Dutton's 2015 Law: Worthing, Wheatley, and Kashmere

Don't just take my word for it, Superintendent Carranza said it plain a few months ago.  Though some call this "misinformation," check out Carranza's video and former Board President Wanda Adams' email response from the Texas Education Agency.

Here's Trustee Adams' email:

In the following blog, I'll lay out the timeline with receipts to explain how historic schools like Worthing, Wheatley, and Kashmere are now at risk due to a 2015 law (House Bill 1842) also known as the HISD School Closure Bill.  CLICK HERE TO READ THE BILL 

Now, chances are your Rep voted for this bill, too.  The only people who didn't vote for this bill were:

Anchia; Coleman; Collier; Farias; Gonza´lez; Gutierrez; Herrero; Martinez Fischer; Moody; Naishtat; Neva´rez; Phelan; Riddle; Rodriguez, E.; Rodriguez, J.; Romero; Turner, C.; Walle; Dukes; Miles. 

CLICK HERE FOR THE ACTUAL VOTE

The bill basically set a new rule:  if low performing schools remain that way for five years in a row, the Texas Education Commissioner MUST close the school, or, take over the entire school district through a board of managers that they'd appoint.

Now for what it's worth, I do believe HISD has long neglected our Black and Brown schools like Worthing, Yates, Wheatley, and Kashmere, however, I think this bill makes matters even worse.  Especially considering Dutton, the bills "architect" has been in office since 1984, and on the same House Public Education Committee that has cut resources over and over and over and over.  So it's a bit ironic and absurd for him to write such a bill.

Now some might look at a partnership or charter and see the good in it, but it's not good at all.  It's bad.

How is this bad?  You and I would have no local control over the decisions being made.  Imagine a board of managers who didn't understand the legacy of schools like Yates or Worthing.  Imagine no longer being able to vote for your school board member, instead giving total control to someone who might not even live in Houston.

In 2015, Dutton spearheaded a bill aimed at school accountability, but armed with risky penalties like school closure, chartering, or partnership.  In each of these instances, the district basically hands over the keys to the car, allowing a third-party entity to drive it.  They could decide that Worthing doesn't need a varsity football team, and should instead devote more resources to academics.  A third party could decide to eliminate the marching band at Wheatley, get my drift?

Dutton, whose district includes Wheatley and Kashmere, are now under the gun because of a bill he co-authored!  Don't just take my word for it, take a look here at the Texas Legislature Online page which lists Dutton as a Joint Author. Don't just believe me,  CLICK HERE FOR THE TLO PAGE TO SEE FOR YOURSELF.

Here's a quote from the Republican Chair of the Public Education Committee talking about the bill in THIS HOUSTON CHRONICLE ARTICLE:

"House Bill 1842, which would force districts to improve failing schools or face tough consequences, passed the House the day before with little of the discussion Aycock's other legislation generated. Aycock called the bill "one of the most far-reaching bills of the session," and said while he carried it, Dutton was the architect."

The architect. 

This State Rep. was credited being the "Architect" of the bill that has our historically Black schools hanging in the balance.

But why?

Well, he received a hefty $5,000 donation from a group called "Texans for Education Reform" right before the beginning of the legislative session.  Check out this quote from the Observer Article on "Texans for Education Reform":

"The group dispatched 19 lobbyists to the Texas Capitol, many of them highly paid, pushing charter school expansion, online learning and state takeover of low-performing schools."

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL TEXAS OBSERVER STORY

Then chairman of public education, State Rep Jimmy Don Aycock, also received $5,000 from the group. As did committee member Joe Deshotel who represents Port Arthur, Beamont, etc, Rep. Farney and pretty much everyone else on the House Public Education Committee from the same organizations that likely pushed the bill in the first place.

Here's a link to his Campaign Finance Report where you can find this donation, too.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's look at the way HISD seems to be walking this thing.  There are essentially two groups of schools.  In one group, they propose a partnership with Johns Hopkins University, but when asked about case studies, or examples of where this organization has partnered with schools before, district officials didn't have any of this information last night.

I did speak to Trustees Rhonda Skillern-Jones and Jolanda Jones about what we could expect, and for what it's worth, Jolanda always tells it like it is.  She's 10 for 10 in my book, so I believe her when she says athletics, marching band, and other activities will remain on these campuses.  And though I've known Rhonda less time, she hasn't lied to me yet and seems to be upfront with the position the district is in.  I just wish the district were more upfront and transparent with what we might expect if partnership were to happen.

Let me be clear:  I'm against chartering, partnership, and closure. Period.

But, it would be nice to hear:

1. This is what Johns Hopkins did in X city with the school district there. 
2. This is what a timeline would look like.

However, I  know she's just 1 of 9, and I don't really trust HISD as a whole. 

