IN THIS EPISODE:

• Following the announcement of the Texas Education Agency’s planned state takeover of the Houston Independent School District, host Khambrel Marshall sits down with Congressman Al Green to discuss the takeover, bank stability and the call to embrace what he calls the “Conscience Agenda” to honor those who were formerly slaves.

US Representative Al Green (D) on HISD, banking stability, helping voters and the conscience agenda

The big story of the week was the announcement by the Texas Education Agency that it plans to take over HISD starting June 1st.

Last week on this program, experts said the data does not support success in an endeavor of this magnitude.

U.S. Rep. Al Green (D) 9th says he disagrees with the decision because of the progress made by the district in three years, but is also suspicious of Gov. Abbott’s motives.

“This is a governor who is now appointing a board that will have an appointed supervisor,” he said. “The people will have very little input in how these people are selected. We had an elected board, and now the governor has one person who selects an entire school board.”

Congressman Green also says that this effort from TEA can be part of a larger effort.

“I see this voucher movement as a movement that will drain public school dollars because attendance is what determines public school dollars. So if the money goes into vouchers and the governor takes over, it could be a removal.”

Congressman Green also highlighted some of the good news in the form of approximately $50 million in state funding for projects in his district, including:

• $5 million – Missouri City Park & ​​Ride

• $2 million – Texas Children’s Hospital for facilities and equipment

• $1.9 million – HISD for family and community engagement programs

• $1.6 million – Hartman Middle and Alcott Elementary Safe Routes to School Project

• $1.5 million – Project RAISE (Rebuilding Alliance to Inspire Sustainability)

• $1.5 million – capital improvements at Sunnyside Park

• $1 million – Legacy Community Health for electronic health records initiative

Congressman Green calls for embracing the “Agenda of Conscience” to honor former slaves

Calling it the “Conscience Agenda: our Moral Imperatives,” he says it’s an agenda he’s proposing in Congress to recognize this country’s history of degrading African-Americans, who in turn helped make this country great.

Recognition of August 20th annually as a day of remembrance for slavery, A Congressional Gold Medal to the Enslaved are just two of the items on his agenda. You can see more details here.

For more information on this week’s Houston Newsmakers

· U.S. Representative Al Green, (D) 9th Congressional District

· Website: https://algreen.house.gov/about