Our feelings of outrage for Americans are overwhelmed. So much so that closing school libraries to replace them with "detention centers" doesn't phase us. For background, Houston is on of the "bluest" cities in Texas (only Austin and San Antonio rival it). So the Texas legislature has tried hard to screw the city and county. Preventing early voting. Reducing the number of drop boxes to 1 (one) a city of over 3 million people. And so we think "of course this is fucked up, but it is Texas - who is losing the Crazy Town race to Florida."
By the by, the new "CEO of Houston Schools" is a knee-jerk Republican appointed by the state of oversee and change a school board elected by Democrats.
But for those of us, like me, that found the library a sense of joy, surprise, and safety are kind of screwed now in Houston. Here is the full Guardian Story (parts pulled out below).
Houston independent school district announced earlier this summer that librarian and media-specialist positions in 28 schools will be eliminated as part of superintendent Mike Miles’s “new education system” initiative.
Teachers at these schools will soon have the option to send misbehaving students to these discipline centers, or “team centers’” – designated areas where they will continue to learn remotely.
News of the library removals comes after the state announced it would be taking over the district, effective in the 2023-24 school year, due to poor academic performance. Miles was appointed by the the Texas Education Agency in June.
soooooo scay
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