Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles says he regrets closing schools during freeze
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- School districts returned to class Wednesday after closures due to the arctic blast, which caused icy conditions on the road and prompted warnings to stay home from city leaders. But not everyone agrees with the decision.
During an HISD District Advisory Committee meeting on Tuesday night, Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles said he regretted closing schools Tuesday and vowed that he would not make the same mistake again.
Miles compared teachers to first responders and said he considers them to be essential workers.
A teacher, Daniel Santos, was present at the meeting and confirmed the comments to ABC13. He is a member of the Houston Federation of Teachers and said he disagrees with Miles' comments -- reiterating the safety of students and staff should come first.
Meanwhile, Miles said he decided to close the district at the advice of Mayor John Whitmire, who praised the decision in a press conference earlier in the day on Tuesday.
Bus loads of children would have been on the roads in slick conditions, as Houston police responded to hundreds of crashes Monday and Tuesday.
"I want to thank Houstonians for listening to us, being cautious, being proactive," Whitmire said. "The schools being closed was a smart decision."
Miles' remarks didn't sit well with one teacher from Cook Elementary School, who asked not to be identified. She said she returned to work Wednesday, only to find that there was no usable water and a directive to use the porta potties outside.
"I was very upset that he would even say that and then say he wouldn't make the same mistake again. So you're going to send us to go teach and send kids to school in these kinds of conditions? Risk lives? The roadways were not safe. The school buildings are not safe," she said. "We shouldn't be here today. It's really sad."
RELATED: 'Beyond frustrating': Multiple HISD elementary, middle schools having heater issues, district says
Parents reported at least a dozen HISD schools to ABC13 that were impacted by heating and water pipe issues Wednesday morning. The district ultimately announced an early release at three campuses.
Rosalba Vergara decided to pick up her son early from Cook Elementary School after learning about the problems.
"I wish I had found out earlier because I wouldn't have brought my son to school today. I don't want him to be outside in this weather, having to use porta-potties. Where would he wash his hands?" Rosalba Vergara, a parent at Cook Elementary School, said.
In a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Miles double-downed on his comments. He called schools an essential service and said he wanted to promote a culture of essentialism. He also mentioned parents who had to work at businesses that stayed open.
"It is my belief that in this county, we in our profession have closed too often. I'm not saying we should never close schools. I'm saying we should be slow to do that," Miles said. "I'm sure many of us do know about poverty. There were kids yesterday who did not eat a hot meal. There were kids yesterday who were left alone by themselves at home. There were kids babysitting siblings when they were young."
Miles said that each extreme weather day is different, noting that he didn't feel like Tuesday's conditions warranted the closure of all 274 campuses.
What the district will consider in the future is designating optional school days, where students can be excused if parents choose to keep them at home. However, teachers will still be expected to work.
The Houston Federation of Teachers is expected to speak out on the superintendent's comments at a board of managers meeting on Thursday.
The mayor's office has not responded to ABC13's request for comment on Miles' statement.
