE ANSWER IS NOT TO REASSIGN THE LIBRARIANS.
NOW, IF YOU NEED MORE SPACE, GO AND PUT 'EM IN THE GYM.
IF YOU WANNA USE THE GYM SPACE, OKAY? BUT DON'T CLOSE THE LIBRARIES.
YES, SOME STUDENTS ARE STRUGGLING AND NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AND ATTENTION, BUT THE ANSWER ISN'T THROWING OUT LIBRARIES SO THAT NO STUDENT IN THAT SCHOOL CAN HAVE ACCESS TO A CAMPUS LIBRARY, ESPECIALLY NOT IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE LIBRARIES ARE NEEDED THE MOST.
YOU DON'T CLOSE THE LIBRARY, REMOVE THE LIBRARIANS, AND SIMPLY HAVE THE BOOKS ON THE CHEF.
UNDER FORMER SUPERINTENDENT MILLARD HOUSE, HOUSE, HISD WAS PUTTING A LIBRARIAN AT EVERY SCHOOL THROUGH A FIVE YEAR PLAN.
IF HISD REVERSES COURSE AND REMOVES LIBRARIANS AND CLOSES LIBRARIES, NOW SOME STUDENTS MAY NEVER DEVELOP A LOVE AND APPRECIATION FOR READING, AND WE DO NOT WANT OUR SCHOOLS TO LOOK LIKE PRISONS.
LAST WEEK, I INVITED SUPERINTENDENT MILES TO CITY HALL TO EXPLAIN HIS, TO EXPLAIN HIS PLANS FOR THE STATE'S LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT.
IN THE MEANTIME, HE CANNOT EXPECT US TO REMAIN SILENT.
AND LONG AFTER HE IS GONE, WE WILL STILL BE HERE.
WE ARE INVESTED IN THEIR FUTURES, AND WE DO NOT WANT ANYONE SENDING THE MESSAGE TO THEM THAT THEY DESERVE TO HAVE A LIBRARY AT THEIR SCHOOLS.
LASTLY, I'LL SAY THIS, THIS MORNING THROUGH MY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND YOUTH ENGAGEMENT, WE CELEBRATED OUR SUMMER INTERNS.
THE GOAL THIS YEAR, CONGRESSWOMAN CONGRESSMAN GREEN, WAS TO HAVE 20,000 PAID INTERNS IN THE CITY OF
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HOUSTON, THE LARGEST THIS CITY HAS EVER SEEN.WELL, WE EXCEEDED OUR GOAL MORE THAN 20,000.
THESE ARE OUR CHILDREN, AND WE ARE INVESTING IN OUR KIDS.
I'LL CLOSE WITH THIS ARTHUR ASH, WHO IN 1975 BECAME THE FIRST BLACK MAN TO WIN.
WILMINGTON SAID THROUGHOUT, QUOTE, THROUGHOUT MY FORMAL EDUCATION, I SPENT MANY HOURS IN PUBLIC AND SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
LIBRARIES BECAME COURTS OF LAST RESORT, AS IT WERE.
THE CURRENT DEFINITIVE ANSWER TO ALMOST ANY QUESTION CAN BE FOUND WITHERING, THE FOUR WITHIN THE FOUR WALLS OF MOST LIBRARIES, UNQUOTE.
IF HE WERE ALIVE TODAY, HE WOULD WANT THAT SAME ACCESS FOR ALL OF OUR CHILDREN.
BUT IF HISD CLOSED HIS CAMPUS LIBRARIES, SOME CHILDREN MAY NOT EVEN HAVE A CHANCE TO READ ABOUT ARTHUR ASHE.
LET MEAN ME YIELD FIRST TO, UH, CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN, THEN FOLLOWED BY CONGRESSMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE.
UH, MAYOR, I TRUST THAT YOU'LL ALLOW ME TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PRESENCE OF REVEREND FIAN WILLIAMS. UH, HE IS THE SAGE THAT HAS BEEN WITH US THROUGH MUCH OF THIS.
AND I KNOW THAT PASTOR MAX MILLER WILL UNDERSTAND THAT I DID THIS.
AND MAYOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU.
I, I SAY IT SINCERELY, FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.
AND I WANT TO THANK MY, MY COLLEAGUE JACKSON LEE, FOR HER EFFORTS TO DO WHAT SHE CAN THROUGH HER GOOD OFFICES TO DO A SIMILAR THING.
WOULD YOU SHOW HER JUST A LITTLE LOVE FOR ME AS WELL? AND COMMISSIONER GARCIA AND, UH, MY PARTNER AGAINST CRIME
MAY I HAVE TO DO IT NOW? I, I PROMISE I'M GONNA BE AS BRIEF AS I CAN.
BUT MAYOR, YOU INSPIRED ME TO SAY THINGS THAT I HADN'T THOUGHT OF.
MAYOR, I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE SAID, AND I WOULD SIMPLY ADD THIS.
THE GOVERNOR OF THIS STATE IS WHERE THIS BUCK STOPS.
THIS GOVERNOR INTENDS TO NOT ONLY IT SEEMS TO ME CLOSE SOME SCHOOLS, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT HE WANTS TO CHANGE THE ENTIRE SYSTEM.
THERE IS A DESIRE TO HAVE VOUCHERS GIVEN TO PARENTS SO THAT THEY CAN TAKE THEIR CHILDREN OUT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
LESS THAN 69 YEARS AGO, THE SUPREME COURT HELD THAT THE SCHOOLS SHOULD BE DESEGREGATED THE BROWN VERSUS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION DECISION.
LESS THAN 69, LESS THAN 70 YEARS AGO, WE HAD BROWN LESS THAN 70 YEARS AGO.
NOW, HERE'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS.
THE NEXT YEAR, MILTON FRIEDMAN, A WELL-KNOWN CONSERVATIVE, PROPOSED WHAT THE GOVERNOR IS PROPOSING NOW TO KEEP SCHOOLS SEGREGATED.
TO KEEP THE SCHOOLS SEGREGATED.
WHEN, WHEN THE LAW SAID, YOU HAVE TO DESEGREGATE THESE SCHOOLS, HE SAID, WELL, RATHER THAN DESEGREGATE, WE'LL GIVE ALL PARENTS VOUCHERS.
LET THEM TAKE THEIR CHILDREN TO THE SCHOOL OF CHOICE.
FROM THAT MOMENT TO THIS ONE, THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN EFFORT IN EARNEST TO INTEGRATE THE SCHOOLS IN THIS COUNTRY.
THERE HAVE BEEN ALL SORTS OF PLANS TO BRING CHILDREN TOGETHER ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, BUT THEY HAVEN'T REALLY PUT THE EFFORT FORTH NECESSARY SO THAT ALL CHILDREN COULD GET A QUALITY EDUCATION.
NOT SOME SCHOOLS BETTER THAN OTHER SCHOOLS.
ALL SCHOOLS BEING QUALITY SCHOOLS, SO THAT ALL CHILDREN COULD GET A GOOD QUALITY EDUCATION.
THAT JUST HAS NOT BEEN THE CASE IN THIS COUNTRY.
AND MY FEAR IS THIS, IF THIS GOVERNOR HAS HIS WAY, WE WILL FIND THAT WE HAVE VOUCHERS IN THIS STATE, THAT CHILDREN ARE GOING TO BE TAKEN OUT PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND THAT WE WILL FIND OURSELVES
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MOVING TOWARD THE RESEGREGATION OF SOCIETY.I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE ARE HEADED TO THE RESEGREGATION OF SOCIETY.
THERE MAY BE ONE OR TWO OF YOU HERE WHO LIVED THROUGH IT AS WELL.
ANYBODY HERE HAD TO GO TO THE BACK DOOR? RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU HAD TO GO TO A BACK DOOR.
ANYBODY HERE HAD TO DRINK FROM A COLORED WATER FOUNTAIN COLORED WATER FOUNTAIN COLORED WATER FOUNTAIN? ANYBODY? I'M THE ONLY PERSON.
