Parents voice communication concerns to LISD board

By Kyle Mooty

LPR Editor

A threat to Lockhart High School posted on a social media site late last month caused a stir then, although it was deemed to be non-credible by the Lockhart Police Department. However, parents of students at the school are still in an uproar how the response was handled, particularly afterwards.

Several parents addressed the Lockhart ISD board at Monday night’s meeting.

John Castillo, a member of the Lockhart City Council, said there was a lack of communication.

“That shouldn’t happen again,” Castillo said. “It happened on a Thursday and on Friday afternoon a message should’ve gone out to all parents. There should be a meeting on how to get things fixed. These are our kids. The city council hasn’t even gotten anything where (LISD) has addressed what happened.

“I know Lockhart is a great community, but we have faults. We dropped the ball. We failed our kids. The year is not starting well. We need to take care of the kids in this community.”

Another parent related the tragedy at Uvalde, adding, “No one knew anything.”

Mary Bryant called the Jan. 25 incident “traumatic.”

“It was traumatic whether it was real or perceived,” Mary Bryant said. “I know my child was genuinely scared. There was no follow up from the administration and counselors. When we are not forthcoming, it leads to rumors. That creates a mistrust. You can repair this by saying I dropped the ball. I messed up.”

David Bryant said he came before the LISD board as “an upset parent,” and that he expected more from the district.

“I love our Lockhart ISD,” David Bryant said. “But I have questions. There are problems in the bathrooms such as drugs. A solution would be drug dogs.

“Parents hosted meetings this month. That was not our job. That’s yours.”

LISD Superintendent Mark Estrada shouldered the blame.

“We did not communicate,” Estrada said. “I do apologize. We must improve on that.”

Estrada noted that Caldwell County Sheriff Mike Lane was organizing trainings so that deputies would be familiar with the layout of the schools, including the Lockhart Fire Department and Emergency Management.

Lockhart Police Chief Gary Williamson addressed the shortage of police officers within his department.

“Nobody wants to be a police officer anymore,” Williamson said.

LISD also heard reports regarding fights, assaults, and vaping problems at Lockhart High School and Lockhart Junior High.

Fights:

Lockhart High School

2021-22 – 32

2022-23 – 37

2023-24 (to date) — 20

Lockhart Junior High

2021-22 – 67

2022-23 – 41

2023-24 (to date) — 25

Assaults:

Lockhart High School

2021-22 – 7

2022-23 – 12

2023-24 (to date) — 27

Lockhart Junior High

2021-2021 — 21

2022-23 – 11

2023-24 (to date) – 2

Vaping:

Lockhart High School

2021-22 – 135

2022-23 – 162

2023-24 (to date) — 134

Lockhart Junior High

2021-22 — 60

2022-23 – 85

2023-24 (to date) – 41

Estrada noted that vaping was illegal at school and that anyone caught doing so on school grounds would be arrested.