Concerns raised over shortage of teachers for Yates High School

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- More than 30 teachers reportedly left Yates High School recently.

The Houston Federation of Teachers says it's not just Yates, but schools all across HISD that are dealing with the loss of teachers, and less than two weeks before school starts, the district is plugging holes.

Yates High School is a source of pride for the people who call Third Ward home. But reports that teachers are leaving in droves are a source of worry.

"It's very concerning to us who live in this community, whose children have gone to Yates. And we know how much the school means to the community," says Kofi Taharka.

Taharka is with the National Black United Front. He tells us about 30 to 40 teachers have left the school in recent months. Houston ISD spokesperson Sheleah Reed says the school has an older faculty and many teachers who leave are retiring.

"We're a big district. And we're always trying to fill a need... and trying to make sure we have the right teachers in place," Reed says.

Joanna Pasternak with the Houston Federation of Teachers says Yates isn't the only school losing teachers. She says schools district-wide lost 25 to 40 teachers since last school year -- something she says should concern parents.

"You have substitutes filling holes. But you also have no stability," she says. "And having a teacher who's been in the school, knows the community, knows the parents -- that does a whole lot for the education of a child."

Reed says this kind of turnover is nothing new.

"We always need to fill about 1,700 vacancies every year," she explained.

Yates currently has two vacancies.

Reed provided the following statement to Eyewitness News: