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Teachers and students press Katy ISD on health coverage and German-program cuts during public comment
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Summary
Several speakers urged Katy ISD to improve employee health benefits and reconsider cuts to the German language program; a teacher described facing potential financial ruin over dependent care costs while a student and parents presented enrollment figures and outside academic groups'requests to restore German classes.
During the April 20 Katy ISD board meeting, multiple members of the public used the open-forum period to press the district on employee health insurance and recent curriculum decisions.
"Imagine being a teacher in Katy ISD and facing the very real threat of financial ruin because of your medical coverage," said Marina McAdam, an ESL ISS at West Memorial Elementary, who described paying thousands upfront for care for two children with chronic conditions and urged the district to expand provider networks, explore insurer partnerships and consider supplemental supports for employees with high medical needs.
Several speakers also urged the board to restore German-language instruction at Cinco Ranch High School and Katy High School after retirements left both programs without full-time replacements. "As of right now, there are six classes of German with 110 students enrolled at Cinco," said Ahan Mohammed, class of 2029 secretary at Cinco Ranch, who said Rice University, the University of Houston, Texas A&M, the Goethe-Institut and the American Association of Teachers of German had contacted the district urging continuation of the program.
Tana Weiss, speaking during open forum, encouraged residents to vote in the school board election and warned of state-level curriculum changes, saying some recent proposals "are making curriculum choices based on their political bias" and urged the community to monitor the State Board of Education before a final vote in June.
District staff did not announce immediate policy changes in response to the comments during the meeting. Commenters requested that the board consider expanding plan options, clarifying virtual-class provisions for continuation of language sequences, and exploring targeted supports for employees with high medical expenses.
The board did not take formal action on these public comments during the meeting; those items were delivered as part of the open-forum public-comment period.