ALRIGHT? I DRINK FROM COLORED WATER FOUNTAINS.
I, I'M A SON OF THE SEGREGATED SOUTH.
I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO HAVE TO SIT IN THE BALCONY OF THE MOVIE IN THE BACK OF THE BUS.
I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT.
SO THIS IS WHY I'M HERE TODAY TO SAY I SUPPORT WHAT THIS MAYOR IS DOING.
HE IS TAKING THE NECESSARY STEPS TO DEAL WITH THIS INCREMENTAL STEP THAT IS GOING TO TAKE US BACKWARDS.
THE MAYOR, I, I SAW YOUR VIDEO MAYOR WHEN YOU SAID THEY'VE CROSSED A LINE.
IF WE LOSE THE LIBRARIES, WHAT, WHAT'S NEXT? IF HE CAN TAKE THE LIBRARIES AND TURN THEM INTO THESE DETENTION CENTERS, WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS? MAN? LIBRARIES SHOULD NEVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE BECOME DETENTION CENTERS.
GOVERNOR, YOU HAVE GONE TOO FAR.
THE MAYOR HAS SAID IT, AND I'M AGREEING WITH HIM.
GOVERNOR, WE CAN'T LET YOU DO THIS.
THESE, THESE PEOPLE STANDING HERE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION.
AND I'M GONNA CLOSE WITH THIS GOVERNOR, IF YOU DO THIS, YOU MAY GET AWAY WITH IT TEMPORARILY, BUT YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH IT IN THE LONG RUN.
AND I, THIS IS NOT A THREAT TO DO SOMETHING TO YOU PERSONALLY, BUT IT IS A PROMISE THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO REGISTER, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CHANGE THE POLITICS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
WE CANNOT STAND FOR WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS STATE.
THANK YOU, MAYOR, FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK.
IT SHOULD BE KNOWN HOW TIED IN UNITY THE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS LIKE CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN, AND SEVERAL OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND HERE FOR OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES, ARE AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT ON THE AGENCIES THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR EDUCATION ARE TOGETHER.
LET ME TAKE A MOMENT TO, UH, IN ESSENCE, UH, SAY TO HOUSTON, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY MORE THAN FORTUNATE TO HAVE AN EDUCATION.
MAYOR, I, I WANT EVERYBODY TO GIVE AROUSING APPLAUSE.
AND I THINK MAYORS AROUND THE NATION WILL DEFEND HIS CONCERN, HIS LEADERSHIP, HIS PASSION.
AND FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW CITIES LIKE CHICAGO, THE MAYOR IS IN CHARGE OF EDUCATION.
AND THE MAYORS VOTED UPON BY THE ENTIRE CITY.
AND SO, LET ME FIRST OF ALL INDICATE WITH GRANDCHILDREN IN HISD WITH CHILDREN WHO HAVE GRADUATED FROM HISD.
I BELIEVE IN THE EXCELLENCE OF EDUCATION.
I CAN'T LOOK AND SEE ANYONE THAT IS AROUND.
AND LET ME MIND MY MANNERS, UH, TO HONOR THE ICONIC FM WILLIAMS MODERATOR IN MY BOOK OF ALL LEVELS OF RELIGIOUS LEADERSHIP, WE THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
AND CERTAINLY ALL THE MODERATORS ARE HERE.
UH, BUT CERTAINLY PRESIDENT REVEREND, DR. MILLER, UH, AND EACH AND EVERY ACTIVIST THAT IS HERE, THAT IS CONCERNED ABOUT EDUCATION AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN WITH US, NOT BEHIND US, BUT ALONGSIDE OF US AND LEADING US.
AND ADRIAN GARCIA, WHO HAS GIVEN HIS HISTORY OF EDUCATION MANY TIMES OF HOW GRATEFUL HE IS TO THE EDUCATION HE GOT HERE IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
AND AS I MENTION COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ, I WILL MENTION JACKIE BOSTICK, WHOSE GRANDFATHER, JACK YATES IS THE SCHOOL, UH, THAT WAS NAMED AFTER HIM,
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THAT CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ WENT TO AND HAS ALWAYS PROMOTED EXCELLENCE AMONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS.EVERYONE STANDING HERE IS NOT AGAINST EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION.
I STAND HERE FOR THE PARENTS AND TEACHERS, SUPPORT STAFF, BUS DRIVERS, LIBRARIANS, MUSIC TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATIVE WORKERS OF DEEP LONG COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION, AND MOST OF ALL, NUMBER ONE, CHILDREN AT ALL LEVELS OF THE SPECTRUM, WHO EYES MAY BE OPENED IF THEY GET INTO A LIBRARY AND TOUCH A BOOK.
I WANT TO SALUTE YOUR DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MS. JANOWSKI.
I HOPE I ALMOST HAVE IT RIGHT.
BUT THE MAIN POINT OF IT IS THEY HAVE JUST BEEN HONORED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DID NOT SEND A LETTER TO THE MAYOR AND SAID, MIND YOUR BUSINESS, STAY OUT OF HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE BE EXPOSED.
THEY SENT THEM A ABSOLUTE PRONOUNCEMENT AND AFFIRMATION OF EXCELLENCE.
SO I WANT TO JUST, UH, TAKE A MOMENT, AS MY COLLEAGUE DID ONE TO PUT ON THE BOOKS, WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION.
BUT LET ME SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO THE FRAMEWORK THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNED BY THE PRESENT SUPERINTENDENT, MIKE MORAN.
YOU NEED TO TELL YOUR SUPERINTENDENT, IF YOU HAVE TO CALL THE GOVERNOR, YOU HAVE TO TELL HIM TO MEET WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS.
MAYOR, I CALLED HIM FROM WASHINGTON.
I'VE YET TO GET A RETURN CALL.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT HE'S PICKING AND CHOOSING THOSE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT HE SPEAKS WITH.
BECAUSE WE REPRESENT MILLIONS OF PARENTS AND TEACHERS AND CHILDREN IN HISD, UNACCEPTABLE.
SO MIKE MORAN, YOU NEED TO RETURN THE CALL AND YOU NEED TO DIRECT YOUR, UH, APPOINTED SUPERINTENDENT.
APPOINTED, NOT ELECTED HAS NO OBLIGATION.
AND IF YOU ALL WILL LOOK AT MY EARLIER QUOTES, I SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON THAT THERE IS NO DUTY, NO REPRESENTATION, NO RESPONSIBILITY TO ANY PARENT OR ANY STUDENT.
IF YOU'RE NOT ELECTED, YOU HAVE NO EARTHLY REASON TO CARE.
ONE IOTA, AND I WILL SAY THIS MYSELF, IT DIDN'T COME TO ME.
A MAYOR IN THE HISTORY OF THIS CITY HAS NEVER RECEIVED A STATEMENT LIKE THAT FROM ANY SUPERINTENDENT OF ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT.
I WILL PUT MY LITTLE FINGER ON IT RIGHT NOW AND SAY, PLEASE, IF THERE'S ANY NEWS ITEM, THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A STATEMENT BEING SENT OUT BY ANY SUPERINTENDENT.
I DON'T VIEW ANY OF THEM DISGRUNTLED.
I WORK WITH ALL OF THEM WHO ARE TAKING CARE OF CHILDREN.
WHEN A CITY MAYOR OF THE FOURTH LARGEST CITY IN THE NATION OR ANYONE ELSE, CONGRESSMAN, CONGRESSWOMAN OR ANYONE ELSE, COMMISSIONER HAS TRIED TO REACH THEM.
HAVE YOU HAVE, HAVE YOU SEEN THIS? YOU NO.
I HAVE NOT GOTTEN A PHONE CALL.
AND HAVE YOU SEEN ANY FROM ANY SUPERINTENDENT EVER? NO.
SO THAT, THAT'S BREAKING NEWS RIGHT NOW.
