Houston ISD superintendent scandal: ‘Students Against Mike Miles’ plan walkout as Texas Education Agency launches investigation

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) —Calls for Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles’ resignation are growing louder amid scathing allegations.

The latest controversy surrounds a Spectrum News report that accuses Miles of funneling money to charter schools out of state. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is pledging to investigate.

TEA Commissioner Mike Morath appointed Miles to his current position.

Miles said he welcomes the investigation and hopes it results in clarity for the HISD community.

“Right now, at this moment, I am so excited that people are waking up in Houston,” Jessica Campos, an HISD parent, said.

Campos added that the alarms are sounding everywhere to warn the community of trouble in the district.

One of her children attends Pugh Elementary and the other DeBakey High School.

“Moms are mad. We are done. We are finally out there screaming and saying, ‘We are done with this. This guy has got to go,'” Campos said.

The calls for Miles to be shown the door came just a year after he walked through it.

A variety of issues have led to the upheaval.

The Spectrum News report alleges Miles sent Texas public school tax dollars out of state to his network of charter schools in Colorado.

Miles forcefully denied the allegations on Wednesday, calling the report irresponsibly inaccurate.

The TEA said it would investigate the claims but also seemed to defend Miles in a lengthy statement.

“The limited information included in the news story does not in of itself constitute evidence of a misappropriation of funds,” Morath wrote.

However, parents and students ABC13 talked to on Wednesday said they are more worried about budget cuts, layoffs, and school restructuring.

“There’s been a complete overhaul of the way teachers are allowed to teach, it is completely ineffective to my mind. They are being forced to use specific strategies that don’t actually help with learning,” Helen Repass, who attends an HISD school in Midtown, said.

Repass is one of dozens of students planning to walk out of their schools on Friday as part of the “Students Against Mike Miles” movement.

“I am proud of our kids because our kids are starting to voice their opinions about what the adults are doing for their future because we are ruining their future,” Campos said.

For updates on this story, follow Alex Bozarjian on Facebook, X and Instagram.