Remember back in 2013 when we were fighting school closures?  I guess we'll do this every 5 years.  But at this rate, there won't be any of our schools left.

Yeah, here we go again.

Now, here's what you can do:

1. Call Dutton's office and let him know it's not cool to move vulnerable students around like pawns on a chess board.  Here's his number:(713) 692-9192

2. Attend the HISD Board Meeting on 2/8 at 5PM and sign up HERE to speak.  We'll have t-shirts for the first bunch of people that show up.  

3. Call YOUR REP and ask how they voted. 

4.  Keep up with HISD over the next several weeks, they vote on whether or not to approve the proposal on April 12th. 

How Dutton's 2015 Law Could Close Worthing, Wheatley, and Kashmere

Don't just take my word for it, here's HISD Superintendent Carranza said it plain a few months ago.  Many have called this "mis-information," but it's not.  It's still a possibility.

In the following blog, I'll lay out the timeline with receipts to explain how historic schools like Worthing, Wheatley, and Kashmere are now at risk due to a 2015 law (House Bill 1842) also known as the HISD School Closure Bill.  CLICK HERE TO READ THE BILL 

Now, chances are your Rep voted for this bill, too.  The only people who didn't vote for this bill were:

Anchia; Coleman; Collier; Farias; Gonza´lez; Gutierrez; Herrero; Martinez Fischer; Moody; Naishtat; Neva´rez; Phelan; Riddle; Rodriguez, E.; Rodriguez, J.; Romero; Turner, C.; Walle; Dukes; Miles. 

CLICK HERE FOR THE ACTUAL VOTE

The bill basically set a new rule:  if low performing schools remain that way for five years in a row, the Texas Education Commissioner MUST close the school, or, take over the entire school district through a board of managers that they'd appoint.

Now for what it's worth, I do believe HISD has long neglected our Black and Brown schools like Worthing, Yates, Wheatley, and Kashmere, however, I think this bill makes matters even worse.  Especially considering Dutton, the bills "architect" has been in office since 1984, and on the same House Public Education Committee that has cut resources over and over and over and over.  So it's a bit ironic and absurd for him to write such a bill.

Now some might look at a partnership or charter and see the good in it, but it's not good at all.  It's bad.

How is this bad?  You and I would have no local control over the decisions being made.  Imagine a board of managers who didn't understand the legacy of schools like Yates or Worthing.  Imagine no longer being able to vote for your school board member, instead giving total control to someone who might not even live in Houston.

In 2015, Dutton spearheaded a bill aimed at school accountability, but armed with risky penalties like school closure, chartering, or partnership.  In each of these instances, the district basically hands over the keys to the car, allowing a third-party entity to drive it.  They could decide that Worthing doesn't need a varsity football team, and should instead devote more resources to academics.  A third party could decide to eliminate the marching band at Wheatley, get my drift?

Dutton, whose district includes Wheatley and Kashmere, are now under the gun because of a bill he co-authored!  Don't just take my word for it, take a look here at the Texas Legislature Online page which lists Dutton as a Joint Author. Don't just believe me,  CLICK HERE FOR THE TLO PAGE TO SEE FOR YOURSELF.

Here's a quote from the Republican Chair of the Public Education Committee talking about the bill in THIS HOUSTON CHRONICLE ARTICLE:

"House Bill 1842, which would force districts to improve failing schools or face tough consequences, passed the House the day before with little of the discussion Aycock's other legislation generated. Aycock called the bill "one of the most far-reaching bills of the session," and said while he carried it, Dutton was the architect."

The architect. 

This State Rep. was credited being the "Architect" of the bill that has our historically Black schools hanging in the balance.

But why?

Well, he received a hefty $5,000 donation from a group called "Texans for Education Reform" right before the beginning of the legislative session.  Check out this quote from the Observer Article on "Texans for Education Reform":

"The group dispatched 19 lobbyists to the Texas Capitol, many of them highly paid, pushing charter school expansion, online learning and state takeover of low-performing schools."

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL TEXAS OBSERVER STORY

Then chairman of public education, State Rep Jimmy Don Aycock, also received $5,000 from the group. As did committee member Joe Deshotel who represents Port Arthur, Beamont, etc, Rep. Farney and pretty much everyone else on the House Public Education Committee from the same organizations that likely pushed the bill in the first place.

Here's a link to his Campaign Finance Report where you can find this donation, too.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's look at the way HISD seems to be walking this thing.  There are essentially two groups of schools.  In one group, they propose a partnership with Johns Hopkins University, but when asked about case studies, or examples of where this organization has partnered with schools before, district officials didn't have any of this information last night.

