Over 100 teachers in the Houston Independent School District called in sick earlier today in what's being seen as a protest against the district’s state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles. The coordinated action involved educators from at least 35 schools aiming to draw attention to what they describe as "hostile learning and teaching environments" under Miles' tenure, as reported by the Houston Chronicle.
The teachers claim Miles' administration has silenced concerns by intimidating those who speak out, and the recent mass "sickout" appears to echo this sentiment, as they quietly push back against a backdrop of increased teacher resignations and strict enforcement of leave policies, the HISD superintendent has been criticized for his measures which, include a crackdown on attendance and rigid instruction expectations, they say contribute to the stress and the deteriorating conditions they must navigate daily. Melissa Yarborough, a former HISD teacher who resigned in January, told the Houston Chronicle, "HISD Mike Miles’ administration has intimidated teachers to stay silent about what's really happening in schools."
According to demands released by the protesting teachers, their primary goals include the firing of Mike Miles, reinstatement of the elected Board of Trustees, assurance of support staff such as counselors and nurses on every campus, respect for teachers' certifications and input, cessation of harmful interventions in minority-majority schools, and the adoption of peer-reviewed, research-based best practices for teaching and curricular decisions. HISD has yet to publicly respond to the teachers' action or indicate if there will be any repercussions for those involved.
Despite this upheaval, the Houston Federation of Teachers advised against such actions; Chris Tritico, attorney for the Houston Federation of Teachers, insisted that, due to legal prohibitions against public sector strikes in Texas, the union does not support or organize walkouts and he urged educators to show up for work lest their sick leave be contested, he said in an interview with Houston Public Media, "The problem with being legitimately sick now on Thursday is being able to prove that you really were, since somebody — some idiot — has started this thing."
The district already began tightening its leave policy last fall, notifying employees they could take no more than 15 days of state or local leave in a school year, which has added another layer of tension between the administration and its teachers. This "sickout" protest marks a notable flashpoint in the ongoing discord within HISD, heralding a potentially lengthy struggle over educational governance and classroom autonomy in one of the nation's largest school districts.
