“My son is deathly afraid of school now.”
The Uvalde CISD School Board held a special school board meeting Friday evening, June 3rd, 2022 at 6:30 PM at the Benson Board Room.
Since the deadly Robb Elementary School shooting, this is the first time the Uvalde CISD school board has met publicly.
Two speakers signed up to speak before the school board: Carper Capt and Dawn Poitevent, a parent of a first grader at Dalton Elementary School who recently was taken on a field trip to Robb Elementary School.
Capt spoke words of support and encouragement for the Uvalde community and the school board. “This is a special place. It always has been, it is, and always will be. Together as a community by the Grace of God, we will overcome this,” Capt said.
Capt was followed by Dawn Poitevent, a parent of a 1st grader about to enter 2nd grade,
“Thank you for letting me speak. I just came to humbly request that as you plan for our future of our children, you consider the little ones that were in first grade at Dalton because my son is deathly afraid of school now. His last memory of Robb was that he had gone on his second grade field trip to introduce them to Robb and the teachers and the school. What he knows right now, is that when he goes to another school, he is going to get shot by a bad man. I just beg you to please consider if there is any possible way, for the incoming second graders that were in first at Dalton, as you look at placement across the community, know that is a way to keep them with their Dalton family, that is the only place my son feels safe right now. “
“We picked up his items at the classroom and he expressed that was the only place he wanted to go back to school. And moving him to a new campus next year is going to be very traumatic. So I just humbly ask that as you think about the plans for our children, you remember the first graders going to second. They have little memories too and they’ve been traumatized. ” Thank you for your time.” said Poitevent.
School Superintendent Hall Harrell spoke shortly after saying, ” Heartbreak does not describe what we have felt. I have not found a word that described how deep our community has been cut.”
“The teachers, our students, our staff… I want to make sure…I was asked this again this morning. I take it I need to continue to repeat and repeat it until it’s in everybody’s mind: We are not going back to Robb School. That will not be a school for our children moving forward. We’ve got plans for things other than a school site for that, and that will be forthcoming what we do with that location.” Harrell said.
Our students will be at a school site but we haven’t determined for the alignment. Harrell went on to address Poitevent’s comments, “You’re son spoke, and we’re going to listen to that voice.”
After Harrell’s comments, the school board entered into an executive session for approximately an hour, which allowed the board to discuss certain legal and personnel matters in private away from the media and the public.
The board reconvened and voted to approve delegating authority during the ongoing situation to Superintendent Harrell.
The board could have acted to terminate the employment of any school personnel including Uvalde CISD Police Chief Pete Arredondo but it took no such action.
Before the board adjourned, names of those students and teachers who were murdered a little over two weeks ago at Robb Elementary School.
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