SO LET ME JUST GET TO THE POINT OVER THE, OVER THE YEARS OF FIVE YEARS, UH, WITH MY COLLEAGUES, WE HAVE PRESSED THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO KNOW THAT THIS IS WRONGHEADED.
EVEN WITH THE STATE LEGISLATION, WHICH SOME OF YOU ARE THINKING OF, THERE IS A FLEXIBILITY THAT, AS HAS BEEN SAID, THAT STATE GOVERNMENT COULD HAVE YIELDED.
IN PARTICULAR, I WROTE TO THEM DURING THE PANDEMIC TO ASK THEM TO WAIVE.
AND WITH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE SUPERINTENDENTS, WE HAD AT THAT TIME, UH, GRANT GRANTHAM AND, UH, HOUSE, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A, A STAY OF THE TEST DURING THE PANDEMIC.
BUT HERE WE ARE NOW IN A MOMENT WHEN WE ARE ADDRESSING THE QUESTION OF THE ISSUE OF OUR STUDENTS.
THIS BOOK IS FULL OF LETTERS, FULL OF LETTERS.
THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR IS GOING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF CIVIL RIGHTS, UH, AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
THEY WILL HAVE TO ACT WITH MEMBERS OF CONGRESS SPECIFICALLY, I GOT THAT DID NOT LIVE HERE, ONLY TO SAY THAT ACROSS THE NATION, PEOPLE ARE SHOCKED ABOUT THE TAKEOVER.
THEY WANTED TO PUT THEIR NAME DOWN.
TO BE ABLE TO SAY THIS IS AN OUTRAGE.
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WE ARE SEEING THE VERY EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE TRIED TO PREVENT.SO LET ME JUST CONCLUDE MY REMARKS BY SAYING THIS.
THIS IS NOT A CRIME REDUCTION PROGRAM.
TEACHERS WHO HAVE CHILDREN THAT NEED TIMEOUT FOR ANY OF US WHO ARE THE PRODUCTS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATION, WE WENT TO SOMETHING LIKE THE, THE AUDITORIUM, AND THEY HAD AN AUDITORIUM TEACHER OR MONITOR OR WHATEVER IT IS FOR THOSE WHO WERE NEEDING OF TIMEOUT.
YOU, YOU, SOMETHING IS, UH, HAPPENING.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AT HOME WITH THAT CHILD, PARTICULARLY IF YOU ARE IN THIS CORRIDOR, ALLEGEDLY, OF CHILDREN THAT NEED EXTRA HELP.
AND THE MAYOR IS RIGHT IN THAT POPULATION ARE STARS OR ACADEMIC GENIUSES, BUT THEY'RE IN THAT CORRIDOR.
AND WE WANT ALL CHILDREN TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY.
WHY NOT THE AUDITORIUM? WHY NOT THE GYM? WHY NOT AN EMPTY CLASSROOM? THE SYMBOLIC STATEMENT.
THE SYMBOLIC STATEMENT IS LIKE WHEN I HAD TO RIDE IN THE BACK OF THE TRAIN, TRAVELING TO VISIT MY GRANDMOTHER, NOT METRO, THE TRAIN ON THE BIG TRACKS.
I WAS TREATED IN A DISCRIMINATORY MANNER.
I LIVED IN A SEGREGATED ATMOSPHERE THAT I HAD TO GO IN THE BACK OF THE TRAIN OR IN THE TRAIN CAR FOR COLORED, AS WE WERE CALLED WITH MY BAG OF FRIED CHICKEN, SO THAT I'D HAVE SOMETHING TO EAT AS I TRAVELED.
AND SOMEONE WILL TAKE THIS AND THEY'LL MAKE A MEME AND THEY'LL MAKE A TEXT AND THEY'LL MAKE A TWEET.
BUT SOMETIMES HONESTY IS NOT SHAMED BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE ILL WILL.
AND SO WHEN YOU PUT THESE CHILDREN, IT IS NOT A CRIME REDUCTION PROGRAM.
I WANT THE PARENTS TO UNDERSTAND.
IF YOU LIVE IN RIVER OAKS, IF YOU LIVE IN WEST SIDE, IF YOU LIVE IN, UH, THE NORTHWEST SIDE, IF YOU LIVE WAY OUT NORTHWEST OF EAST AND WEST, PLEASE TAKE THIS NOT AS AN ISSUE.
UH, THAT IS ONLY THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
THIS IS THE MAYOR OF THE ENTIRE CITY OF HOUSTON.
IT IS TO SAY THAT IF YOU DO IT FOR ONE, YOU WILL DO IT FOR OTHERS.
AND SO THE ELIMINATING OF THE LIBRARIES ARE A DIRECT, UH, HIT ON BROWN V.
BOARD OF EDUCATION, WHICH IN 1954 DECIDED TO INTEGRATE OUR SCHOOLS.
IT IS A VIOLATION, I BELIEVE, OF THE 1964 CIVIL RIGHTS ACT DEALING WITH ACCOMMODATIONS, UH, STRETCHING TO THE POINT OF DISCRIMINATING WITH ONE CORRIDOR, GETTING SOMETHING THAT JUST HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH EDUCATION TO ELIMINATE LIBRARIANS AND LIBRARIES.
AND I ALSO THINK THAT TITLE VII UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, IT IS VIOLATING.
AND ACTUALLY, UH, THIS SPEAKS LOUDLY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THAT A SYSTEM FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WHO IS INDICATED MANY THINGS TO ME, THAT THIS IS GETTING THEIR ATTENTION.
THE MAYOR IS DOING ALL THAT HE CAN.
SCHOOL IS GETTING READY TO START.
AND DO YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT THESE CHILDREN WILL ENTER THAT SCHOOL AND THEY WILL BE LOOKING AT SHADY DALE? WHERE IS THEIR LIBRARY? THEIR LIBRARIAN, AND THEY HAVE NOTHING BUT AN EMPTY ROOM.
AND BY THE WAY, THE BEANBAGS HAVE BEEN TAKEN OUT AS WELL.
AND THEY WILL BE SITTING THERE.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THEIR CHAIR AND PULL, PULL A BOOK, NOR WILL THE BOOKS BE REFRESHED, NOR WILL THEY BE UPDATED.
SO MAYOR, I, I CLOSE MY REMARKS SIMPLY BY INDICATING THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS ON NOTICE OF OUR OPPOSITION TO THE TAKEOVER.
BUT NOW WE'VE GONE BEYOND WHAT I COULD EVEN UNDERSTAND.
AND THAT IS WE HAVE GONE TO A POINT OF DENIAL OF LEARNING FOR OUR CHILDREN.
DENIAL OF LOST LEARNING CAPACITY AND DENIAL OF READING ABILITIES BY NOT ADDING OVER THE LAY OF READING TEACHERS THIS BEAUTIFUL THING CALLED A LIBRARY.
MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE HAD FIVE LITTLE CHAIRS.
AND SHE ORGANIZED A BETHUNE COOKMAN COLLEGE FOR FREED SLAVES.
HER STATUTE NOW STANDS IN STATUTORY HALL IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS.
CESAR CHAVEZ JOINED MARTIN KING ON ENSURING THAT FARM WORKERS HAD HOUSING ACCESS TO EDUCATION.
SO THAT EVEN IF THOSE PARENTS WERE FARM WORKERS, THOSE CHILDREN WOULD HAVE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME EDUCATED,
[00:35:01]
UH, AND CHOOSE THEIR PATH.THEY MAY BE IN THE FIELDS NOW, BUT SESAR CHAVEZ WALKED BECAUSE HE WANTED THEM TO BE SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE YEARS TO COME.
OUR CHILDREN THAT WE ARE SPEAKING OF MAY COME FROM MANY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, MAY SPEAK DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.
THEIR STATUS IS NOT THEIR FAULT.
RIGHT? IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPPORTERS, CHAMPIONS OF IT.
AND AS CONGRESSMAN GREEN SAID, NOT VOUCHERING OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS PUBLIC SCHOOL ALL THE WAY, BECAUSE IT'S THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PLATFORM.
