As the school year came to an end, many school districts across DFW increased security as an extra precaution in the wake of the Uvalde shooting.
Fort Worth Police Department shared a message on social media from Chief Neil Oakes regarding heightened security at area schools. Oakes said police would increase the presence of neighborhood police officers on school campuses.
FWPD worked with its Fusion center, a real-time crime center that monitors online threats, and community volunteers lent extra eyes and ears to keep students and facilities safe.
John Cullison, the chief of police in Celina, issued a statement that read: “Our Police will work with the school district to maintain a strong presence around our students and faculty and staff throughout the district. Their safety and your comfort and confidence is our highest priority in the wake of this tragedy and always.”
The Grapevine-Colleyville Superintendent released the following statement on its district website:
“In 2016, GCISD voters approved a bond package that included new security cameras and controlled entrance access for campuses. Each of our campuses has either a police officer stationed at the school or rotating police presence, and our staff has resources for reporting concerns.”
It continued: “We work closely with the Colleyville, Euless, and Grapevine police departments and our school resource officers to investigate every concern quickly and thoroughly, and we communicate with staff, parents, and the community when matters arise. Additionally, parents will see an increased police presence across the district over the next two days.”
Cedar Hill ISD announced on social media that the district regularly conducts emergency response drills and performs monthly training for the Campus Incident Response Team to prepare for emergencies.
Parents were glad that CHISD shared a statement about increased security; however, many like Vanessa Felton wondered how the district would combat school violence year-round.
“Words are cheap,” Felton wrote, “how about metal detectors and better security? They have metal detectors at football games but not at the schools. Be proactive not reactive.”
As police departments and school districts worked to handle security measures in the final days of the academic year, schools also dealt with the emotional toll the event took on their students.
WFAA spoke with students at Arlington’s Timberview High School, the site of a terrifying incident last year when a student opened fire in a classroom, injuring four people.
Many students walked into school on Tuesday, a day after the mass shooting in Uvalde, with heavy hearts, including Logan Rodriguez, who says he felt “sad, emotional” but was thankful for the teachers who helped students process the tragedy.
“We have some good teachers to talk about it,” said Rodriguez. He added parents could also play a vital role in healing.
“It’s better to talk about it to your parents and not keep it in. The more you keep it in, it will hurt,” said Rodriguez.