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Eagle Pass parent urges city liaison and joint briefing after Serna Elementary communication lapse
Summary
A lifelong Eagle Pass resident told the council a communication breakdown during a safety threat at Serna Elementary left families confused; he asked the city to appoint a liaison to EPISD’s safety committee and to seek a joint nonbinding resolution requesting a public safety briefing from the school district.
EAGLE PASS, Texas — A lifelong resident and registered nurse told the City Council the Serna Elementary incident eroded parent trust and urged the council to seek stronger formal coordination between the city and Eagle Pass Independent School District.
Luis Aranda, who identified himself as a registered nurse, father and lifelong Eagle Pass resident, said the city’s first responders acted “swiftly and professionally” during the incident but that the problem was a failure in information-sharing. “It was in how information was shared, delayed, and at times withheld,” Aranda told the council during the public-comment period.
Aranda asked the council to take two actions: designate a city liaison to be a standing participant on the EPISD school safety and security committee—citing Texas Education Code Section 37.109 as establishing a collaboration expectation between school districts and local emergency officials—and work with the county’s commissioners court on a nonbinding resolution requesting a public safety briefing from EPISD. He said the requested briefing should explain what corrections have been made and what steps are being taken to restore parent confidence.
Why it matters: Aranda framed the requests as measures to reduce panic and restore trust among parents, teachers and students, and as consistent with state law that encourages school-district collaboration with local emergency officials.
Council response and next steps: A council member asked Aranda to leave his phone number with city staff so officials could follow up on his suggested actions. Council staff recorded the request as a follow-up item. No formal council motion on either the liaison designation or the joint resolution was made during the meeting; Aranda’s requests were entered into the public record during citizens communication and will require separate agenda items for formal council action.
Ending: Aranda closed by saying he will continue to advocate for the city’s children and for “safety, honesty, and peace of mind.”
