Santa Fe ISD trustees accept donation of weapons

Santa Fe High School students return to school, Tuesday, 11 days after a shooter killed 10 people. ( Marie D. De Jesus / Houston Chronicle)

Continue clicking to see photos of the tragic day in May at Santa Fe High School. less Santa Fe High School students return to school, Tuesday, 11 days after a shooter killed 10 people. ( Marie D. De Jesus / Houston Chronicle)

Continue clicking to see photos of the tragic day in May at Santa ... more Photo: Marie De Jesus, SANTA Fe Returns / Marie D. De Jesus Photo: Marie De Jesus, SANTA Fe Returns / Marie D. De Jesus Image 1 of / 95 Caption Close Santa Fe ISD trustees accept donation of weapons 1 / 95 Back to Gallery

Santa Fe Independent School District trustees this week voted to accept a donation of eight AR-15s, rifle optics, rental fees for the Texas City Municipal Rifle Range, tuition for a shooting course and as much as $4,800 worth of ammunition for its internal police department.

The weapons and training, valued at about $20,220, were offered by a group of community members in the wake of a mass shooting in the district's sole high school, which left 10 dead and 13 injured on May 18. District Spokeswoman Patti Hanssard said those who donated the firearms wanted to remain anonymous.

Trustees on also heard an update about donated metal detectors that will be installed in all four of its existing campuses before the school year starts on Aug. 20.

Santa Fe ISD Police Chief Walter Braun said at the Monday evening meeting that the gifted AR-15s would be custom built for officers' patrols.

"This is only for full-time staff," Braun said. "We're not outfitting everyone."

TIGHTER SECURITY: Santa Fe ISD trustees agree to install metal detectors

The donation sparked concerns among some at the meeting that the district could begin arming teachers.

School boards in both Huffman ISD in the northwest Houston area and Navasota ISD, located between Tomball and College Station, approved guardian plans this summer. The programs allow local school boards to set training and guidelines for allowing some teachers and staff members to carry firearms on campuses. Officials in Huffman cited minutes-long response times for law enforcement officials to respond to their more rural campuses as part of their motivation for creating the plan.

Santa Fe ISD's Safety and Security Committee has not made a recommendation on whether some district staff and teachers should be able to carry firearms through guardian plans or the state's school marshal plan, which is overseen by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. The district's board has not discussed either idea at its public meetings.

Still, the topic has generated some debate in Santa Fe as parents and officials search for the best ways to prevent or minimize harm from another potential shooting.

Rhonda Hart, whose daughter Kimberly Vaughan was killed in the shooting, said she was glad the donated weapons would be in the hands of trained professionals instead of teachers.

"I'm a little bit more comfortable with it. I think guns need to be in the hands of people who are trained," Hart said.

EXPLAINED: What security changes are coming to Santa Fe schools after shooting?

The Houston Astro's Foundation also made a donation to the Santa Fe ISD Police Department, pledging $13,000 for protective vests and other safety equipment for officers. Trustees unanimously accepted that gift.

Trustees also learned more specifics about metal detector donations, which the board approved on July 16. A total of 19 machines will be installed in all Santa Fe ISD schools after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Garrett Metal Detectors pledged to provide the equipment at no cost to the district.

Garrett Metal Detectors assessed Santa Fe schools and determined 19 machines would be needed to scan students and visitors as they enter the district's four existing campuses. Nine detectors will be installed in the high school, six will sit in Santa Fe Jr. High, and Kubacak and RJ Wollman elementary schools will each have two.

Patrick originally pledged to donate 10 detectors on July 2, but that number grew after Garrett Metal Detectors offered to fund the rest. The 19 detectors are estimated to be worth a combined $45,600.

The district is looking to hire between 18 and 30 campus safety assistants to operate the machines and check students' bags. Braun said six potential hires have passed some level of background screening so far.

Bob Atkins, director of maintenance and operations for Santa Fe ISD, said the detectors will arrive in a week or two and will be installed and ready by the time students return on Aug. 20. He said they will be portable, and the majority of those stationed at the high school will be moved after classes begin so students will have an easy path of escape in the event of an emergency. The process for moving and operating the detectors should be straightforward, Atkins said.

"When they bring them down and install them, they're going to train staff, they said they're pretty simple (and) will show us how to calibrate them and adjust them," Atkins said.

shelby.webb@chron.com

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