AND I WOULD JUST SIMPLY SAY, MAYOR, I EXTEND MY HAND OF COOPERATION.
AS I SAID, THIS BOOK IS FULL OF LETTERS THAT EVEN CITE THE POOR TREATMENT THAT TEA GAVE TO THOSE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
THANK YOU, MAYOR CONGRESSWOMAN LEE.
UH, CONGRESSMAN GREEN MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL.
UM, LEMME JUST SAY THAT I AM HISD IF NOT FOR HISD, I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE SUCCESS I ENJOYED TODAY IN SPITE OF GROWING UP, NOT SPEAKING ENGLISH, IN SPITE OF COMING FROM A FAMILY THAT HAD TO DEPEND ON WELFARE.
THE BOOKS IN MY SCHOOL, THE LIBRARIANS IN MY SCHOOL, THE TEACHERS IN MY SCHOOL HELP TO BROADEN MY OPPORTUNITY AND MY VISION AND MY HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THIS CITY AND FOR THIS COUNTY.
AND THAT'S WHY I STAND HERE TODAY.
BUT LET ME SAY THAT THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO PARENT THAT DOESN'T BELIEVE IN THE SUCCESS OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THERE'S NO PARENT WHO DOESN'T WANT TO SEE A SCHOOL DISTRICT SUCCEED.
THERE'S NO PARENT THAT SENDS THEIR THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY SAYING, I HOPE YOU COME HOME WITH LESS KNOWLEDGE THAN HOW YOU LEFT THIS MORNING.
HISD IS MADE UP OF 62% HISPANIC LATINO CHILDREN.
22% AFRICAN AMERICAN, BUT 80% ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGE.
WE ARE COUNTING ON THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF THIS COMMUNITY.
AND WE BELIEVE, AND WE KNOW THAT EDUCATION IS THE ANSWER.
BUT FOR A STATE THAT HAS A POOR RECORD WHEN PUT IN CHARGE OF MAY, MAJOR OPERATIONS, WHETHER IT'S THE ELECTRIC GRID, WHETHER IT'S THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM, OR WHETHER ANY OTHER MAJOR EXAMPLE IN WHICH THE STATE HAS BEEN PUT IN CHARGE, THE STATE HAS HISTORICALLY FAILED AND RECEIVED A POOR GRADE IN MANAGING THOSE LARGE OPERATIONS, DOING THIS WITH NO INPUT FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT, MAYOR, CONGRESS MEMBERS, DOING IT WITH NO INPUT FROM LOCAL PARENTS, LOCAL TEACHERS, OR THE STUDENTS.
AND BY THE WAY, I'M PROUD THAT I HELPED TO CREATE THE HISD, UM, STUDENT CONGRESS.
NO INPUT FROM OUR STUDENTS AT A MINIMUM PUTS HISD ON A PATH TO MORE PROBLEMS. COMMUNITY MEETINGS WHEN THE COMMUNITY ISN'T HEARD, ISN'T NOTHING, IS NOTHING MORE THAN A LECTURE.
WE SAW HOW THE STATE FLUSH WITH FEDERAL CASH THAT CREATED A MASSIVE SURPLUS, COULDN'T EVEN AGREE ON HOW TO DO PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ON THE FIRST PLACE.
AND DESPITE ALL THAT CASH, THEY SOMEHOW FORGOT TO FULLY FUND SCHOOLS MAMA OR TO START PAYING TEACHERS A LEGI, A LEGITIMATE WAGE, ALL THE WHILE HANDING DOWN ANOTHER
[00:40:02]
UNDERFUND, UH, UNDERFUNDED MANDATE TO PAY FOR CAMPUS SECURITY UPGRADES.MEANWHILE, TEACHERS STILL MUST RELY ON ONLINE FUNDRAISERS TO GET SUPPLIES FOR THEIR CLASSROOMS. THE FORMULA FOR SUCCESS ISN'T COMPLICATED.
FUND SCHOOLS SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO CUT CRITICAL OPERATIONS PAY TEACHERS WELL.
SO WE CAN ATTRACT THE BEST, INVOLVE AND COMMUNICATE WITH PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND LOCAL LEADERS AS THE ONES WE HAVE ON THIS DIOCESE, SO THAT WE CAN ALL HELP, UH, WITH THEIR ON THE GROUND KNOWLEDGE AND ASSESSMENT OF WHAT WORKS IN HOUSTON, TEXAS.
ONE SIZE FITS ALL SOLUTIONS WILL NEVER, EVER ALLOW FOR CONSENSUS.
OPEN COMMUNICATION AND A FOCUS ON IMPROVEMENTS IS KEY.
LOCAL REPRESENTATIVES CAN CONTRIBUTE TO A SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION AND POSITIVELY IMPACT THE FUTURE OF THE DISTRICT.
THE PRIORITY WE CAN ALL AGREE IS TO WORK TOWARD BETTER STUDENT SUCCESS.
AND SO I ENCOURAGE THOSE THAT ARE IN CHARGE TO CHECK THEIR EGOS AT THE DOOR AND UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE WHO HAVE BEEN ON THE GROUND FOR YEARS, IF NOT DECADES.
THESE FOLKS HAVE SKIN IN THE GAME.
UTILIZE THESE RESOURCES TO ACHIEVE THE BEST OUTCOME.
MR. MILES MUST UNDERSTAND THAT HE HAS GOOD PLAYERS ON THE LOCAL ROSTER WHO ARE ALREADY, WHO ARE READY TO HELP IF HE JUST GIVES US A CHANCE TO HELP THE TEAM WIN.
AND I WILL SAY, AGAIN, THERE'S NO PARENT THAT DOESN'T WANT A, A WELL RUN SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT FOSTERS SUCCESS FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
BUT ELIMINATING LIBRARIES AS A RESOURCE TO EDUCATORS DOES NOT WORK WITH THE HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THEY THAT THEY HAVE FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
MR. MILES, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU GO BACK, REDO YOUR HOMEWORK, AND RETHINK YOUR APPROACH.
AND LET ME JUST SAY BRIEFLY IN SPANISH.
REPRESENTING, REPRESENTING CITY COUNCIL COL.
COUNCILMAN COLLEGE SIX NETWORKS.
I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT I, LIKE MANY OF US HERE HAD CHILDREN THAT WENT ALL THROUGH HISD.
I HAVE THREE GRANDCHILDREN THAT ARE HISD STUDENTS NOW.
AND MY ACTIVISM AND ADVOCACY LED ME TO BE ON THE SCHOOL BOARD WHERE I SERVED FOR SIX YEARS, ONE YEAR AS PRES AS PRESIDENT.
AND WHEN I LEFT THAT, I WENT BACK TO SCHOOL TO BECOME A, A CERTIFIED TEACHER.
AND I THEN I, I TAUGHT IN HISD
AND SO, AND IT WAS IN THAT ROLE THAT I ALSO BEGAN TO SEE THAT THE ROLE THAT A CITY HAS IN EDUCATION, IT'S NOT JUST UP TO THE SCHOOLS, IT'S UP TO ALL OF US.
AND I THOUGHT THE CITY COULD BE DOING BETTER.
AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE OUR EDUCATION, MAYOR MM-HMM
AND, AND, AND REALLY ALLOWING, YOU KNOW, THE
[00:45:01]
CREATION OF A NEW COUNCIL COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, ON, ON CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH.AND, AND, AND THAT'S REALLY WHAT HAS BEEN MY, MY, UM, FOCUS OF MY ADULT LIFE IS, IS ADVOCATING, IS, IS, UM, YOU KNOW, IN SUPPORT OF EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION.
YOU KNOW, IN THE, IN THE, IN THE REALLY UPSETTING EMAIL THAT WE GOT TODAY, YOU KNOW, WHEN, UM, THE SUPERINTENDENT IS TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, IMPROVING THE LEARNING AND LIFE OUTCOMES OF HISD STUDENTS.
I WILL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, EVERYONE ON THIS STAGE AND YOU KNOW, IS, IS, IS RIGHT THERE ALREADY.