I did speak to Trustees Rhonda Skillern-Jones and Jolanda Jones about what we could expect, and for what it's worth, Jolanda always tells it like it is.  She's 10 for 10 in my book, so I believe her when she says athletics, marching band, and other activities will remain on these campuses.  And though I've known Rhonda less time, she hasn't lied to me yet and seems to be upfront with the position the district is in.  I just wish the district were more upfront and transparent with what we might expect if partnership were to happen.

Let me be clear:  I'm against chartering, partnership, and closure. Period.

But, it would be nice to hear:

1. This is what Johns Hopkins did in X city with the school district there. 
2. This is what a timeline would look like.

However, I  know she's just 1 of 9, and I don't really trust HISD as a whole. 

Also, check out this email exchange between Trustee Wanda Adams, then President of the board last year, as she asks about school closures:

Remember back in 2013 when we were fighting school closures?  I guess we'll do this every 5 years.  But at this rate, there won't be any of our schools left.

Yeah, here we go again.

Now, here's what you can do:

1. Call Dutton's office and let him know it's not cool to move vulnerable students around like pawns on a chess board.  Here's his number:(713) 692-9192

2. Attend the HISD Board Meeting on 2/8 at 5PM and sign up HERE to speak.  We'll have t-shirts for the first bunch of people that show up.  

3. Call YOUR REP and ask how they voted. 

4.  Keep up with HISD over the next several weeks, they vote on whether or not to approve the proposal on April 12th. 

5 Things Texas Dems Could Learn from the Astros...

(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Seems like it was just yesterday the Houston Astros won the World Series against the LA Dodgers.  Though it was perfect timing for my hurricane-ravaged hometown to be able to celebrate something so prolific, this win was in the works for a long time.  In fact, Sports Illustrated predicted in 2014 that the Astros would win the Big Show in 2017.  READ ARTICLE HERE

Ben Reiter interviewed the front office staff for the Astros back in 2014, and left with the following assumption after learning of their new strategy to shed weight and build a team, essentially from scratch.

"We settled on 2017 because the Astros’ young nucleus would by then be reaching its prime, because it seemed to more or less hew to the front office’s own timeline—which, they promised, would eventually include a payroll hike—and because three years, in baseball, is actually not the blink of an eye."

The idea for this blog entry came about 6:15am this morning.  Damian LaCroix, a candidate for State Senate, sent me a quick message on Facebook messenger reaching out to to me to talk about his campaign.  It was 6:00am.  I, the early bird I am, was already awake as well.  I told Damian I was free to chat right then.  Long story short, by the end of our conversation, he'd earned my support, and dropped a few nuggets.  One of the big "Aha" moments from the conversation was his mention of how the Astros rebuilt their team to eventually win the World Series.  

I believe if Texas Democrats really want to "Turn Texas Blue," they should look to the Astros for inspiration.  Here's my list of 7 things Texas Dems Could Learn from the Astros:

---

1.  Be Progressive... like foreal

The General Manager of the Astros looked forward to 2017 and built a team from scratch.  Texas Dems will have to create slates that are appetizing to voters.

Though Democrats often claim to be the party of progress, let's look at their electorate in the Texas House and Senate, and how that "Progress" is reflected.  of the 31 members of the Texas Senate, 20 are Republicans, and 11 are Democrats.  of the 20 Republicans, 13 of them (65%) of them are 40-59 years old.  The rest are 60 are older.  

Now let's look at the Democrats.

Of the 11 Democratic Senators, 7 of them are over 60, and with an average of 25 years of "service."  I put service in quotes to be facetious.  I believe some are there to serve their own interests and egos than those they were elected to serve.

Each of the projects HoustonJustice.Org has launched have had a concrete, measurable goal attached to it.  We grade our impact according to things we can actually count.  How many voter registrations behind bars for #ProjectOrange?  How many new leaders having conversations about school closures.  

We must go to a strategy of servant leadership with measurable impact.  If not, we'll continue to have popularity contests each November.

How else could you explain the state of public education in Texas... in constant decline, while some boast 40+ years of "service."  In my opinion, if you've been there during "The Great Decline," you should be able to look in the mirror and bow out gracefully instead of clutching your seat 'til the Lordt calls you home.  Oh, and that "t" is there on purpose.

---

2. Vote for Good Candidates, Not "Viable" Ones

Nothing grinds my gears more than hearing "experts" talk about viability.  Was Obama a viable Presidential Candidate in 2008 according to their standards?  Trump in 2016?  Exactly.  

So many know-it-alls end up throwing support behind who they think will win rather than who they actually want to elect.

Could you imagine what the Astros lineup would look like if people got to vote???  Craig Biggio, Jose Cruz and Jeff Bagwell would still be on the team.  Hell, Nolan Ryan, too LOL.  The experts would point to their viability and seniority.  

Let's talk about seniority for a second while we're at it.  

I'm 31.  

