What you need to know
RRISD shared with employees in a district-wide memo May 14 that it had named Lauren Griffith to serve as interim Police Chief.
What happened
Dennis Weiner, who has served the district as its chief of police since 2022, was placed on administrative leave May 14. On May 15, he sent a letter to the district’s superintendent alleging the mishandling of an assault and calling on the Texas Attorney General to investigate the individual case, as well as “actions of district leadership as they relate to police matters.”
In a statement to Community Impact regarding the letter, Anne Drabicky, RRISD chief of public affairs and community relations, said the letter misrepresents the matters and actions it describes.
“Our commitment to the safety and well being of our students has never wavered,” Drabicky told CI via email. “The content of Mr. Weiner’s letter inaccurately represents personnel matters and an incident involving minors. All incidents involving students have been addressed in accordance with applicable law and district policy.”
What they’re saying
The letter was shared publicly by Place 2 and 7 Trustees Mary Bone and Danielle Weston via Facebook May 17.
In a joint statement from the two trustees, they said the letter was shared with the board by Weiner on May 15, and the pair decided to share the letter with the broader community because they “refuse to be party to any possible cover-up that involves the safety of children, or anything else.”
In a joint statement from the officers of the RRISD school board—Board President Amber Landrum, Vice President Tiffanie Harrison and Secretary Alicia Markum—trustees said they were briefed in closed session during the May 16 board meeting regarding the matter, during which Bone and Weston were absent. During this briefing, the trustees said they were informed that the assault described by Weiner was under investigation, and discussed other personnel matters related to his employment.
“We want to assure the community that the board has reviewed Mr. Weiner’s letter and is aware of the incidents raised in that letter,” the statement reads. “The safety and security of the students and staff of Round Rock ISD are of the utmost concern, and the board will fully cooperate and support any resulting investigations.”
These trustees also said they were disappointed with the actions of their fellow trustees, as information contained in the letter “could potentially compromise the privacy of minor children and related investigations.”
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
