'The Mike Miles Show': HISD superintendent pokes fun at recent issues in musical pep rally

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- HISD teachers wrapped up their first week of work, under new superintendent Mike Miles. Some facility members are criticizing him for a musical pep rally that he starred in at a staff event.

The president of the teachers union blasted the performance and called it "The Mike Miles Show."

Miles said anyone who criticized it, isn't feeling the team spirit.

Eyewitness News obtained video from the live stream of the musical at HISD's convocation for teachers and staff on Wednesday.

Miles played a worker at a diner - who then plays himself. Miles makes light of serious concerns people have voiced.

"In this scene, you be Mr. Miles, and we'll be the reporters," one of the student actors said. "The word playground - is likely a thinly-veiled metaphor for libraries."

"Is it true you are getting rid of playgrounds?" the student playing a news reporter asked Miles.

"No, that's not true," Miles said.

"Why don't you like children?" the student said.

"I do like children," Miles said.

"Then, why are you getting rid of the playgrounds?" the student asked while putting an imaginary microphone to Miles.

"I didn't say I'm getting rid of the playgrounds," Miles said.

Union President Jackie Anderson was not entertained.

"I had the misfortune of seeing the performance," Anderson said. "It was all about 'The Miles Show."

The superintendent dismissed any criticism during a virtual press conference with reporters.

Miles said in an interview, "The spirit in the room was all about hope and inspiration. So, let's not report stories by anecdote, like one teacher, a handful of teachers dissing convocation. They didn't get into the spirit. some people always want to bring something that's great."

"I didn't get the idea from the number of calls that I received from the people in the room that it was filled with hope and aspiration," Anderson said.

One student who performed in the show told Eyewitness News that she felt misled about it.

Comfort Azagidi, a rising senior and theatre student at HSPVA, said Miles wasn't a part of rehearsals until the day before, saying this factor changed the context of the so-called jokes.

"I do kind of regret being on that stage with him," Azagidi said. "We weren't told what it was about when we were first asked to be in it, and you know, a lot of the participants are seniors. So, the teachers automatically came to us because we've in everything. And we're like, 'Oh yeah, sure.' A lot of people felt tricked because it's like they were promised service hours for doing this, and this felt like low-key bribery because they couldn't find anyone else to do it."

ABC13 partners at the Houston Chronicle report Fine Arts teachers will be paid less than educators who teach subjects like math and reading at NES schools.

The teacher's union has said Fine Arts teachers have felt like the show was a slap in the face.