Ask DA Teare To Drop Charges Against HISD Activist Sarah Terrell-Activism Essential Part Of Teare's Win

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​Houston activist Sarah Terrell was arrested at the HISD Board meeting this past Thursday evening. She was asked to be quiet by the unelected Board of Managers. But she kept talking and telling the truth. 

Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare should drop charges against Ms. Terrell. Here is the e-mail to share this view with the DA: [email protected] 

From the Houston Chronicle: 

Nearly five-and-a-half hours into the board's regular January meeting, HISD board member Janette Garza Lindner proposed a motion for the appointed board to authorize the sale of 17 district properties deemed surplus.....“Why don’t you sell Hattie Mae while you’re at it?” said Sarah Terrell, before the board voted on the measure. “You are the most disappointing people.”...The Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center is HISD’s headquarters, where the Board of Managers holds monthly meetings. After Terrell spoke, HISD board President Audrey Momanaee verbally gave Terrell her first warning, and Terrell immediately responded with “You are so disappointing.” .

And it went from there until Sarah was dragged out in handcuffs as you see above.
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I got tossed out of the last HISD meeting I attended. The Board President told me I was too loud and I told her she was not elected and not to talk to me. We went around a couple of times and she threw me out. Just like with Sarah. I didn't go there looking for trouble. The unelected board that sits there in place of the elected board is difficult to look at. The thought of being a good citizen who cares about Houston and about democracy & then of being spoken to by that unelected board is unpleasant. 

It's been a long time since I got thrown out of any place. The HISD Board of Managers and Superintendent Mike Miles are really hard to take. That this is so is reflected in the rare and solid ballot box defeat of the HISD Bond this past November. 

In the last few days, it has been reported that Superintendent Miles authorized $870 million is HISD purchases without proper board approval. 

​From the Houston Landing:

"Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles’ administration greenlit about $870 million in spending over the past 16 months without receiving required school board approval, breaking district policy....HISD administrators did not bring about 130 purchase agreements — all made through a process that allows HISD to skip soliciting bids from vendors — to the district’s state-appointed board for monthly approval, bypassing a step designed to provide oversight and transparency...The total potential value of the purchase agreements amounted to about $55 million per month during the 16-month period, nearly double the monthly average of $30 million approved during the two years before that span, a Houston Landing analysis shows."

Also from The Houston Chronicle:

"Alex Elizondo, HISD's chief of public affairs and communications, said Friday that the Harris County District Attorney's Office had accepted charges filed against Terrell for trespassing. ....."

Imagine a decent citizen of the community being charged with trespassing in a public building by this usurper board. Spending $870 million without proper oversight is fine. But Ms. Terrell somehow merits arrest and charges.  
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Again--Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare should drop charges against Ms. Terrell. Here is the e-mail to share this view with the DA: [email protected] 

Sarah is a strong & committed activist with a history of advocacy and care for our schools far more extensive than any of the so-called Board of Managers. 
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Citizen-activism played a big part in DA Teare's election. The censure of former DA Kim Ogg by Harris County Democratic Party Precinct Chairs was an important milestone in Mr. Teare's primary win over former DA Ogg. That effort was fully volunteer-activist led. 

​The days and months ahead may bring many conflicts between pro-democracy patriots and people who work to take democracy away. We must press our elected officials at every turn to be the side of democracy.

I'm on the Egberto Willies Politics Done Right Show every Thursday from 6 AM to 7 AM for the Houston Democracy Project segment. You can hear the show on the radio, stream it on KPFT or watch later Egberto's YouTube channel.​​

Here is a fundraising pitch for Houston Democracy Project. I'm doing the work and showing up in many different ways.  Please help the effort. 

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