HISD parents protest 'lack of transparency' after Lantrip Elementary School principal put on leave

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- There was a lot of anger outside Lantrip Elementary School on Wednesday morning as parents protested the sudden removal of its principal.

Not only do they want her back, but they also want Houston Independent School District's reasoning for the decision and its plan for the future.

The parents who spoke with ABC13 said they were shocked that Valiza Castro, who was hired in June, was placed on administrative leave.

So, what changed in less than six months?

HISD didn't elaborate on the decision other than saying it was in the best interest of students, teachers, and staff.

Protesting parents said they're fed up with a lack of transparency from the district and Superintendent Mike Miles.

Parents said every day is a school day, but the beginning of Wednesday was different outside of Lantrip Elementary School.

"Hey, hey! Ho, ho! TEA has got to go," parents, students, and families chanted outside the school.

RELATED: Lantrip Elementary School principal latest in ongoing HISD leadership changes

It's becoming a practice at HISD: principals are placed on leave without an explanation. This time, it's happening at Lantrip.

"It was quite shocking. We already had a principal that left after a couple of years," parent Donna Umechuruba said.

"Now we have another principal who has come and poured her heart into this job for four months and is suddenly put on leave," parent Mark Garcia-Prats said.

Our reporting partners, the Houston Chronicle, have tracked more than 150 principal turnovers since Mike Miles took control of the district until June of this year. Just in the last couple of weeks, there's been even more change since then at schools like Harvard, Memorial Elementary, and Pershing Middle. The 156 principal changes took place at 141 of the 274 schools in the district.

"It seems like it's a pattern. Mike Miles has been going to school and disrupting them without any reason or notification," parent Bryan Cope said.

Eyewitness News asked the district to explain the move, but HISD sent the same letter parents received.

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RELATED: Houston ISD puts Harvard Elementary principal on leave for investigation, parents want answers