HOUSTON — Houston Federation of Teachers President Jackie Anderson said leadership is what came to mind when she learned about the death of 14-year-old Landon Payton, a student at HISD’s Marshall Middle School.
“It just speaks to the incompetent leadership that we have in HISD,” said Anderson. “My heart goes out to the parent.”
There’s still no clear answer as to how Landon died while in P.E. class.
“I want closure. That's all I want. I want to see how the story from the front to the end, not just give me the end. I was there at the end I saw my son die. I was there at the end I am trying to see what led up to this,” Landon’s Father Alexis Payton told KHOU 11 News Friday afternoon.
Payton spoke with HISD officials Friday where he watched police body camera video that he said did not show what led up to his son’s death, but said he heard someone admit they did not know CPR.
“It's a nurse that y'all have at school that didn't know how to do CPR. Did not know how to do CPR, did not know how to use the defibrillator,” said Payton.
Anderson said she’s skeptical about that.
“From what I understand, this nurse has 30-something years’ experience before she came here,” said Anderson. “I just don't believe she said that. He may have heard that, but I personally, in my heart, I don't believe she said that.”
But Anderson said HISD nurses do not have the resources they need.
“Where are your priorities? If you say you're here for children, then your actions ought to align with what you say,” said Anderson.
“Nurses come to us and say they don't have Band-Aids in their clinic. They don't have other materials that they need for their day-to-day work.”
Friday, Superintendent Mike Miles delivered a statement on Landon’s death but refused to take questions.
“We’ve been focused this week on gathering information for the family and have prioritized that above all else," he said.
A small memorial has been made outside of Marshall Middle School for Landon and a prayer vigil for him is set to happen on Monday.