in Houston, Texas
HISD is going live Monday evening, fielding your comments, and Texas Watchdog will be there
Monday, Jun 28, 2010, 09:54PM CST
By Lynn Walsh
hsm

It's not quite High School Musical, but HISD trustees and top administrators will be fielding your comments and questions Monday (tonight) through an interactive LIVE TV show before a live studio audience.

Good thing that the event will be interactive -- because the show is invite only.

According to HISD's Sarah Greer the meeting is not open to the public, largely because of space issues.

"It is not open to the public because we cannot fit that many people in the studio," she said.

But that raises other questions. Would it be possible for HISD to stack the audience with supporters?

Texas Watchdog asked if it is possible that the audience will be stacked in favor of HISD and their plan; Greer said she doesn't think so.

"We have been hearing very frank and direct comments and I have invited those people," she said. "People who have said some things we may not want to hear or thought about will be there."

The interactive show will focus on the "Strategic Direction," of HISD, essentially the long-term plan for the school district.

Greer said she sent close to 200 e-mail invites to parents, teachers, PTA leaders, community members, teacher union leaders and members of faith-based groups throughout the city of Houston. All of the people invited have attended Houston ISD strategic plan meetings before, Greer said.

HISD will be broadcasting the show live on their website and fielding calls via phone, e-mail and Twitter; but, according to Greer, the phone numbers and e-mail address to use will not be released until the beginning of the show.

Why? Greer said it is just a matter of not having anyone to staff the phone calls, "until the volunteers arrive for the show."
Some good news: the public can message the district via the Twitter account @HoustonISD.

If you are not one of the lucky ones to get a personal e-mail invite, view it here online or on TV, Comcast channel 18 and AT&T UVerse channel 99.

Texas Watchdog will also be at the show taping live tweeting throughout; just follow or search for the hashtag: #HISD. We welcome your comments, questions and thoughts throughout as well.

CORRECTION: The Twitter account user name for public comment was corrected on June 29. HISD is monitoring @HoustonISD for public comment on the strategic plan. The Twitter account @HISDMedia is public, but is primarily geared toward news outlets. Texas Watchdog regrets the error.

Lynn Walsh can be reached at Lynn@Texaswatchdog.org, at 713-228-2850 or on Twitter: @Lwalsh.

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