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| CASE Report
Smart Brevity ®
count: 3 mins...794 words
CASE is a collective of Houstonians committed to ensuring every student within Houston Independent School District (HISD) has the opportunity to receive a high-quality education.
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HISD Would Remove Over a Third of Temporary Buildings if Bond Passes
 HISD’s proposed bond includes plans to remove 351 temporary buildings across 32 campuses.
HISD currently has 988 temporary buildings spread across campuses throughout the district. While many over-utilized campuses rely on temporary building space to accommodate students who cannot fit in existing permanent buildings, campuses like Las Americas Newcomer School are housed completely in temporary buildings.
Houston Chronicle’s story is here.
Why it matters:
Students deserve safe, healthy permanent buildings to attend class in. Temporary sheds are not meant to be permanent solutions to undersized school buildings, and HISD’s temporary buildings have been used long past their intended lifespan.
By the numbers:
If HISD’s $4.4 billion school bond passes
in November, Benavidez would receive more than $29.3 million, which would largely go toward a partial renovation of the campus, including the removal of 13 portables containing 24 classrooms. Benavidez is one of 31 HISD campuses where portable classrooms would be removed if the bond passes.
“I don't want the kids to think that this is the experience. This is not a normal school building. They have to have the full experience. We're preparing them for the future, right? It's like we're still living in the past in these buildings. To prepare them, they deserve a building where it is livable for them.” - Rania Khalil, Principal of Benavidez Elementary.
What’s next:
The election has begun and voters are deciding on whether to support the bond. Confirm your voting status and find election details at harrisvotes.com.
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Telling Quotes Reveal Bond Stakeholder’s Priorities
 Several organizations have come out in support of and in opposition to HISD’s proposed bond. Houston Chronicle recently compiled quotes from the most influential organizations on their views on the bond.
Interestingly, those that support the bond all mentioned students
and the unacceptable conditions they are forced to endure as their reasons for supporting the bond.
Conversely, those that oppose the bond did not mention students in their reasoning for why they oppose the bond. Instead, they cited political reasons
for their opposition.
Check out Houston Chronicle’s full story here.
Why it matters:
By their own words, those opposed to the bond are opposed for political reasons and are disregarding the needs of students in order to “stick it” to Mike Miles. This is very illuminating for individuals deciding on how to vote - to oppose is to make a political point against one individual, to support is to invest in Houston’s children.
What they’re saying:
The Chronicle asked each organization why they support or oppose the bond.
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Greater Houston Partnership is supporting because HISD is educating “the future of our community".”
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Children at Risk said, “When I think about this, I think, first and foremost, this is about the future of our children. Are we doing our best when it comes to the future of our children?”
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Good Reason Houston said, “If we as a community want to invest in our children, and if we want to ensure our children get to attend safe, healthy and world class learning facilities, then we need to be consistently willing to invest in those schools.”
Conversely,
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Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus opposes because of "(Miles’) leadership.”
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Texas AFLCIO, a labor union, surprisingly opposes the bond, and all of its union jobs, because “the community does not trust Miles”, without regard to whether children’s lives will improve.
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CVPE opposes because of Miles’ “track record”, even though the bond will be administered by several administrations after Miles is gone, and was initiated by Miles’ predecessors.
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Miles Formally Cleared of Bogus “Funneling” Allegations
 Mike Miles has been vindicated - the TEA has officially concluded that his charter school network did not illegally funnel Texas tax money to his Colorado charter schools, as alleged by the teacher union. Here’s the link to Houston Public Media’s full story: ( Link
)
Why it matters:
Opposers of HISD’s intervention have publicized the bogus report in the hopes that the public loses confidence in Superintendent Miles and the intervention.
Now, the TEA has formally cleared all parties of any wrongdoing, those misleading, inaccurate posts and articles have all been debunked and should be disregarded.
By the numbers:
TEA’s 29-page report outlined investigations at three different public schools. Zero improprieties were uncovered.
What they’re saying:
The TEA report on the investigation concluded, “[T]he investigation uncovered no evidence of any wrongdoing
by Mr. Miles or anyone else associated with Third Future Schools-Texas or (Third Future Schools).”
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