On Thursday, April 4th, 2024, more than 100 teachers from at least 35 Houston ISD campuses scheduled doctors’ appointments and called in sick, despite being under threat of being punished for using their allotted sick leave, reported the Leader.

“We are all so sick and tired of Mike Miles,”  said an HISD teacher who asked to remain anonymous. 

“The superintendent has created a toxic environment for students, teachers and parents.”  says HISD NES school parent and  former English teacher Melissa Yarborough who resigned in January.

HISD Teachers in 35 Schools Call in Sick Today to Protest District's Policies: An excerpt of the Houston Press story is below.

“HISD teacher Nico Abazajian was walked off the Sharpstown High School campus for playing chess with his students and playing music after the kids had finished their final exam. He, however, believes the real reason was ‘for refusing to leave my door open, for telling the principal that he's wrong for not letting (students) go to the bathroom.’ Since then the teacher of U.S. history and world geography has been in limbo, a teacher who is not teaching.”

"Abazajian stated that teachers are doing this [sickout] because they are sick of being treated so poorly. Their needs are not being met. Their rights are being infringed. Teachers are so tired of being treated like we are the problem."

“The school district does not have the legal right to require a doctor's note from employees until the third day someone is out sick, former HISD teacher Carly Padget says, adding that she expects some principals may apply pressure to find out exactly why anyone was out Thursday. 

Houston Public Media reported on the sickout here. "In a press release Thursday afternoon, HFT president Jackie Anderson conveyed a more understanding tone (than Tritico). Anderson said she believed "these teachers had our students in mind when they launched this protest of Superintendent Mike Miles' reprehensible policies of punishing educators who use allotted sick leave and terminating dedicated administrators and employees who express dissent." 

Read more here.