In 10 years or so, my generation will be in our 40's, and entering the halls of government at a greater rate than today.  For this to work out the right way, we need some of those in their 60's to retire/self-select so that those currently in their 40's/50's can get their 10 years in.  10 years from now, some will stay, but others will move on to higher office.

By the way: what good is seniority if their constantly closing schools and using that cheap black asphalt to repair streets in your district?  I doubt it there's malicious intent, but instead, ineffectiveness after being on the same job so long.  40 years is a VERY long time.

---

3. Endorsements Should Mean Something

The Astros chose their team based on their ability, and the long-term vision of the team.  They didn't care about personal relationships or how many memberships a potential recruit could afford.

Yeah, I went there.

Some organizations basically sell their endorsements to the highest bidder.  Here's how it works:

Organization X will have their endorsement meeting at their January 15th meeting.  Dues-paying members will be allowed to participate in the endorsement process.  Before that actual meeting, a group of volunteers from said organization form a screening committee to conduct in-depth interviews with candidates. 

Most of these people are well-intentioned volunteers donating their time for the betterment of their organization and society as a whole.  Others are "gutter" opportunists chasing candidates down the hall to offer their "services" for nominal fees.  Some are desperate enough to say "Hey I can help you get this endorsement and others for $500."

Yeah.  I almost named names, but that's not necessary.

Anyway, right before the endorsement meeting, candidates pay hundreds/thousands of dollars to buy memberships for "new members" whose only mission is to attend that meeting and get them the esteemed endorsement. 

But here's the kicker:  these endorsements sometimes aren't worth the cheap campaign lit they're printed on.

If an organization's only ACTIVISM and most popular meetings are the endorsement meeting, how far is their reach?  How devoted are their "members?"  Yeah, I said it.

The Astros wanted to WIN more than they wanted to be popular.  

When establishment groups actually consider non-incumbents, we'll get somewhere.

---

4. No More Tokens

Listen, I've been invited to sit on committees, boards, etc. in my 31 years on this planet.  Most of the time, these experiences have been worthwhile and meaningful.  Other times, it became abundantly clear that I was meeting a "quota."  They wanted me to be "The Black," or "The Youth" on their otherwise homogenous boards.  They wanted my handsome face for the board photo on the website and literature, but didn't want my Black voice or young opinions when it came time to make decisions on where resources would be devoted.

Pay attention to groups that want you to show up, but don't want to listen to what you have to say.

You might be a token.

The Astros had no tokens, and neither should the party.

---

5. Accountability?

Say what you want about Republicans, but LOCALLY they hold their elected officials accountable.  If someone votes the "wrong" way, they get a primary opponent.  (note I had t put "wrong" in quotes because it's usually "right" in my book.)

Anyway, there's a grading system.  They don't just send their elected officials to Austin like mom and dad send Junior off to summer camp LOL.  They WATCH them.

Dems don't.

The entire Democratic Caucus voted along with Republicans on a House Bill led by State Rep Harold Dutton that will likely close Black and Brown schools across the state...at least those are the proposals based on his bill.

And guess what?  Nobody is asking him about this.  (CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT DUTTON'S HISD SCHOOL CLOSURE BILL)

Furthermore, if people remain unchallenged, the Democrats will never have a statewide officeholder with statewide name recognition, and will continue to run mayors and state senators for governor instead of statewide seat holders.

Spicy down-ballot races increase turnout that could add more to up-ballot, statewide seats.

The Astros obviously only held on to players that could pull their weight.  Imagine if a player continued to blame the other team (other party) for their constant failures on the field.  Think they'd last?

---

Durrel K. Douglas is co-founder of HoustonJustice.Org, a grassroots, member-led organization addressing racial justice, mass incarceration and justice reform in Houston.

#ProjectOrange Pilot Complete

Yesterday, we held our final Sunday of voter registrations at the Harris County Jail.  To date, dozens of volunteers registered hundreds of new eligible voters!

Here's how it all started: 

A few months ago, a group of us sat down to map out an ambitious plan to bring the opportunity to register to vote to eligible inmates at the Harris County Jail.  The idea initially came about because one of my good friends, Marcus, called me ranting about his recent trip to the Harris county jail for a simple misdemeanor charge, where he was released the very next day.  As he lamented his night in jail, the organizer in me was drawn to the fact that he said there were so many people in one place with nothing to do for hours at a time.  Voter registration!
 

I'd already had a conversation with one of my mentors and good friends, Chris Young, about this idea, but it was now time to put the plan into action.  I assembled a list of potential partners based on their reach and expertise, then began planning our outreach strategy to the Harris County Sheriff's Department.

Tina Kingshill, Daniel Cohen, Charnelle Thompson, Bobbie Cohen, and Terrance Edmond were among the initial group who helped think through logistics and broad-based planning.  

