HOUSTON — Houston ISD's newly appointed board of managers unanimously voted to approve a temporary contract for newly appointed Superintendent Mike Miles during Thursday night's board meeting.
Community members made their presence felt throughout the meeting, often trying to shout board members down as they voted on various items.
The board unanimously voted Audrey Momanaee as board president as community members loudly shouted, "You're not qualified."
The board also voted unanimously to elect Ric Campo as vice president and Angela Lemond Flowers as secretary. The crowd shouted, "No justice, no peace," and "TEA go away," as the votes happened.
Miles' hiring was unanimously approved while the community continued to try and shout down the board members.
He will receive a daily payment of $1,473 and a relocation reimbursement of $25,000. The board is set to take up a more permanent contract on June 22.
During public comments, several audience members spoke out against approving Miles as superintendent.
"None of us voted for none of you guys. We did not vote for Mike Miles," one speaker said. "We came here to speak to Mike Miles. He's still not here. (TEA Commissioner) Mike Morath is still not here. We oppose this election, we oppose this takeover, we oppose the president (of the board)."
"(Miles) has already proven to be a failure," another speaker said. "He already failed in Dallas."
A few people traveled from Dallas, where Miles formerly served as superintendent, to speak against his approval.
"Almost 10,000 teachers left (Dallas ISD). You can't replace that institutional memory and that's by design," one speaker said. "They want to bring in a bunch of digital facilitators a bunch of teachers who aren't qualified or trained. They just want warm bodies in there to implement all this technology."
A power outage at the meeting briefly prompted the board of managers to go to recess until issues were resolved.
The board was also expected to consider suspending a few organizational rules regarding meeting dates and board officers. Community members also spoke out against that.
"Any actions taken to change HISD policy regarding meetings will be a strike against transparency and will be perceived by the community as deceptive," one speaker said. "I'm asking you that you all vote no to any changes to HISD policy B.d local so that communications with all stakeholders is transparent, consistent and clear."
Others spoke broadly against the appointment of the board of managers.
"You have been carefully curated by Morath to look representative of Houston's diversity. Seven of the nine of you live in affluent neighborhoods west of downtown and do not represent the parents and students where this disruptive change is happening," one speaker said. "There will be no accountability from the dais or the ballot box."