Houston ISD’s board of managers signaled early support Tuesday for limiting the public’s ability to speak freely about any topic during its monthly board meetings.
Board members voted 8-1 to advance a policy proposal that would eliminate a portion of the meetings called “hearing of the community,” when members of the public could address the board about any district-related matter. The policy cannot become official until the board holds a second vote, likely in early 2025.
The vote follows months of friction between HISD’s state-appointed leadership, which took power in June 2023 as part of sanctions against the district, and many members of the public opposed to Superintendent Mike Miles’ overhaul of HISD. Some community members have argued the board hasn’t engaged the community enough, and board members gave themselves a 1 out of 10 rating on community engagement in its annual self-evaluation in November.
HISD Board President Audrey Momanaee said the proposed changes to community involvement at public meetings are meant to make the gatherings more efficient. She argued a board meeting “is not the best way” for meaningful engagement with the public.
“When we’re here to board work, my feeling is, let’s get the work done,” Momanaee said. “And then let’s do the community engagement in a way that’s authentic and is actually having communication with the folks raising concerns.”
But several speakers Tuesday argued that limiting comments during board meetings broke a promise to improve community engagement.
HISD parent Ilya Martinalbo said she noticed some board members made a better effort to connect with the community after voters rejected a $4.4 billion bond proposal in November. She referenced board member Adam Rivon’s Facebook video series and Momanaee’s email to the community after the bond failed.
“Now this, all of a sudden, it seems like we’re going backwards,” Martinalbo said.
The original recommendation also called for removing the option for community members to speak at board meetings via teleconference, with board member Ric Campo citing occasional challenges with technology causing disruptions. However, after speakers roundly criticized the change Tuesday, board members said they would update the proposed changes and keep the teleconference option.
Under Texas’ Open Meetings Act, school boards are required to provide the public an opportunity to speak about items listed on the meeting agenda. However, don’t legally have to give people the opportunity to address the board about any topic.
HISD has hosted “hearing of the community” for many years, allowing residents to address everything from principal changes to safety concerns to issues with getting special education services. While board members typically can’t respond directly to speakers, the public comments can bring issues to the attention of district administrators.
All of the Houston area’s largest school districts — including Cy-Fair, Katy, Fort Bend, Conroe and Aldine ISDs — offer the public an opportunity to speak about non-agenda items during monthly board meetings, though their public comment periods are often quieter and shorter than HISDs.
HISD’s lengthy and often raucous board meetings have frustrated some board members, prompting the proposal. Tuesday’s meeting lasted eight and a half hours, ending at 1:30 a.m., with public comment stretching for roughly two hours and the board going into closed session for about three hours.
The “hearing of the community” portion Tuesday included about a dozen community members questioning why several books with sexual references were found in HISD schools. A few repeated graphic language from books, prompting Momanaee to issue multiple warnings to speakers and order one person removed from the meeting.
Prior to the meeting, the Houston Education Association held a press conference to discuss working conditions in schools and how they impact students. HEA President Michelle Williams addressed the board’s attempt to remove the “hearing of the community” portion from meetings.
“This is blatant retaliation because of the bond not passing and everyone coming together — community members, all stakeholders — to defeat the bond, and that was no easy feat,” Williams said. “And it’s not something that we wanted to do. However, it was something that needed to be done because our rights have been taken away.”
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