Well, this is never good.
Agents with the FBI and IRS spent hours Thursday searching the administrative offices of the Houston Independent School District and the Cypress-area house of its chief operating officer, but they remained tight-lipped about what they were seeking.
At least a dozen federal agents made their way in and out of HISD’s Hattie Mae White building on 4400 West 18th Street Thursday morning, at one point carrying several boxes and containers to vehicles parked nearby.
The bureau called the search a “court authorized law enforcement activity,” but did not elaborate.
The district issued a statement saying it was fully cooperating with the FBI, adding there was no danger to students or staff.
Federal agents also were at a Cypress-area home listed in county property tax records as the residence of HISD Chief Operating Officer Brian Busby and his wife, HISD Officer of Special Populations Courtney Busby. Security refused to allow news media inside the gated neighborhood.
A voicemail and text message left on Busby’s phone, as well as a message sent via Twitter, were not returned Thursday. It was unclear whether Busby still had access to the phone, which may have been issued by HISD.
An Internal Revenue Service spokesman, in response to questions, said the agency could neither confirm nor deny any involvement, citing federal privacy laws. Agents with “IRS” on the backs their jackets were visible at the administration building and Busby’s home.
“We were notified first thing this morning of the FBI’s presence by the administration,” HISD Board President Sue Deigaard said. “I don’t have any additional information at this time, but I certainly share the community’s concerns.”
Not much to do but wait and see what happens. If there’s something there, we’ll know about it soon enough.
“Federal agents also were at a Cypress-area home listed in county property tax records as the residence of HISD Chief Operating Officer Brian Busby and his wife, HISD Officer of Special Populations Courtney Busby. Security refused to allow news media inside the gated neighborhood.”
Here’s a guy who knows better than anyone not to live anywhere near the riff raff of HISD. Gated community in Cypress? He sure doesn’t want to be anywhere around the free lunch set, does he?
I normally don’t agree with requiring living in a district to work for that district, but in the case of HISD, I’d be willing to abandon that position. Maybe HISD’s execs should live in the district, so they will be impacted by the decisions that they make, vs. just fleeing to a gated community in Cypress every afternoon.
@Bill, they probably live there because they could by a 4000 sq ft house for $650k, instead of the $1 million or more a comparable house would cost in HISD. Of course, between the two of them, the Busby’s are raking in $300k+ between them.
As for riff raff, keep in mind that River Oaks, Bellaire, West U, and a number of other upscale areas are in HISD.
The teachers would love to live in the district, but your buddies in the Legislature, Lt Governor and Governor’s office don’t think they should be paid well. It’s sad when an outstanding Middle School math teacher with 20 years of experience is paid only $60k per year. That’s less than many college hires make as a starting salary.