Tina Kingshill is one of my new favorite people!  She became the backbone of volunteer management keeping everyone abreast with what's logistics and moving along with the project.  Without her, this project wouldn't have been as successful as it was! 

Before we knew it, #ProjectOrange was slowly becoming a reality!  Additional governmental entities like the Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector's office, who handles voter registration in the county, were linked in, and we were moving forward!

For Sunday's later, it's been a huge success.  

I'm looking forward to working with our partners in other counties across our state to bring our non-partisan voter registration drive to eligible voters everywhere!

Eventually, we'd like to work with the City of Houston's Re-entry program to provide additional resources like job training, diploma options, and other resources for the temporarily incarcerated and their families.

While we're planning on doing more impactful work around JUSTICE with a capital "J," we hope our pilot serves as a springboard for other organizations doing similar work.

It didn't take a million meetings, or a lot of money, but we've had a HUGE IMPACT!  You can, too!

Let us know how we can help, or be part of the awesome work your organization is doing, too.

Cheers,

Durrel Douglas, President/Founder

From Corporate America to The Movement-

By Tina Kingshill

I discovered Project Orange through my Swing Left group a few months ago when it was first scheduled to kick off before Harvey came to visit Houston. I was immediately intrigued by the thought of reaching so many potential voters who were 'hidden' away and forgotten by conventional methods of voter outreach. Recently certified in Harris County I was eager to register as many voters as I could knowing that Texas has one of the worst records for voter turnout.

Then Harvey hit like a freight train and everything came to a screeching halt. I remember emailing Durrel Douglas to confirm that #ProjectOrange was dead in the water (pun intended) for the time being and got the word out to other DVR's.  Fast forward a few weeks down the road and I got an email from another DVR asking if Project Orange was back on which prompted me to contact Durrel and we were off to the races. My timing was perfect--they were just ramping back up. (See how God works?)

I'd never been inside a jail before so my only reference was watching reality TV shows like 'Lock Up' that showed the stark reality of life behind bars. Hearing them tell their stories confirmed the feeling I always had--that there but for the grace of God, or my good fortune being raised in a stable home with my physical and emotional needs met, and the color of my skin (or lack thereof) go I. I'm not excusing the fact that these people made bad decisions and did some bad things, but I'm also not judging them from my lofty place of privilege. We are all just a few paychecks, physical addictions or psychological traumas away from possibly finding ourselves in those orange jumpsuits with our freedom and dignity taken from us.

There is a great need for criminal justice reform in our country and Houston's bail system (more like debtor's prison) is a good place to start. But that's for another blog. It gives me great satisfaction to assist my fellow citizens in exercising their constitutional right to cast a vote and have their voice heard.

Emerging from the corporate womb and finding my passion in criminal justice reform, Project Orange is the perfect place for me to start my journey.

Tina Kingshill is the Statewide #ProjectOrange coordinator for HoustonJustice.Org, a grass-roots, member-led organization addressing justice reform at the local and statewide level through mobilization, advocacy, and education.

HOW MY FIRST TRIP TO JAIL BROUGHT ME HOPE

HOW MY FIRST TRIP TO JAIL BROUGHT ME HOPE

By Sarah Becker
 

On the morning of Sunday, January 14th, I found myself in a discussion with a prisoner about both when he expected to be out the Harris County Jail and the importance of the upcoming primary elections. It was different from the conversations I have in my circles, both extraordinary yet ordinary all at once.

You see, I am a white girl who grew up in the suburbs. I don’t exactly find myself at the County Jail often. By often, I mean never. But I’ve been on a bit of a journey.

I became determined to educate myself on issues of racial justice after watching black men and women be targets of police brutality the last few summers. Two summers was a true turning point for me when Philando Castile was murdered. After the election, the feeling of urgency to educate myself only intensified.

At the beginning of 2017, I became a Safety Pin Box subscriber. Safety Pin Box is a subscription service for white people who want to be allies in the fight for black liberation. Each month I receive a box in the mail with a set of tasks to help educate myself and be a better ally (tip 1-don’t call yourself an ally). Over the course of a few months, I had learned things about the prison system, mass incarceration and prison labor that no class at school had ever taught me.

All of this education from Safety Pin Box had the effect of humanizing the people behind bars. It helped me see where prejudices had been taught, and where I needed to unlearn. It helped me understand the real issues and the reasons why people are in jail. It helped me grow.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago-when I saw information about Project Orange pop up in my Facebook feed, I didn’t think twice and knew instantly I wanted to be involved.

You see, one of the other foundational things Safety Pin Box has taught me is that knowledge is not enough to create a more just world. We must take action. And this was one small thing I could do to take action. So I signed up to go.

I had also recently become a Volunteer Deputy Voter Registrar (VDVR). A VDVR helps people ensure they have completed the voter registration application completely and is responsible for  turning the registration forms into the proper place. It only requires a one hour training. I am proud to say that the first future voter that I assisted using my VDVR capacity was in the jail.

