A former Houston ISD principal at the center of a controversial firing has resurfaced—not in the classroom, but on reality television.
A former Houston Independent School District principal named Dr. Shelby Calabrese has joined the group of TLC's new reality show, 90 Day: Hunt for Love. In the side show, eight single people are looking for serious relationships, and Calabrese will be one of them.
Before she started on TV, Calabrese was the principal of Harvard Elementary School in the Heights from 2022 until November 2024, when she was fired. She was first put on administrative leave in October, which angered people in the area. Parents and workers at the school, where she was known as "Dr. C" to everyone, backed her as a leader.
The fact that HISD hasn't said why Calabrese was fired has led to more rumors and anger. When her replacement, Sharon Pe. Benito, quit before she even started. She said it was because of "extensive bullying" on social media. This made the issue even worse.
Harvard's PTA said the district made a mistake by hiring Benito without asking the community what they thought.
Parents are worried again about where HISD is going under Superintendent Mike Miles because of the firing, especially about school choice policies and planned changes to the curriculum. Many people saw Calabrese's firing as part of a larger move away from schooling driven by the community.
Calabrese is now the subject of a very different kind of attention. She is looking for love, while most of Houston still wants answers.
