A violent incident at Taylor High School has thrust Katy Independent School District (Katy ISD) into the spotlight, with parents, students, and community members raising concerns about transparency, safety, and the district’s response to a March 25 classroom assault.
A viral video capturing a male student attacking a female classmate, identified as Brooklynn Gianfrancesco, has fueled a heated debate, with her father, Danny Gianfrancesco, accusing the district of withholding evidence and mishandling the case.
VIDEO: Katy ISD asked parents to delete any evidence of the fight that took place involving a male alleged football player beating a female student. pic.twitter.com/XYLgTGh1aP
— Tony Ortiz (Current Revolt) (@CurrentRevolt) April 4, 2025
The altercation, which lasted about one minute, was recorded by students. The video shows a male student, a football player, striking Brooklynn, knocking her to the floor, and continuing to assault her as classmates gasped.
“Oh my God,” one female student is heard saying repeatedly in the footage.
Katy ISD classified the incident as “mutual combat,” a designation that has drawn sharp criticism from the Gianfrancesco family, who insist it was a clear assault.
“We’ve all seen the video, a clear assault,” Danny Gianfrancesco said at a school board meeting. “The person in this video didn’t have a chance to defend herself or retaliate.”
Brooklynn, speaking publicly for the first time at the April 22 school board meeting, expressed ongoing safety concerns.
“I’m receiving dirty looks from staff and students, and I don’t feel as if this is a safe environment for me anymore,” she told board members.
“What happened to me was clearly an assault anywhere else except my school,” she added, per the Houston Chronicle. “The grocery store, gas station, or street corner: the person in this video punching, slapping, and laying on top of me should be in jail.”
Brooklynn claimed at the board meeting that she reported being sexually harassed by the male student in the days leading up to the altercation, but the teacher did not take any action on her behalf.
“Violence should not be labeled as ‘mutual’ when a male student slaps a female student, and when the female student seeks help from the teacher and is ignored,” she told the school board.
Her father alleges the district is obstructing access to critical evidence, including security footage.
“I filed a public information request the day after it happened. Three weeks later, instead of transparency, I received two documents,” Gianfrancesco said, referring to a heavily redacted offense report and a letter indicating the district’s appeal to the Texas Attorney General’s Office to withhold requested evidence.
Katy ISD, in a statement to Covering Katy News, defended its stance, asserting that the viral video lacks “full context” and urged the community to respect the privacy of those involved.
The district also requested that parents and community members delete the video from their devices, a move some critics argue prioritizes image over accountability.
“I have never seen a district have a policy that instructs people to destroy evidence,” Houston attorney Chris Tritico told Covering Katy News. “It makes no sense to me. I understand why they are doing it, the Family Education Rights to Privacy Act mandates that the district protect the identity of students, but their overreaction to this is violating Texas law.”
Both students involved in the incident were suspended for three days, a decision the Gianfrancescos argue unfairly equates the victim with the aggressor. Under the school district’s current policy, a student who is attacked may not fight back against the aggressor unless the victim can prove there was no other way to escape the attack, Katy ISD Director of Student Affairs Sherry Ashorn told the Houston Chronicle.
The controversy has amplified calls for reform within Katy ISD, with critics questioning the district’s use of its own police force and its approach to public records requests. The Texas Attorney General’s Office has not yet ruled on Katy ISD’s request to withhold evidence, a process that could delay transparency for weeks.
As the community awaits answers, the Gianfrancesco family continues to advocate for accountability, while Katy ISD faces mounting pressure to address safety and communication concerns.