The morning at the jail was great. The staff from Sheriff Ed Gonzalez’s office was more than accommodating, and I believe, was even working overtime to escort us. We had to go through security checks to get in the jail, but there was nothing more intrusive than a security check at an airport. We did go through a brief training by the Sheriff’s office which was helpful.

While all the reading I had done about the prison system was useful, it doesn’t compare to walking into a jail with your own feet and seeing it with your own eyes. Conditions were about as I expected-not terrible, but not great either. At the county jail, prisoners are housed in large rooms with bunk beds. I believe there are about 50 people to a room. The rooms were filled with bunk beds and there are also toilets and showers, but little to no privacy for those. There is no walled bathroom.

We had access to the prisoners through a small slot in the door, and though it was time consuming and you had to be patient, it was also really wonderful to discuss this sacred right to vote.

My world views are always shifted a bit by an experience like this. As I said before, Safety Pin Box helped me understand the effects of mass incarceration and how unjust laws contribute to it. But seeing the faces and meeting the people who are suffering from its effects makes me that much more resolved to keep fighting. We have much work to do to dismantle the systems that uphold mass incarceration, but this was a tiny step forward in splitting open the halls of power to those who have traditionally been kept out of them.

The people at the jail are just that-people. They deserve to have a voice in our political process, and we should be about the job of amplifying their voices.

Come join us next time!

Sarah Becker is a mom of three small children, a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology and public school advocate. You can find more of her work at hisdparents.org.  

BONTON TO RUN AGAINST DUTTON

Just days before the filing deadline, Fifth Ward-native Richard Bonton placed his name on the ballot to challenge 32-year incumbent State Representative Harold Dutton for the Democratic primary in March.  

Serving in the State House since 1985 Dutton has rarely been challenged and carries not only decades of name recognition, but a campaign war chest with $91,677.70 in the bank.  Over the years, he's rarely had to touch it during campaign season.

Bonton says he appreciates Dutton for his previous years of service, but feels a different direction is needed in Austin.

As further details are available, we'll keep you in the loop with this race.

Expect a debate and in-depth interviews with the candidates as this race shapes up.

Steve Mostyn Dead at 46

Updating as more information becomes available.

HOUSTON---Amber Mostyn, the wife of Democratic Donor and Powerhouse Trial Attorney Steve Mostyn, has confirmed his untimely death through a statement released to media outlets this morning. 

"Steve touched countless lives. Many friends and colleagues in Texas and throughout the country have reached out during this painful time. Our family is requesting privacy, and we will not be responding to media inquires. The details of a celebration of Steve's life will be announced at a later date. 

The statement says he passed away "after a sudden onset and battle with a mental health issue."

The Mostyn family is a heavyweight force in local, state, and national Democratic politics easily dropping millions to support progressive candidates each election cycle.  Hillary Clinton's 2016 stop in Houston to raise funds for her Presidential bid was hosted at the home of Amber and Steve Mostyn. 

In 2012 when State Senator Mario Gallegos' untimely death led to an open senate seat, it was Steve Mostyn who financed a 6-figure PAC to elect current State Senator Sylvia Garcia.  According to the Houston Chronicle his law firm and his allied political action committees accounted for well over $200,000 of Garcia’s contributions.  

According to the Chronicle:

"...Garcia reported receiving $2,250 from Mostyn, but “in-kind”contributions from the Texas Organizing Project PAC totaling $80,427.87. In her previous report, Garcia reported a $106, 611.39 “in-kind” donation from the organization.

In addition, Garcia reported receiving $10,000 from the Back to Basics PAC supported by Mostyn.

In December, Mostyn contributed $130,000 to the TOP PAC, and pledged another $132,000 in January.  He and his firm have also made previous donations to Garcia totaling over $17,000."

Mostyn's bio on his firm's web site:

"

A native of Whitehouse – a small town in East Texas – Steve Mostyn graduated in 1996 from South Texas College of Law, and in 1997 began his legal career. He quickly became a partner in a Houston, Texas law firm, but soon decided he could become a stronger advocate for people’s rights by creating a uniquely different Texas law firm.

After more than a decade fighting – and winning – for clients across Texas, Steve decided it was time to expand Mostyn Law’s focus to advocating for average people who have been wronged by corporate negligence and wrongdoing across the country. Today, Steve leads Mostyn Law’s team of experienced attorneys and professional staff as they fight for clients who have been victims of negligence, bad faith, or other wrongdoing by medical device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, and more.

Steve’s vision was to create a Texas law firm willing to fight aggressively to level the playing field against multi-national corporations and insurers who often were getting away unchallenged as they treated their own clients unfairly or in bad faith. Mr. Mostyn has handled tens of thousands of first party insurance claims in the past several years, all of which have settled or tried with most resulting in extra-contractual damages.

