A city council meeting left some members stunned at what they heard from the teachers’ union and parents just days after school started.
A week after a Marshall Middle School student died , Houston city council members held a hearing on HISD. During the meeting, the student’s death took center stage.
“This was something that never should have happened,” Houston Federation of Teachers chief of staff Corina Ortiz said.
A week ago, HISD said the student suffered a medical emergency. On Thursday, Houston Federation of Teachers leaders told the council the nurse tried to use an AED, but it wouldn’t work.
The district won’t say if the AED worked at Marshall Middle School. However, a recent report from HISD showed that 170 machines across the district aren’t working , mainly due to batteries.
“If that life safety equipment is not being checked, is out of service, that’s unacceptable, and children’s safety always comes first,” Houston City Councilmember Abbie Kamin said.
That wasn’t the only issue discussed during Thursday’s labor committee hearing. For nearly an hour, the teachers’ union presented their concerns using a PowerPoint that showed students using cones as hall passes, webcams in classrooms making teachers feel like they’re constantly monitored, and statistics of new teacher hires.