KILLEEN, Texas (KXXV0 — In the aftermath of the tragic stabbing of 14-year-old Serenity Baker at Roy J. Smith Middle School, Ray Garner, a concerned parent, made the difficult decision to pull his daughter from the school during her extended spring break.
An incident Garner witnessed left him questioning the district’s handling of the tragedy.
“While she was out, bringing my daughter to the school, she seen them picking up flowers that were left for the deceased girl, and they picked them up and put them in the trash can,” Garner said. The act, which he perceived as dismissive, added to his concerns about the district’s priorities.
During a news conference last week, KISD Superintendent Dr. Jo Ann Fey addressed Garner’s claims, explaining that the district had a plan in place to preserve the memorial items. “Regarding the memorial, there was a specific plan to have all of the items in a location where the family could retrieve them. So, um, we actually weren’t throwing things away,” Dr. Fey said.
Despite his daughter expressing a desire to return to school, Garner initially hesitated. “We thought it may be healthy for her.
But at the same time, our child’s safety and the lack of confidence we had made it to where we didn’t want to send her,” he explained.
Ultimately, Garner decided to re-enroll his daughter this week but remains critical of the district’s response.
He believes KISD’s current measures, such as increased police presence and locking up students’ cell phones, miss the mark. “A lot of things that they are explaining are not of the highest priority with us parents. We didn’t ask for more police. We didn’t ask for cell phones to get locked up. I don’t think it’s a police presence issue; I think it’s an accountability issue,” Garner stated.
As KISD continues to navigate the challenges following Serenity Baker’s death, parents like Garner are calling for more detailed and focused directives that prioritize accountability and meaningful change. For updates on this story and more coverage of KISD’s response, stay tuned.