Steve and Amber Mostyn live in Houston, Texas, with their two children. They are the proud founders and supporters of The Glenda Jean Mostyn and Joe E. Moreno Educational Foundation. The Mostyn Moreno Foundation supports and operates programs and collaborative efforts across Texas that serve to encourage the abilities of children with special needs."

Wanda Adams Re-Elected to HISD Board

HISD Board President Wanda Adams trounced her opponents with a commanding 68.42% of the vote in a three-way race with political newcomers Dr. Karla Brown and Gerry Monroe.  

First, we must commend Brown and Monroe for doing more than complaining from the sidelines, they threw their names on the ballot as a candidate in a race that they both cared about.  Much respect to both of them.

Now back to the story: Wanda tapped that @$$ on Tuesday evening essentially doing the electric slide past both her opponents to avoid a runoff in what was forming up to be an interesting race.  

THE NAME

From the start, Wanda Adams had the biggest, most-powerful weapon any candidate in an election might want: NAME RECOGNITION.  Adams easily won races in virtually the same geographic area for ten years during her time as Houston City Councilmember for District D, then running for her first term on HISD's board.  Name recognition is very valuable.  Most candidates who die during an election with name recognition end up still winning posthumously like Mario Gallegos and El Franco Lee.  I could go on.  

DANGER?

Fundraising totals and a lack of endorsements seemed to signal a deflated campaign until the very end of the campaign.  Adams' fundraising documents showed a dismal $400 or so in the bank, and virtually nothing coming in.  Add to this establishment endorsers lining up behind Dr. Karla Brown like State Representative Dr. Alma Allen and City Councilmembers Dwight Boykins and Larry Green, and Wanda Adams appeared to be more vulnerable than she was.

Early in the race both her opponents showed themselves to be formidable opponents.  Brown had an impressive grassroots ground game pushing campaign literature that painted her viable.  Monroe's out-of-the-box antics gave the appearance of building momentum.  Adams seemed to be in danger until the last filing date when over $20,000 instantly appeared from a few heavy-pocketed donors.  Roughly eleven of them came to her rescue at the eleventh hour with all donations showing up on the exact same day: the day before the filing deadline.  

Before we knew it, Adams' campaign had finally showed itself to be what we thought it should've been.  Glossy literature filled mailboxes within the district. Endorsements started filling in from heavyweights in the community.  The game had changed.  

The campaign that once appeared to be a donkey was now a show horse.  A clydesdale trotting toward the finish line.

WHAT'S NEXT

Adams will once again be sworn in at the Hattie Mae White Administration Building in January, but next year she won't be President since the board rotates this position.  I think Trustee Davilla is up next.  This actually works in her favor.  Who would want to be President of the board when state takeover becomes a looming reality?

Worthing, Wheatley, and Kashmere High Schools are in the midst of triage in a hail Mary attempt to skirt another "Improvement Required" designation.  If not, a recent state law means the schools will close or the state will take over the entire school district.  

The heat is on and the clock is ticking. 

Adams may have just won a seat that won't exist next year.

RACISM IN THE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT

Can we talk about it?

You ever notice those organizations that come to Black and Brown neighborhoods with clip boards once a year, usually around election time to remind you to vote and to tell you for whom you should vote.  

Well, hundreds of thousands of dollars come in the form of grants and major donations to "civic engagement" organizations to do this work every election season.  This allows them to pay themselves very handsomely. 

Here's how it works:

1. Prior to election season, they find injustices to spotlight in Black and Brown poor communities.  Let's just use a pesky landlord giving tenants a hard time after a flood. 
2. They gain media exposure with buses filled to the brim with volunteers donning their organization's logo emblazoned shirts  at rallies and protests.  They hold press conferences where Black and Brown people speak.  
3. Here's where things get sticky.  Eventually, the mayor or some other elected gets involved because of the ruckus that's been caused.  The top brass at the organization meet with the elected officials on behalf of the Black and Brown people.  
4. Eventually, they win.

But guess who got points with the mayor to be cashed in later?  Guess who parlays that campaign into a front page spread in the local paper?  The executive director of the organization, not those who poured their time and effort into the fight.  The power dynamic is off, and something has to change.  We will never build power if we continue this phenomenon to happen.   

When the checks come rolling in, those at the TOP make off like fat cats.

When it comes to deciding which issues to fight for next, it's those at the TOP who don't come from the neighborhoods or communities they're fighting on behalf of.  

Those at the TOP get to meet with the mayor and the congresswoman.  

Those at the TOP get their photo on the front page of the newspaper.

Those at the TOP get to leverage the weight of the community without a single member of said community in the room.  

