On Thursday, hundreds of students and parents protested the hostile state takeover of Houston ISD.

Watch a one minute video of protests at schools all over HISD here or @houstoncvpe FB, instagram or twitter.

High school students held short, organized walkouts during the day ranging in size from 50-400 students at about a dozen schools. At nearly twenty elementary schools, “parents gathered with doughnuts and protest signs before sending their children into school,” reported the Texas Tribune.

Educate your friends and colleagues about the hostile takeover. Here is the one pager (in multiple languages) and a link to the TEA lies and our myth-busting facts to assist you in your conversations,

“I am protesting the hostile takeover of Houston ISD to empower other parents to fight for their rights and for the rights of our children,” parent Kourtney Revels said. “Education is a right, not a privilege, and taxpayers like me would like to see more equity, school funding tied to enrollment and inflation, and the end to using STAAR to shame our communities, instead of hijacking the largest ISD by the state for political reasons.”

Houston Public Media News also talked to parents and students. “Ron Seamers has a grandchild at Wharton and says the takeover represents everything that traditional conservatives should be opposed to. "It's big government stepping in and taking away rights from individual communities," he said. "It's basically taxation without representation."

“At Worthing High School on the south side of the city, students walked out of the school at 10 a.m, waving signs to passing cars. Worthing Freshman Micah Gabay fears that state takeover will push students into charter and private schools, leaving students who cannot afford those options without needed resources.”

Across town, at Northside High school, teenagers sporting jeans, hoodies and backpacks held handmade posters with various slogans: “My school matters,” “I am NOT just a number,” and “Estudiantes unidos! Jamas seran vencidos!”  Student Elizabeth Rodriguez said, “It feels like a lot of people don’t care, but for future generations, we will be who are most affected by this.” 

"Later in the day, as gray skies started dumping rain, roughly (150) students at Carnegie Vanguard High School walked out and took a lap around the block during their lunch break. They held wet paper signs while chanting: “T-E-A, go away!” and “Hey-hey-ho-ho, TEA has got to go!” 

Thursday was also the day that the Board of Managers applications were due. TEA is keeping the application link open, probably so Texas Education Agency Commissioner Morath can appoint whomever he wants whenever he wants. 

“TEA has received 374 applications for the HISD board of managers. But many outspoken public education advocates & parents did not apply, saying the process is undemocratic and illegitimate.

"Everything...has been done in the dark" -@AudreyNathMDPhD”

“Ruth Kravetz believes that “It’s no coincidence that Abbott is selling vouchers with one hand and taking over HISD with the other,” she said. “And the goal is to stop schools from educating children who might grow up to vote against the existing power structure.” 

Will you ask your friends, family and colleagues to sign the petition opposing state takeover to support these parents, teachers and students?  Click here at houstoncvpe.org.