SO LET'S TALK ABOUT LIBRARIES.
DO SCHOOL LIBRARIES REALLY HELP STUDENTS SUCCEED? THE ANSWER IS YES.
THERE IS GROWING BODY OF RESEARCH THAT VALIDATES THAT, SHOWING THAT IF YOU HAVE A CERTIFIED LIBRARIAN WORKING WITH CLASSROOM TEACHERS, STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IS HIGHER.
RESEARCH FOR MORE THAN 60 IMPACT STUDIES CONDUCTED IN 22 STATES HAS SHOWN THAT SCHOOLS WITH WELL-EQUIPPED LIBRARIES STAFFED BY A FULL-TIME CERTIFIED LIBRARIAN, CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO GAMES AND STUDENT LEARNING.
HIGH QUALITY LIBRARIES NOT ONLY HELP STUDENTS READ MORE, BUT IT ALSO HELPS THEM LEARN HOW TO USE AND PROCESS INFORMATION MORE EFFECTIVELY AND TO PERFORM BETTER ON ACHIEVEMENT TEST.
THE POSITIVE IMPACT IS ESPECIALLY SIGNIFICANT FOR DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS WHO MAY HAVE NO ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND COMPUTERS AT HOME.
BY PROVIDING STUDENTS EQUAL GUIDANCE AND ACCESS TO PRINT AND DIGITAL RESOURCES, SCHOOL LIBRARIANS HELP CLOSE THE GAPS BETWEEN PRIVILEGED AND STUDENTS.
THE THIS RESEARCH IS ALL DOCUMENTED IN VERY REPUTABLE PLACES.
THE AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL LIBRARIANS, THE JOURNAL OF LIBRARY ADMINISTRATION AND EDUCATION WEEK.
LIBRARIANS ARE TEACHERS AND THEY ARE SOME OF THE VERY BEST TEACHERS, RIGHT.
TO BE A CERTIFIED LIBRARIAN IN A TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOL, YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST YOU, YOU NEED A, YOU NEED TO HAVE A MASTER'S DEGREE.
YOU NEED TO HAVE AT LEAST TWO YEARS OF CLASSROOM TEACHING EXPERIENCE COMPLETED.
A, A SCHOOL LIBRARIAN CERTIFICATE PROGRAM, PASSED A FIVE HOUR TEXAS SCHOOL LIBRARIAN EXAM AND MET STATE CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS.
GONE ARE THE DAYS WHEN A LIBRARY WAS ESSENTIALLY A WAREHOUSE OF BOOKS.
IN ADDITION TO TEACHING STUDENTS AND TEACHERS HOW TO NAVIGATE INFORMATION IN A DIGITAL WORLD.
SCHOOL LIBRARIES HAVE NOW BECOME A PLACE WHERE STUDENTS GO TO CREATE AND PRODUCE.
LIBRARIES ARE NO LONGER GROCERY STORES WHERE STUDENTS GO TO PICK UP INGREDIENTS, BUT KITCHENS WHERE THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO CREATE A FINISHED PRODUCT.
IF THIS IS THE WAY TO CUT ON EXPENSES, IT IS INCREDIBLY SHORTSIGHTED AND IT IS A BLOW TO STUDENTS WHO ARE ALREADY LIVING WITH THE INEQUITIES THAT COME WITH POVERTY OR BEING A PERSON OF COLOR.
I WANNA TALK ABOUT HOW THIS IS PLAYING OUT IN ONE OF MY COMMUNITIES THAT I REPRESENT, AND THAT'S DENVER HARBOR.
THERE ARE FOUR HISD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND DENVER HARBOR, ELLIOT SCROGGINS, PEW, AND, UM, RAUL MARTINEZ.
ALL FOUR SCHOOLS ARE NOW PART OF SUPERINTENDENT MILES' NEW EDUCATION SYSTEM.
DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY WERE ALL RATED A LEVEL SCHOOLS BY THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, WHICH SCORES AT, YOU KNOW, WITH EXCEED AT OR EXCEEDING THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS OF MORE AFFLUENT PARTS OF THIS, OF THE DISTRICT, IT IS DIFFICULT NOT TO SEE THIS FOR WHAT IT IS AN ATTACK ON COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WITH LESS THAN A MONTH BEFORE THE START OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR, 70% OF THE STAFF POSITIONS AT ELLIOT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ARE NOT FILLED.
THAT IS OVER 30 STAFF OPENINGS OUT OF ABOUT 45 STAFF POSITIONS.
SO SUPERINTENDENT, I WOULD LIKE TO TO TO KNOW REALLY, YOU KNOW, REALLY MORE ABOUT YOUR INTENTIONS OF IMPROVING, UM, THE LEARNING AND LIFE OUTCOMES FOR HISD STUDENTS.
IT AS THE ONES I JUST, I, UM, IDENTIFIED IN DENVER HARBOR.
THANK YOU MAYOR FOR THIS SPACE AND CERTAINLY FOR, UH, ALL WHO ARE PRESENT.
UM, I THINK, UH, WE RECOGNIZE, UH, AND I WANT TO THANK THE ELECTED OFFICIALS FOR RECOGNIZING MY FATHER, WHO THE LORDS SPANNED DECEMBER WILL BE
[00:50:01]
96 YEARS OLD.UH, I JUST WANT TO SAY THIS, I'VE SHARED WITH THE MAYOR, THIS IS A HEAVY HANDED POSITION.
I AGREE WITH CONGRESSMAN GREEN.
WE NEED TO ADVOCATE TO THIS GOVERNOR BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE BUCK STOPS.
AND WE NEED TO BEGIN THAT DIALOGUE.
I GET IT IN TERMS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HIS POSITION, BUT AS IT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED BY CONGRESSWOMAN, HE WAS APPOINTED AND NOT ELECTED.
THEREFORE, HE DOES NOT BAD NECESSARILY IN A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE COMMUNITY, BUT TO FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS OF THOSE WHO HIRED HIM.
AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO BE STRONG IN OUR ADVOCACY AS IT RELATES FOR, UH, A GOOD PRODUCT IN PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, BECAUSE WE NEEDED THIS.
SUPERINTENDENT HAS TALKED ABOUT WANTING TO HAVE THINGS SET BY 2035.
WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT HE MEANS BY THAT AND WHAT'S INVOLVED WITH THOSE PARTICULARS.
SO I'M ENCOURAGING ALL OF OUR PASTORS, ELECTED OFFICIALS, YOU'RE ON THE FRONT LINE, BUT LET'S NOT GO TO SLEEP ON THIS.
LET'S BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PUSH TO ADVOCATE.
I REMEMBER SOMETHING, UH, SOME YEARS AGO, AND, UH, DR. KING HAS BEEN MENTIONED IN PRIOR REFERENCES.
BASICALLY WHEN THEY WERE THOSE WHO WERE TRYING TO SILENCE HIM, HIS RESPONSE WAS, NO, WE'RE GOING TO KEEP ADVOCATING BECAUSE SOONER OR LATER YOU GOTTA DEAL WITH US.
AND I THINK IF WE WOULD HAVE THAT KIND OF DETERMINATION, I THINK WE CAN GET THE RESULT WE SEEK.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE.
UH, AS IT WAS STATED, UM, WE HAVE TO FIGHT IN REGARDS TO THESE LIBRARIES THAT ARE BEING CLOSED.
UH, MY, I'M ALSO A PRODUCT OF HISD.
MY PARENTS ARRIVED AS IMMIGRANTS BACK IN THE 1920S ESCAPING THE REVOLUTION IN MEXICO.
I'M THE YOUNGEST OF SEVEN, AND WE ALL WENT TO HISD.
AND HERE I STAND TODAY BETWEEN THE MAYOR AND CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES AND COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND CITY COUNCIL.
BUT TO KNOW THAT OUR LIBRARIES ARE BEING CLOSED, TO KNOW THAT HISD, LIKE IT'S BEEN STATED, THE MANU, THE MAJORITY IN HISD IS MINORITY NOW 62% IS LATINO.