At the end of the day, there's an elephant in the room that needs to be addressed.

If you're trying to engage BLACK PEOPLE you can't just hire some on staff, or throw some spare change at a token whose voice you mute when the real decisions are being made.

You can't just throw $12 an hour at canvassers when you're raking in $100,000 a year running the organization.

You see, we season our food differently, we communicate through different channels. We don't need to be hired as servers at the restaurant of civic engagement, we need to be able to set the menu and cook the food, too, but that's not happening locally.

That's if we're hired at all.

To some organizations, we just make good volunteers, seat fillers for buses, and spokespeople, but some organizations don't want to truly invest in Black and Brown talent through the PAYROLL.

And when the Houston Chronicle does the story on the "Hero" that saved Sunnyside, whose picture graces the article? One of the members of the community giving their own blood, sweat, and tears?

No, the Executive Director from Boston who makes $100,000+ a year on the backs of the injustices they "dabbled" in for the moment.

Think about behemoth organization(s) locally that benefit from the grassroots work of unfunded organizations. We organize a march or rally, and here they come with their signs and banner, yet they won't even consider hiring one of these people organizing the events.

Hole them accountable.

Next time they want you to hop on the bus for the photo-op, ask what the percentage of Black/Brown people are in upper management at said organization.

Ask who's on retainer as an ongoing consultant for the organization.

Ask who the donors are.

Ask who sits in the room when the plan was made to get on the bus.

We need to start asking questions.

Well-intentioned White progressives who run issue-based organizations are serving up the potato salad, and wondering why people in Sunny Side aren't eating it.

If we're serious about engaging those who aren't already engaged, some people are going to have to step aside and allow it to happen.

Don't select a token. Don't put us in the field.

MOVE OUT OF THE WAY.

A frank discussion around RACIAL EQUITY when it comes to leadership needs to happen in the "progressive" community.

Until Black and Brown people sit at C3 Voter Engagement tables where the 6 and 7 figure grants are chopped up, y'all will continue to have the same results: Nobody’s eating it.

I left Texas Organizing Project a few years ago because I realized the "glass ceiling" that existed. I was a token.  I was a Black body giving legitimacy to the organization.  

My executive director was well-intentioned, but had implicit biases herself.  For some reason, very few Black people made it to management, but the majority of our membership were Black. We were fine for an entry-level staff position, but never moved up the food chain.  From the sly comments, to actions, it wasn't a place internally that I felt I could grow.

I ended up leaving to run an org at the state level. I was the only Black face at these tables. I would later find out this lady was throwing me under the bus with funders. Wow.

Luckily, it didn't work. But damn, right?

It hurt my feelings at the moment, but taught me a valuable lesson. It's a dog eat dog world.

I know my people. My people know my people.

And if some of you would step off your "holier than thou" pedestal assuming they're the only people that can do the work, we could really get some things done.

Grassroots Orgs Recruit to Help Rebuild After Harvey

Photo by Lisa5201/iStock / Getty Images

Like many of you, we're ready sitting on the edge of our seats to help rebuild our communities across the Greater-Houston area, but the process can be complicated and daunting.  With so many non-profit organizations, and not enough capacity to truly coordinate grassroots outreach, we saw the need to create a platform to connect those wanting to volunteer, with those in the greatest need as they work to rebuild their homes.

From the home repair program at Houston's Habitat for Humanity, to our school uniform project, we're simplifying the process to turn our energy into action #AfterHarvey.  We'll need your help maintaining the infrastructure of our growing platform as more folks reach out online.

After choosing how you wish to contribute your time/money locally, we encourage you to share photos/screenshots on all social media platforms using the hashtag #AfterHarvey.

If you know of other organizations needing volunteers, or organizations wishing to join our growing #AfterHarvey coalition of organizations, shoot me an email: ddouglas@houstonjustice.org.

I've always said "Houston is the greatest city there ever was," now it's time to walk the walk.  

I hope you will, too.

Durrel Douglas, Organizer

BREAKING: HISD SELECTS NEW SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER

His name is Jose Leal and he's Houston Independent School District's newest School Board Trustee for District III replacing Manuel Rodriguez who passed away unexpectedly just a few weeks ago on July 19th.  The board appointed him to be a "caretaker" for the seat until an official election is held.

He currently works as a Special Needs Educator at Houston CAN Academy Southwest.  Prior to that, Trustee Leal previously served in administrative capacities as assistant principal and as a counselor at Charter School Yes Prep and CAN Academy bringing over 30 years of educational experience to the seat that includes Milby and Chavez High Schools as well as the middle and elementary schools falling in their feeder pattern.

He challenged incumbent Manuel Rodriguez in the most recent 2015 District III election forcing a runoff.  Rodriguez held the seat trouncing Leal in a 56% to 44% face-off.