The battle lines have been drawn at Houston ISD where two union leaders could face the possibility of unemployment amidst swirling discussions on free speech rights and professionalism. Michelle Williams, president of the Houston Education Association and a teacher at Shadowbriar Elementary School, is challenging the district's decision to terminate her contract over social media activity conducted during work hours. Williams defends her actions, claiming her much-disputed livestream was recorded on a set in her home, and that posts during the day are the result of scheduling software, not direct, in-workday engagement.
Representing the small yet vocal HEA, Williams is embroiled in what seems to be a broader confrontation between HISD employees and district leadership. Superintendent Mike Miles is under public scrutiny as his management style faces criticism from those like Williams, who has often been openly critical, notably on her social media platforms. Houston ISD, spearheaded by Miles, insists the move to terminate is not retaliatory but rather a response to failing instructional practices. According to the Houston Chronicle, HISD attorney Ellen Spalding stated, "Nobody is retaliating against her for being outspoken or having opinions ... What happened is that her instructional practices did not achieve student growth or student achievement." Meanwhile, Williams maintains her stance, as told to the Houston Chronicle, "This didn't have anything to do with my performance, it was about my social media and accusations of me livestreaming."
A similar case is unfolding for Larry McKinzie, an eighth-grade science teacher at HISD, who has himself been pegged for termination following comments at a board meeting that were interpreted as threatening. Defending his expression of concerns over district management, McKinzie insists his remarks were misconstrued. "They said I threatened them, and I didn't. All I did was go online and present some of the information I found," McKinzie told KTRK, as mentioned by Hoodline. HISD has yet to yield, indicating his case will likely see an appeal heard by a TEA officer later this year.
The Houston Federation of Teachers, in support of McKinzie, also voices skepticism toward the administrative claims. Jackie Anderson, a representative for the union, remarked in an interview with KTRK, "I didn't hear a threat. I don't think anyone in the room heard a threat. So, she actually accused him of threatening someone, and he had not done that," emphasizing the perceived gap between HISD's assertions and the event in question, according to Hoodline.
