HISD Spokesperson Norm Uhl Fired

Norm Uhl will no longer be spinning HISD.

He was fired by the district.

We gave the award to Uhl, a former KHOU reporter, because he seemed willing to battle what had been years of HISD hostility towards any media outlet it deemed unfriendly, which was almost all of them that weren't the Houston Chronicle.

Superintendent Terry Grier brought in former Chron education reporter/editor Jason Spencer as lead spokesman late last year (a move which has benefited the Chron beat writer he worked with).

The district also hired Aggie Alvez as chief communications officer.

Spencer says Uhl has been "recommended for termination."

"Moving forward with fewer resources, it became necessary to reevaluate personnel to ensure our office has the capacity to most effectively meet the evolving needs of HISD schools and the community," he tells Hair Balls. "I will begin a search for a new senior media relations specialist once the position is officially open."

He says, "I personally hold Norm Uhl in high esteem and thank him for his service to the children of HISD."

Uhl e-mails us he has no comment beyond this: "Apparently winning the Houston Press "Best Flack Award" was the kiss of death. :)"