Houston leaders express grief, anger following Uvalde shooting

Lucretia Rogers, assistant chief of the HISD police department, joined House at the briefing. She said the district is exploring its options for safety enhancements in the wake of the shooting.

Roughly 200 officers make up the HISD police department currently, and the district also partners with the Houston Police Department, Harris County Sheriff's office and area constables, House said. Officers are stationed at all secondary campuses, he said.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner also agreed to provide additional support at graduations and end-of-year ceremonies, which are set to take place June 10-12, House said.

House said he recognized the role both the district and parents need to play in listening to students in the aftermath of events like the Uvalde shooting.

"Students look up to the adults in their lives," he said. "I just implore that we all be those parents, be those adults that are listening and can provide that insight and security."

At the May 25 regular meeting of the Houston City Council, Turner expressed heartbreak over the tragedy. He also said prayers and condolences are not enough and beckoned state leaders to take action.

"Enough is enough," he said. "This is an American problem ... [Mental health problems are] not just in U.S. It’s all over the globe. What’s happening at our schools is an American problem because [we are] more protective of our guns than we are of our babies."

Turner specifically criticized House Bill 1927, known as "Constitutional Carry," which was passed by the Texas Legislature and signed into law by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in 2021. The law allows Texans to carry handguns without a license or any training. Turner also criticized suggestions that school shootings can be prevented by arming teachers.

“More children are dying ... now [more] than any time before, because adults created an environment for guns," Turner said. “The answer is not to put more guns in the hands of teachers or grocery store clerks."

At the May 25 media briefing, House said arming teachers has not been a part of the district's discussion regarding security enhancements.

House said the district is prepared to provide mental health support to students through wraparound specialists and counseling services. He urged students to report threats or suspicious behavior.

"Even though we haven’t had a threat that has materialized into a serious occurrence this year, we take each one of those threats seriously," he said.

Sofia Gonzalez contributed to this report.