Monday, December 9, 2024
AZLE — Parent Kelsey Massey appeared before the Azle Independent School District board of trustees to voice transparency concerns at a Nov. 18 meeting. Massey had previously aired her concerns regarding comments made by Azle resident Alan Thompson on social media and with school administrators through email in prior weeks.
According to a Parker County Sheriff’s Office affidavit and screenshots of Azle ISD communications, Thompson was placed into psychiatric care for homicidal ideations after he admitted to hearing voices telling him to commit violence at Azle schools. PCSO officers entered his home near Silver Creek Elementary and arrested him for a charge of possession of a firearm by felon Oct. 28.
Parents only initially learned of the arrest after leaked screenshots of communication between the Azle ISD Police Department and administrators surfaced.
“Proactive communication is not just a courtesy, it's essential,” Massey said at the meeting. “A simple, general message could have reassured parents and staff, while maintaining confidentiality. Instead, this silence led to confusion, anxiety and frustration within our community; there also seems to be inconsistency across campuses.”
According to an email sent from Azle ISD’s communications director to parents, Thompson was expected to be released the evening of Nov. 21 after posting bond. Superintendent Todd Smith assured parents that PCSO and Azle ISD have enacted measures to ensure there is no threat to students, including a mental health evaluation prior to his release and a requirement that he wear an ankle monitor at all times. Smith also noted all the district’s emergency operation plans have been reviewed and approved by TEA.
Massey has since stepped down from her position on Silver Creek’s Parent Teacher Organization and has initiated the process to transfer her daughter out of the school.
“I do not feel that the current environment is safe or welcoming for someone who holds differing views from the rest of the room,” Massey said in an email to the Tri-County Reporter. “While this was a tough decision, it’s one I believe is in the best interest of my family and my mental and emotional health.”
Massey claimed that one major source of unease occurred after the wife of the board’s president confronted her prior to the Nov. 18 meeting, allegedly placing her hand on her shoulder and referencing rumors about why Massey had transferred her daughter to Silver Creek in the first place.
While Texas Education Code 37.1131 requires schools to notify parents of violent activity that has occurred on or is under investigation on a school campus or facility, Azle ISD Chief of Police Darren Brockway said the Thompson incident did not constitute a direct threat. Similarly, while Thompson was reported to have visited Azle Christian School’s parking lot, he is not known to have visited any Azle ISD campuses or to have committed any acts of violence. The board of trustees noted there were also complications regarding Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in releasing information regarding Thompson’s mental health. Smith acknowledged Massey’s concerns as well and extended a promise of working toward improvement.
“We're a learning organization, and I will say we're always looking for ways to improve and do better,” Smith said at the meeting. “Chief Brockway and I have had several conversations. We do realize some of the disconnect and some of the things that were said and sent out.”
Board of trustee members backed the superintendent and AISD PD, with President Bill Lane, Place 4 member Brandon Geary and Place 2 member Sarah Bennett each speaking in defense of the district’s actions.
“In fact, I think the district's decision here and their assessment are sufficient to my expectations, not just as a trustee, but as a fellow parent of a sixth grader over at AE,” Geary said. “I mean, the sad reality is that our schools are threatened by an outside world, really, at all times. And although you know, we know it's rare that threats are made publicly, our schools are remaining among the safest places that our kids can be.”
