TEA Commissioner Mike Morath not leading 4th final TEA meeting at Kashmere HS
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The fourth and final community meeting regarding the Texas Education Agency's decision to take over Houston ISD was held at Kashmere High School on Friday.
This meeting was expected to reach capacity and be marked with anger like the previous three, where protestors took over with bullhorns.
A TEA spokesperson confirms Commissioner Mike Morath would not be in attendance.
Many have asked to speak with Morath since he will be appointing the new board of managers that will oversee HISD.
Morath was nor present at the previous gatherings to whom he sent delegates in his place to answer questions from parents and activists attending.
SEE ALSO: TEA Commissioner skips out on 1st meeting addressing questions about state's takeover of HISD
HISD Trustee Bridget Wade said HISD trustees would continue working until the takeover goes into effect. Elected trustees will stay on in an advisory capacity but are not eligible to apply for the board of managers.
"I'm not leaving. I still have a little over three years on my term, and if it goes in three years, hopefully, I'll be reseated into my board position," Wade said.
Trustees recently voted to drop a lawsuit against the TEA.
"Let's go ahead and open the door for them to come in," Wade said. "Because they are going to anyway, and let's start working together."
SEE ALSO: HISD teachers weighing options as district looks to hire more before TEA's oversight begins
Morath is accepting applications until April 6 and said he would put a new board of managers into place by this summer.
"I'm not going to convince people that have political views to change their political views," Morath told ABC13 partner, The Houston Chronicle. "But our intervention in Houston is about the leadership team of the Houston Independent School District and making sure that that leadership team is able to focus above - all else - on the needs of students."
Eyewitness News has asked the TEA what comes next regarding community engagement and talking to parents but has yet to be given any answers.
For more on this story, follow Pooja Lodhia on Facebook,Twitter and Instagram.
HISD TAKEOVER-RELATED LINKS:
