An Interview with Ebony Turner for TX-HD 96

What would be your advice or like your analysis of what you've seen happen at Fort Worth ISD and the state takeover? You know, I think that's been a really big news, but I feel like if we hadn't.

And maybe we do, and you guys know, but the fact that y'all have organized, I'd say 3,500.

3,600.

3,600 Black Mansfield moms organizing.

I'm like, man, Fort Worth ISD could have, you know, maybe.

So what's some of your advice as you look at the impact of state takeovers on public education as well?

Yeah, I feel like we've hit the bottom of the barrel that we're having to have all these state takeovers.

And I think it's unfortunate and it seems to be unfair because it kind of seems like some ISDs got to maybe only have schools taken over.

And then Fort Worth and Houston had to have their whole districts taken over.

So, one, I think there needs to be some consistency about when that happens.

and how that happens.

I don't like it.

I feel like if we had fully funded public education like we should have, then there'd be no need for state takeovers.

You created a problem I guess a solution that didn't have a problem.

And now it is a problem.

And I also don't believe when you have a state takeover, how is it that you're bringing in a superintendent who's not certified

and

you're bringing in all these uncertified teachers.

So on the one hand, you're saying the school didn't meet all this criteria, but then you're not even bringing in professionals to, who have criteria that should have been met already prior to employing them

to

assist with the takeover, that doesn't make sense to me.

So I think at a minimum, if you're going to do that, you need to have certified individuals taking over.

And then you need to have some measurable outcome initiatives.

So in one year, what does this takeover look like? Have we improved our school district's ratings? You know, Are there certified teachers? Is there a certified superintendent? I just think that you can't take over a school district without having some plans in place.

And so far in Houston ISD, my understanding is that it's cost more money with the takeover.