Since 1954
Josephine Lee is a staff writer at the Texas Observer covering education and labor. She has previously worked as an educator and community organizer. Her reporting has been featured in Salon, The Daily Beast, Truthout, and other outlets. She was raised and lives in Houston.
The state education agency took over four additional districts this spring, installing leaders linked to Houston’s state-imposed superintendent, Mike Miles, including two who worked for his former charter school network.
After 20 years in office, opponents say he’s become out of touch and absent. Now, he must survive a runoff against Alief school board member Darlene Breaux.
“We have an in everywhere. It's not hard to talk to other people that do the same thing that you do on a daily basis, and oftentimes they have the same grievances that you do."
Houston ISD says its state-appointed superintendent has ended a paid agreement with Third Future Schools, after the Observer obtained the contract and requested comment. A 2025 state law restricts moonlighting by superintendents.
Some school district leaders say they believed they had only one option for a partnership to avoid state takeover.
A slate of union-affiliated candidates are taking the labor movement on the campaign trail up and down the ballot.
At a Hindu temple hidden in Pearland, I found lessons about community, womanhood, and alienation.
The state has signed off on voucher funds for schools that exclude non-Christian and LGBTQ+ kids.
“No one has done more than Rick Levy for the modern-day labor movement in Texas.”
"I'm not interested in tearing down my fellow Democrats, because we are all on the same team ... but I think that I've got a compelling case to make."