Aug 6, 2024 Story by: Editor
Houston Education Association president Michelle Williams has filed a formal complaint against Houston ISD officials, alleging that accusations made against her were not properly investigated and that her removal from her teaching role was carried out “without due process.”
The complaint, filed on August 2 with the Texas Education Agency, followed a two-day virtual hearing in June regarding the district’s proposal to not renew her teaching contract. In July, an independent hearing examiner recommended that Williams be reinstated.
Williams named several district officials in her complaint, including Laura Stout, West Division superintendent; Kylene Vasquez, senior executive director; and Lauren Mailhiot, executive director of feeder. She accused them of violating the Educator Code of Ethics.
The Texas Education Agency assigned a reference number to the complaint on Monday, giving Williams five days to submit supporting documents for review.
The conflict began after Stout issued disciplinary memos on March 6, criticizing a video Williams allegedly posted on X (formerly Twitter) from her classroom at Shadowbriar Elementary School. Stout also mentioned a February post that she claimed indicated a pattern of social media use during school hours. As a result, Williams was reassigned to a bus depot.
During the June hearing, Williams maintained that she filmed content for her YouTube channel from a decorated set in her home and used a scheduling app to post on X during the day. Stout later admitted she was mistaken about the video and only learned about the scheduling app after sending the memo.
In July, an independent hearing examiner found that the district’s proposal to not renew Williams’ contract lacked substantial evidence for the 11 policy violations cited. The examiner noted that some accusations made by the district were based on “incomplete, contradictory, retaliatory evidence” and were unreliable.
The district’s state-appointed Board of Managers will ultimately decide Williams’ employment status, likely on August 15, according to Williams. The district paid $571.50 to the law firm Spalding Nichols Lamp Langlois, which represented the district in the case.
In her August complaint, Williams accused the district officials of making “knowingly false statements” about her live streaming from her classroom and posting on social media during school hours. She also claimed the allegations were not thoroughly investigated, noting that no campus camera footage was reviewed. “Without due process, I was removed from my position as a 3rd-grade math teacher at Shadowbriar Elementary,” Williams wrote.
She further alleged that she was denied the opportunity to present a statement or be represented by a district official who reports to Stout. Williams also claimed that the officials engaged in deceptive practices concerning school policies and her student data. She accused them of coercing her principal into issuing retaliatory memos after her interactions with Superintendent Floyd Mike Miles.
Williams has requested a review of HISD’s policies on educator evaluation, dismissal, and student data management, aiming to ensure that all staff members are treated fairly and ethically.
In response to the complaint, Houston ISD issued a brief statement: “We respect the rights and privacy of our staff and employees, as all employee actions and evaluative information are protected by state and/or federal privacy laws. Because of these laws, we cannot comment on current or former staff members.” Source: Houston Chronicle
