Jesse Dugan is a Houston parent who has been advocating for an autistic child. She has watched state-appointed superintendent Mike Miles call parents who speak at board meetings “extreme” and “disgruntled.”
It is a sad state of affairs when a mother advocating for her autistic child’s education is labeled an extremist by the man who is supposed to be serving that child. Calling me and other parents “extreme” is unproductive and insulting. There is nothing extreme about questioning a public servant who has made sweeping, seemingly arbitrary changes to HISD.
Instead of relying on childish namecalling, Miles should take a look in the mirror. He and his policies are pushing HISD to the brink and causing chaos. He has been gutting our district, firing our teachers, principals and librarians. He has cut wraparound and special education services. And he has imposed untested models and curriculum that are driving students and teachers out of the district. This is the real extremism: the dismantling of public education while accusing those who defend it of being radicals.
Good leaders do not dismiss opposing viewpoints as “extreme.” They listen to the public, answer questions and provide true data in support of their vision. Miles doesn’t do any of this. Instead, he resorts to ad hominem attacks because he cannot defend his policies on their merits. The TEA-appointed HISD Board of Managers does nothing to hold him accountable. The few who even attempted to question his rule were removed last summer.
What, then, are parents left with? Miles insults and demeans our opinions. The Board of Managers doesn’t listen. Our elected board can’t do anything.
All we have left is our voices.