AND WHAT DO THEY FEAR? GOVERNOR? AFRAID THAT WE ARE GOING TO GET OUR HANDS ON BOOKS TO LEARN TO LEARN OUR HISTORY.
WE ARE GOING TO GET OUR HANDS ON BOOKS AND WE WILL LEARN OUR HISTORY.
WE'RE BEING TOLD WHAT WE CAN READ AND WHAT WE CAN'T READ, AND NOW THEY WANNA CLOSE OUR LIBRARIES.
I, FOR ONE, AS THE ONLY COUNCIL MEMBER HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, AS A LATINO REPRESENTING HALF OF THE POPULATION, I SAY, NO, DO NOT CLOSE THE LIBRARIES.
MY DAD, AS I STATED, CAME BACK IN, CAME TO HOUSTON IN THE 1920S WITH HIS FAMILY ESCAPING THE MEXICAN REVOLUTION.
HE TOLD ME STORIES WHERE THERE WERE PLACES THAT HE COULD NOT GO INTO BECAUSE IT SAID NO MEXICANS OR DOGS ALLOWED.
SO WE KNOW OUR HISTORY AND YOU WILL NOT KEEP IT FROM US.
WELL, GOD PASS HARVEY CLEMONS COMING OUT OF THE NORTHEAST WHERE MANY OF THESE SCHOOLS ARE LOCATED.
THANK YOU, MAYOR CONGRESS, PERSONS COMMISSIONER, AND TO ALL OF MY BROTHER AND SISTER CLERGY.
UH, I DID NOT KNOW YOUNG CALVIN JR.
HE SAW A NAME TAG ON THE FLOOR, PICKED IT UP, GAVE IT TO ME, AND I GAVE IT TO THE PERSON WHO NAME IT WAS.
BUT IT SPEAKS TO THE CONSCIENTIOUSNESS OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE.
WHO SEE A NEED AND SPEAKS TO THAT NEED.
I MADE A FRIEND WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT
[00:55:01]
HERE, AND THANK YOU, MAYOR.THANK YOU FOR NOT SITTING BACK.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS MATTER.
WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS ABOUT THIS YOUNG MAN.
I'M PRODUCT OF PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS ATTENDED ATHERTON ELEMENTARY, WHERE BARBARA JORDAN WENT TO SCHOOL, PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS TURNED HER OUT.
THE LATE CONGRESS PERSON, MICKEY LELAND.
THE LATE L FRANCO LEE WENT TO ATHERTON ELEMENTARY.
IT WAS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS WHERE WE ATTENDED LIBRARIES THAT ALLOWED US TO GO PLACES THAT WE COULD NOT AFFORD TO GO.
THE THING ABOUT BOOKS, BOOKS ALLOW YOU TO TRAVEL TO FAR COUNTRIES THAT YOUR PARENTS CANNOT AFFORD TO SEND YOU TO.
THEY ALLOW YOU TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE THAT IN MANY OCCASIONS, THAT YOUR LIFE WILL NOT BRING YOU IN CONTACT WITH.
PERHAPS MAYBE THIS IS NOT A DEBACLE ON THE PART OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OR EVEN THE GOVERNOR.
MAYBE THIS IS A CALCULATED EFFORT TO JOIN IN WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING IN FLORIDA AND IN OTHER PARTS OF OUR COUNTRY TO TRY TO REWRITE OUR HISTORY, OR AT LEAST TO KEEP US FROM KNOWING OUR KEEP.
MAY I THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THIS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT MY COMMENTS WILL DO, BUT I DO REMEMBER HEARING SOMEWHERE MM-HMM
THAT WHEN I BROTHERS AND SISTERS CAME OVER ON SLAVE SHIPS, THE REASON WHY THEY DIDN'T CALL US BY OUR GIVEN NAME IN AFRICA AND GAVE US A NEW NAME IS BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WANT US TO KNOW OUR LEGACY, OUR HISTORY, AND FROM WHERE WE CAME AND WHO WE ARE.
BECAUSE THEY KNEW THAT IF THEY COULD CUT US OFF FROM OUR ANCESTORS, THEY COULD TRY TO RE INDOCTRINATE US TO THEIR OWN THOUGHTS AND IDEAS.
THE FIGHT THAT MARTIN LUTHER KING AND HIS PARTNERS AND COLLEAGUES WERE FIGHTING THEN IS THE SAME FIGHT THAT WE ARE FIGHTING NOW.
AND I INVITE ALL OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WHITE, BLACK HISPANIC JEWS, OUR GENTILES, TO JOIN US IN THIS EFFORT TO RID OUR CITY AND OUR COUNTRY OF THIS GREAT PARTISAN OF HATRED AND RACISM.
I WISH I COULD VOTE FOR YOU MAYOR AGAIN, BUT INSTEAD I'LL VOTE FOR SOMEONE ELSE.
BY THE NAME OF SHEILA JACKSON LEE.
PASTOR MAYOR WRIGHT, THE PASTOR OF FOUNTAIN OF PRAISE.
TO MY CONGRESSMAN AND TO ALL OF OUR ESTEEM CLERGY AND COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE, ARE HERE.
I HAVE A EARNED DOCTORATE IN EDUCATION.
AND SO, AS YOU WOULD KNOW, EDUCATION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME AS A LITTLE GIRL IN EAST AUSTIN WHERE I GREW UP, THE LIBRARY WAS AN IMPORTANT PART OF MY LEARNING AND MY EDUCATION.
EVEN WITH MY TWO SONS WHO HAVE BEEN EDUCATED IN HISD AND MY 8-YEAR-OLD GRANDDAUGHTER AND OTHER GRANDCHILDREN THAT ARE STUDENTS RIGHT NOW IN SCHOOL, THE LIBRARY IS
[01:00:01]
A VERY CRITICAL PART OF THEIR EDUCATION.I WAS RECENTLY AT A FUNERAL FOR, UM, ONE OF MY FRIENDS, DR.
KIMBERLY AGNEW BORDERS, HER MOTHER, MRS. BETTY AGNEW, WHO WAS A LONG-TERM LIBRARIAN IN HISD.
AND THERE WERE ADULTS WHO STOOD UP TO GIVE ACCOLADES TO MRS. AGNEW, WHO WAS THEIR SCHOOL LIBRARY.
THEN THERE WERE FOLLOWED BY TEACHERS WHO WERE EDUCATORS, HER COLLEAGUES IN, IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN WHICH SHE WAS A LIBRARIAN, TO SHARE HOW IMPACTFUL HER INFLUENCE WAS WITH HELPING THEM TO EDUCATE STUDENTS IN TIMES WHERE THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.
HOW CAN WE HELP OUR STUDENTS? THE ACCESS TO THE LIBRARIAN WAS NECESSARY.
I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT WE PROBABLY ALL AGREE EVERYONE ON THIS STAGE, I'M CERTAIN AGREE THAT WE'RE IN TROUBLE, WE'RE IN TROUBLE.
IF WE TAKE AWAY LIBRARY SPACE, WE'RE IN TROUBLE IN 2023 IF WE REMOVE LIBRARIANS.
AND TO KNOW THAT, TO CHANGE THE SPACE FROM AN EDUCATIONAL SPACE, BY WHICH AS, AS PASTOR CLEMENTS HAS SAID, STUDENTS CAN LEARN, THEY CAN EXPLORE, THEY CAN LIVE VICARIOUSLY THROUGH SOMEONE ELSE'S EXPERIENCES.
AND THROUGH THOSE BOOKS, THEY CAN ACCESS PLACES THAT THEY COULD HAVE NEVER, EVER KNOWN OF.
BUT WE REMOVE IT TO NORMALIZE BAD BEHAVIOR, PLACE DETENTION CENTERS IN THAT SPACE, AND NOT EVEN ALLOW THOSE STUDENTS EVEN FURTHER ACCESS.
