Sunnyside residents upset over unruly grass at HISD campuses

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Sunnyside resident Travis McGee described his neighborhood as 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 neglected landscaping. Both are alumni of Worthing High School and were dismayed by the knee-high grass on campus.

“It’s ridiculous,” North said as they walked through the overgrown area.

Worthing High School is not the only Houston Independent School District (HISD) campus suffering from tall grass. Similar conditions were observed at Woodson Leadership Academy and Young Elementary. Reports also indicated 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, referring to the district’s $4.4 billion bond proposal.

Eyewitness News contacted HISD to inquire about the overgrown grass and whether it was due to cost-cutting measures or a summer mowing schedule. A district spokesperson explained that they typically mow every 15 to 21 days and that Worthing High School’s mowing was delayed due to weather issues. The school is scheduled to be mowed this week.

Although students are currently on summer vacation, North and McGee noted that the grass began to grow excessively 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 he offered to cut the grass at Worthing himself but was declined 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 A spokesperson responded that they typically do not cite other government agencies but could work with the district to resolve the issue.