Abbott initiates takeover of HISD as state interference ‘death star’ looms above Houston and Harris County
There’s a coup underway in Texas right now — an attack on our rights, our ability to elect the people who represent us, and our ability to decide what kind of community we want to live in.
This morning, Greg Abbott’s handpicked Education Commissioner announced that the state would be vacating the elected HISD school board and taking over the district, despite years of success and improvements.
And this afternoon in Austin, a House committee is discussing the “Death Star” state interference bill. If passed, HB 2127 threatens common-sense pro-worker policies like rest and water breaks, predatory lending protections, eviction diversion programs, and our very ability to govern ourselves.
“Make no mistake about it, as troubling as this takeover is, it is only one part of a broader state strategy to block the people of Houston and Harris County from being able to exercise their basic right of self-governance,” said Hany Khalil, Executive Director of the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation. “
Over the last few years, state officials have been working overtime to restrict successful programs and politics being implemented in Harris County. State officials have obstructed Harris County’s ability to implement a responsible budget that proposed increases for public safety, implemented legislation eliminating efforts to make voting easy and secure, limited the ability of cities and counties to raise revenue, and were relentless in obstructing local health officials’ work to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Can we count on you to join us and take action to oppose these attacks on our schools, on our community, and on our democracy?
Click here to call the House State Affairs Committee
Click here to send a letter telling Greg Abbott to keep his hands off HISD
