Thousands of students stayed home on Wednesday to protest the state takeover of Houston's public school district and its superintendent Mike Miles.
An estimated 3,000 students across the district skipped school on Wednesday, the Houston Chronicle reported, after local advocacy group Community Voices for Public Education (CVPE) organized a "sick-out" over reforms initiated by Miles since the Texas Education Agency took over the Houston Independent School District in 2023.
Alexandra Elizondo, a spokesperson for the district, issued a statement ahead of the protest, saying it was "entirely irresponsible" for the group to encourage students to skip school.
Newsweek has contacted the Houston ISD and CVPE for further comment via email.
Why It Matters
The takeover of the nearly 200,000-student district, the eighth largest in the country, saw the replacement of the elected school board with a state-appointed board of managers and a new superintendent.
Parents and students have grown frustrated by the reforms under Miles, including a greater focus on standardized testing and hiring of uncertified teachers, arguing they have been detrimental to students' education.
The district has emphasized improvements, including boosts in standardized test scores, as evidence that the model works.
What To Know
On Wednesday, a crowd of parents and students gathered outside Wharton Dual Language Academy to protest the takeover, according to local news reports.
They chanted "fire Mike Miles" and students carried signs branding Miles a "culture destroyer" and others that bore phrases including "children are more than test scores," "teach how to think, not what," and "education, not oppression."
On a form inviting parents to take part in the protests, CVPE said parents were choosing to keep their children home from school to "protest the harmful impact of the state takeover on students, teachers and the community."
It called for the return of an elected school board and said there needed to be "real, authentic learning and full books, not more endless test prep paced without regard for student needs."
What People Are Saying
Kelly Blikre, a parent and member of Community Voices for Public Education, said during a Monday news conference: "This protest is in response to the state's takeover of Houston ISD, the continued harm done to our students and schools under Mike Miles and the erosion of community trust under his leadership. Our schools deserve leadership that listens to and reflects the needs of our community, not one that sidelines the voices of those who matter most, our children, their family and our dedicated educators."
Jessica Campos, a parent who joined Wednesday's protest, told KHOU11 that it was "a way for us to send a powerful message to the district that we are tired and we need to be heard." She added: "We want an elected board back. We want a voice in this because these are our children they are harming."
Alexandra Elizondo, the district spokesperson, said in the statement: "The old HISD may have worked wonderfully for a few students, but it didn't work for most students. The systemic transformation underway at HISD is the best shot to ensure that all of Houston's students have a fair shot at the education and life they deserve. Unfortunately, a small group of adults continue to put their interests ahead of students."
What's Next
Parents who protested on Wednesday have said they plan to continue speaking out in a bid to enact change in the district.
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