WHAT WILL WE DO? WE ARE UNITED ON THIS STAGE TO SPEAK MORE THAN JUST WORDS THAT ARE FLOWING FROM A STAGE OR A MICROPHONE INTO A CAMERA.
I THINK WE'RE REUNITED FOR ADVOCACY.
IT'S NECESSARY FOR OUR CHILDREN.
IT'S NECESSARY FOR OUR FUTURE.
IT'S NECESSARY FOR US AS A PEOPLE AND A NATION.
THIS DOESN'T JUST DAMAGE ONE COMMUNITY.
SO LET'S UNITE, LET'S UNITE, JUST AS THE CALL HAS GONE FORTH FROM EVERY ETHNIC BACKGROUND, EVERY FINANCIAL OR ECONOMIC BACKGROUND.
EVERY EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND TO UNITE, TO SEE OUR CHILDREN SUCCEED.
LET'S UNITE TO MAKE A STAND TO SAY, THIS IS NOT RIGHT, AND LET'S CHANGE IT.
JUST A FEW MORE AND WE'LL WRAP IT UP.
PASTOR MILLER, HEAD OF THE HOUSTON BAPTIST MINISTERS ASSOCIATION, AND TO OUR MAYOR AND TO ALL OF OUR POLITICAL LEADERS, LET ME DO THIS.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, ALL OF THE MINISTERS JUST KIND OF RAISE YOUR HAND SO THEY'LL KNOW.
WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT JUST SITTING AROUND, BUT WE ARE STANDING.
LET ME SEE THE HANDS OF THOSE THAT A LIBRARY HELPED YOU STILL.
I THINK WE ARE STILL USING LIBRARIES.
HOW MANY OF US COULD RAISE OUR HANDS AND SAID DISCIPLINARY SINNER HELPED US LEARN EDUCATION.
WHEN THE WORDS OF A WISE BROTHER, IF YOU THINK EDUCATION IS EXPENSIVE, TRY IGNORANCE.
THE FIRST BOOK THAT I LEARNED TO READ FROM COVER TO COVER WAS CHECKED OUT IN THE LIBRARY.
IT MADE SUCH AN IMPACT THAT AT 61 YEARS OLD, I STILL REMEMBER KINTU KINTU WITH KAUMBA SUN THAT HAD BEEN LOST, TALKED ABOUT A RICH HISTORY THAT I BELIEVE THIS SUPERINTENDENT AND GOVERNOR IS TRYING TO ERASE.
IT IS AN INDIRECT MOVEMENT NOW TURNED INTO A DIRECT CAUSE THAT SINCE WE FOUGHT FOR YOU NOT TO REWRITE BOOKS OF TRUTH TO PLACE IN IT WHAT YOU WANT NOW, YOU DECIDE TO TEAR DOWN WHERE READING
[01:05:01]
IS DONE.IT IS INDIRECT MOVEMENT OF AN INTENTIONAL EDUCATIONAL GENOCIDE WITH A LOT OF SKULLDUGGERY IN THE MIX.
WE ARE NOT MARCHING NOW, BUT WE ARE SURELY STANDING BECAUSE IF WE DON'T STAND NOW, I WONDER WHO'S NEXT? I, I HEARD THEM TALK ABOUT CHANGING NAMES.
WELL, THAT'S BIBLE BECAUSE IN THE BOOK OF DANIEL MM-HMM.
WELL, THEY ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE THE DIET.
THEY EVEN CHANGED THEIR LANGUAGE.
BUT THERE'S ONE THING THEY COULD NOT CHANGE.
THEY COULD NOT CHANGE THEIR VOICES THAT TALKED ABOUT A FAITH THAT A GOD THAT KNOWS EVERYTHING.
CAN I GO AHEAD AND SAY THIS TO US? YOU NEED TO CHANGE THE MOVEMENT BECAUSE WE SERVE A GOD THAT SITS HIGHER THAN ANY GOVERNOR.
AND LOOKS LOWER THAN ANY DEVIL.
WE ARE ASKING YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
DON'T CALL OUT THINGS THAT YOU KNOW IS NOT TRUE, BUT WORK WITH US BECAUSE THEY'RE OUR CHILDREN.
AND A TREE THAT IS PLANTED TODAY IS NOT FOR US.
IT'S FOR THOSE THAT BEHIND US.
LIBRARIES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IMPORTANT.
AND THEY DID NOT STOP BEING IMPORTANT WHEN YOU SHOWED UP.
I CLOSE WITH THIS STORY THAT I LOVE TO TELL.
MANY OF US KNOW ABOUT THESE PANTS THAT THEY CALLED KNICKERBOCKERS.
WELL, KNICKERBOCKERS OR PANTS THAT COME TO THE KNEE.
AND THAT WAS A MAN THAT HAD SOME LONG PANTS, THAT THE PANTS WERE TOO LONG.
HE ASKED HIS WIFE TO HEM 'EM UP.
HE ASKED HIS DAUGHTER, WHO HAD JUST TAKEN HOME ECONOMICS TO HEM 'EM UP.
SHE SAID, DAD, I'LL GET TO IT.
THEY HAD A SERVANT THERE AT THE HOUSE, AND THEY ASKED HER TO SEW THE PANTS, HEM 'EM UP A LITTLE BIT.
TWO WEEKS LATER, THE MOTHER FOUND SOME TIME AND SHE HEMMED UP THE PANTS.
A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, THE DAUGHTER DID NOT KNOW THE MOM HAD HEMMED UP THE PANTS.
SHE WENT AND SHE HEMMED UP THE PANTS.
THE SERVANT HAD BEEN ON VACATION WHEN SHE CAME.
THE MOM AND THE DAUGHTER, SHE HEMMED UP THE PANTS.
BUT WHEN HE WENT TO PUT HIS LONG PANTS ON ON SUNDAY MORNING, SHORTS, BOY, HE WAS IN KNICKERBOCKERS AND UTI SHORTS.
ALL WE'RE TRYING TO TELL YOU IS LEAVE US IN OUR LONG PANTS.
DON'T TAKE US BACK TO KNICKERBOCKERS BECAUSE YOU HAVE A FIGHT ON YOUR HAND.
JUST A COUPLE OF MORE AND WE'LL BE DONE.
PASTOR BYMAN STEVENSON, REPRESENTING HOUSTON METROPOLITAN MINISTER ASSOCIATION.
REPRESENTATIVE, PASTOR AND STATE GIVEN THANK YOU, MAYOR.
AND TO ALL OF OUR, UH, NATIONAL, STATE LOCAL LEADERS.
UH, I STAND ON BEHALF OF HOUSTON, UM, METROPOLITAN BAPTIST MINISTER'S CONFERENCE.
THE SECOND IS ONE THAT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE HERE, BUT I WANT TO, UH, SPEAK FOR HIM AND SPEAK FOR THE THOUSANDS OF PASTORS, UM, THAT WE GOVERN THE PASTORS WHO, UM, HAVE PARENTS, HAVE STUDENTS, AND HAVE EDUCATORS WITHIN THEIR CHURCHES.
I DON'T THINK THAT, UM, AS A PASTOR MYSELF AMONGST SOME OTHER CLERGY THAT I HAVE TO EXPLAIN THE SIGNIFICANCE OF A LIBRARY TO.
I THINK WE ALL UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT WE, I WANT TO SAY IN SHORT THAT WE SUPPORT YOU, MAYOR, AND, UH, WE STAND WITH YOU.
AND WE AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID.
UM, WE DO NOT FEEL THAT LIBRARIES SHOULD BE RE REDEFINED AS, UM, AS, AS PLACES OF DISCIPLINARY CENTERS.
WE JUST DON'T, WE DON'T, WE DON'T STAND WITH THAT.
AND WE SPEAK FOR ALL OF OUR, UH, CONSTITUENTS, ALL OF OUR PARENTS, ALL OF OUR STUDENTS WHO CANNOT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
UM, WE THINK THAT THIS IS A, A, A MISREPRESENTATION.
