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Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify how to submit feedback to the district.
Klein ISD officials announced a number of security enhancements going into effect March 23 following three separate incidents at different campuses involving firearms over the course of a single week.
However, parents are advocating for additional steps, including a third-party security audit for the district.
What’s happening?
In a March 13 joint statement from Klein ISD Superintendent Jenny McGown and Klein ISD Police Chief Marlon Runnels, officials said the district is making a number of enhancements to campuses while the district is on spring break.
Klein ISD officials said the new improvements include:
“Our students continue to do the right thing by reporting concerns to trusted adults. At the same time, incidents like these remind us that we must always continue strengthening our safety efforts,” the joint statement reads. “We know that it is not one safety approach that makes the difference, but rather our layered approach to safety measures that keep students and staff safe.”
How we got here
According to the district, from March 9-13, three separate incidents occurred at three Klein ISD campuses involving firearms:
District officials said in the joint statement that all three individuals are facing felony charges, and the two students involved were expelled from the district.
“In each case, our Klein ISD staff and police did exactly what they are trained to do. They responded quickly, they kept our students and staff safe, and they ensured there were serious consequences for these three individuals,” the joint statement reads.
The other side
Despite the increased security measures announced, parents are still advocating for additional steps.
Klein ISD parent Lauren McRae held a community gathering at the Memorial Northwest Community Center on March 17 for signatures to petition the Klein ISD board to take additional measures.
McRae helped create the Klein ISD Parent Safety Coalition following the events and saw the petition as a way of showing the school board the extent of concerns parents have.
“This petition in particular is one, to catch their attention to allow [parents] a seat at the table,” McRae said. “We’re not adversaries to the community. We’re all just parents, similar to many of the board and the administrators.”
Some of the requests in the petition include:
McRae said she is hoping the petition, which has 877 signatures as of press time, will encourage a special community meeting between the district and parents regarding the safety enhancements.
What’s next?
Klein ISD officials have said they will accept community feedback on the security enhancements once the district returns from spring break. Parents are encouraged to email the district's feedback hotline at [email protected].
“Any student who chooses to bring a weapon into one of our schools will leave in handcuffs, will be expelled, and will face felony charges. That was true this week, and it will remain true,” the joint statement reads. “Our schools belong to this community. Keeping them safe is something we do together, and we remain committed to doing our part every single day.”
The next Klein ISD board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m April 13. at the Frank A. Lemmon Administration Building.
