AUSTIN, Texas — Some Austin ISD parents and community members are pushing back against Austin Mayor Kirk Watson’s call for families to petition the Texas Education Agency to close their schools, a move he says could help prevent the state from taking over the entire district.
In a message to Austinites Wednesday, Watson urged parents at Burnet Middle School and Webb Middle School to use a provision in Texas law that allows families to seek closure of their campus. Under the Texas Education Code, if parents of a majority of students sign a petition asking to close their campus, the commissioner, with some exceptions, must follow the will of parents.
Watson said the goal is to keep more local control over what happens next for the schools and the district…