WE THINK REALLY THAT THIS IS AN ACT OF BULLYING.
[01:10:01]
SURE.AND, UH, WE STAND WITH, UM, ALL OF OUR CONSTITUENTS WITH YOU, MAYOR.
AND WE ARE, WE ARE, WE'RE RIGHT THERE WITH YOU.
AND WE'RE NOT GONNA LET YOU BE BULLIED.
WE'RE NOT GONNA LET THE CITY OF HOUSTON BE BULLIED.
AND, UM, WE, WE ARE HERE FOR YOU.
SO WE DON'T, WE DON'T SUPPORT ANY, ANYTHING LIKE THIS.
ANYTHING LIKE TURNING OUR, OUR, OUR LIBRARIES INTO INTERDISCIPLINARY CENTERS.
UH, JUSTIN ROBINSON IS JUSTIN HERE FROM
THANK YOU, UH, TO THIS DISTINGUISHED D OF, UH, VERY POWERFUL PRAYERS.
WE WILL NEED SOME VERY POWERFUL PRAYERS FOR THE CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE FACING HERE TODAY.
I NEVER THOUGHT THAT PEOPLE OF GOODWILL, PEOPLE OF INTELLECT, ELECTED OFFICIALS, OUR CLERGY, THAT THEIR VOICES WOULD NOT BE WELCOMED.
THAT THEIR VOICES WERE NOT WANTING TO BE HEARD BY THOSE WHO MAKE DECISIONS.
THAT WE PUT IN POWER TO HELP CHART OUR FUTURES, THE FUTURES OF OUR COMMUNITIES, THE FUTURES OF OUR CHILDREN.
IT'S DISINGENUOUS AS LEADERS TO NOT BE WILLING TO HAVE DIFFICULT DISCUSSIONS.
THIS WEEK, THE NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE WAS IN TOWN TO HAVE DIFFICULT DISCUSSIONS.
CONGRESS MEMBERS, WE TALKED ABOUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.
INCLUSION OF THOUGHT, INCLUSION OF IDEAS.
WAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE BEST PRACTICES COME TOGETHER FOR A STRONGER ECONOMY, FOR A STRONGER COMMUNITY, FOR A STRONGER CITY, FOR A STRONGER UNION, FOR ALL PEOPLE.
I WANT TO BE IN A STATE WHERE ALL PEOPLE'S VOICES ARE HEARD AND RESPECTED.
AND I THINK THIS MAYOR, THESE CONGRESSPEOPLE, THESE CLERGY HAVE TAKEN THIS LAST HOUR AND A HALF TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HEARD, THAT WE WOULD DEMAND TO BE HEARD.
MARK MORRELL SAID EMPHATICALLY.
THAT KIND OF BROKE MY HEART BECAUSE AS THE MAYOR MENTIONED, PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY ARE WATCHING HOUSTON.
FOR MARK MORRELL TO COME TO HOUSTON AND SAY, GOVERNOR ABBOTT, GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF HISD.
ALL THE WAY FROM NEW YORK CITY.
GOVERNOR ABBOTT, LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE.
AND THE FINAL SPEAKER BEFORE WE TAKE QUESTIONS.
I CERTAINLY CONSIDER IT AN HONOR TO STAND HERE WITH OTHER ELECTED OFFICIALS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND THESE FAITH LEADERS.
IN PARTICULAR THE FAITH LEADERS.
BECAUSE IF THERE'S ANY TIME THAT WE NEED TO EVOKE THE SPIRIT OF GOD, IT IS NOW ON A, A WEEK, ABOUT A WEEK AGO, I WAS IN A COMMUNITY MEETING WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT, MIKE MILES, HIS FIRST COMMENT REGARDED THE DISPARITY OF READING.
MY QUESTION TO HIM WAS, WHAT IS THE DISPARITY OF RESOURCES? YES.
I AM THE FORMER EDUCATION CHAIR OF THE NAACP AND I SERVE WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CISNEROS AS CO-CHAIR.
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I AM A FORMER READING TEACHER.
I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT THE LIBRARY IS.
AND I CAN REMEMBER EVEN NOW THE EXCITEMENT OF THE CHILDREN WHEN THEY GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO.
I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THE PLIGHT OF TEACHERS.
LET'S JUST BE VERY CLEAR HERE.
SOME TEACHERS ARE RETIRING AND RESIGNING BECAUSE OF DISCIPLINE.
BUT I DO KNOW THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT COULD BE A LOT MORE CREATIVE AND NOT TAKE AWAY A RESOURCE FOR OUR CHILDREN.
AND OUR LIBRARIANS COULD CERTAINLY, HE COULD GET A TEMPORARY BUILDING.
I CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE FOR THE STUDENTS TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WHILE THEY ARE OUT OF THE CLASSROOM.
BUT I HAD TO REALLY THINK ABOUT IT.
AND I GUESS IT'S KIND OF FITTING THAT I'M GETTING READY TO SAY THIS.
A LIBRARIAN WITHOUT A LIBRARIAN IS LIKE A PULPIT WITHOUT A PREACHER WHO IS GOING TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN.
[01:15:01]
AND I'M GOING TO SAY IN CLOSING TO THE GOVERNOR AND WHOEVER AND WHATEVER FORCES THAT ARE COMING TO CREATE THIS, WE ARE GONNA PUSH BACK ON YOU.LIKE YOU PUSH BACK ON THOSE CHILDREN AT THE RIO GRANDE AND LET YOU KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO SLEEP FOR THIS.
AND CERTAINLY THE PEOPLE OF HOUSTON, EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOUR CHILD IS EDUCATED, SHOULD APPRECIATE AN EDUCATED CHILD.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IMPACTS OUR CRIME.
AND SO CERTAINLY I STAND WITH YOU, MAYOR, OUR EDUCATION MAYOR, AND ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS HERE, TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE WILL NOT SLEEP THIS.
WE ARE WOKE AND WE WILL DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO GET YOU TO CHANGE THAT DECISION.
EITHER THE DECISION TO CHANGE THAT OR THE DECISION TO CHANGE THE SUPERINTENDENT.
BECAUSE WE MAY GET ATTACHED TO TEACHERS AND WE MAY GET ATTACHED TO PRINCIPALS, BUT WE DON'T GET ATTACHED TO SUPERINTENDENTS.
AND SO CERTAINLY I THANK YOU FOR THIS.
AND WE ARE GONNA EVOKE THE SPIRIT OF GOD BECAUSE THIS IS DEMONIC AND WE ARE GONNA PUSH BACK.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH, MAYOR.
YOU'VE BEEN VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY PATIENT.
UH, BUT THIS IS A, AN ISSUE THAT GOES DIRECTLY AT OUR CHILDREN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'LL TAKE THOSE NOW AND AGAIN.
I I DO KNOW, UH, UH, THE NAACP IS ALSO REPRESENT, PASTOR RY IS ALSO HERE.
SO, BUT WE'LL TAKE, IF YOU'RE WITH THE MEDIA AND YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, WE HAVE TWO MICROPHONES ON THIS TOPIC ONLY.
PLEASE, WHY DON'T YOU TAKE THAT, IF YOU TAKE THAT BACK AND GIVE IT TO PASTOR, THIS OLD MAN SAYS YOU, YOU STAY DOWN THERE, PASTOR.
OUR MAYOR HAS BEEN CHALLENGED.
SO WE GHETTO FOLK THAT'S IN HERE, THAT'S BEHIND HIM RESPONDING TO THAT GHETTO TALK.
STAND UP AND LET YOU OUT HERE.
THAT'S WITH A STAND UP TO STAND UP ANSWERING, COLLECT YOU ANSWER FROM THE FOURFOLD.
LET HIM KNOW THAT WE ARE HERE BEHIND YOU.
WE'LL TAKE, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'LL TAKE THEM.
LET ME THANK ALL OF YOU FOR, FOR BEING, FOR BEING PRESENT AND, UH, FOR LENDING YOUR VOICES, UH, TO TODAY.