Sunnyside residents upset over unruly grass at HISD campuses

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Sunnyside resident Travis McGee described his neighborhood as resembling a jungle due to the overgrown grass at Worthing High School on Reed Road.

On Tuesday morning, McGee and fellow resident Tyrone North met with to express their frustration with the unkempt landscaping.

“Get the grass cut,” North urged.

Both North and McGee are alumni of Worthing High School and were dismayed by the grass, which reached well past their knees as they walked around the campus.

“It’s ridiculous,” North commented.

Worthing High School is not the only Houston Independent School District (HISD) campus with this issue. Eyewitness News also observed tall grass at Woodson Leadership Academy and Young Elementary.

Reports have also come in about overgrown lawns at Lanier Middle School in Montrose and Fondren Elementary School in southwest Houston.

“They can’t even maintain their current schools, and they have the audacity to ask us for a multi-billion dollar bond,” McGee said, referencing the district’s $4.4 billion bond proposal.

Eyewitness News reached out to HISD to inquire whether they were aware of the overgrown grass and whether it was due to cost-cutting measures or a summer mowing schedule. There was no response.

While students are on summer vacation, North and McGee noted that the grass started becoming unmanageable while school was still in session.

“This is a school in our neighborhood that we pay our tax dollars to,” North said. “The district doesn’t care.”

North mentioned that he offered to cut the grass at Worthing himself but was told he couldn’t due to liability reasons.

According to the City of Houston’s Code of Ordinances, grass must be kept at nine inches or less. asked Mayor John Whitmire’s office if these schools would be cited for the violation. A spokesperson said they usually don’t cite other government agencies but could work with the district to resolve the issue.