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Uvalde students return to school amid higher security

Texas School Shooting Lawsuit
Posted at 9:43 PM, Sep 05, 2022
and last updated 2022-09-06 11:13:13-04

UVALDE, Texas — A new school year begins Tuesday in Uvalde, Texas.

It's been three months since 19 students and two teachers were killed by a gunman inside Robb Elementary School.

Although many students and teachers are returning to the district, some parents say they aren't getting a straight answer on what officers will be on campus.

"One of the questions that the families have is the DPS workers that are going to be there. Are those the same ones that were at the school that day? And we can't get an answer," said parent Adam Martinez to CNN. "They won't give us an answer whether it's going to be the same people, the same school resource officers that were there. They're going to be there on campus too, so."

The district says it's working on completing new security measures, including the installation of higher fences, more security cameras, and placing more than 30 state troopers across the campuses, the Associated Press reported.

But for Martinez, that isn't enough reassurance for his kids.

"I talked to my son, and I told him that they're going to have higher fencing, they're going to have more DPS cops, and he just wasn't having it. He said that he doesn't think they're going to be brave enough if it happens again," Martinez told CNN. "They're not going to go in there. They didn't go in there before, and he wants different cops and that he's really not budging. The fencing he said they can just get a ladder and climb over it, so right now, he's just not ready. My daughter, she was looking forward to volleyball, playing volleyball, and now even with that, she doesn't want to go back."

One person who will not be returning to the district this year is former police chief Pete Arredondo, who was fired in August by the school board, the Associated Press reported.

School officials say Robb Elementary won't be used, so elementary students will be taking classes at various campuses around the district, the Associated Press reported.

According to the Associated Press, some students will participate in virtual learning, while others are attending private school.