A Baytown town hall, driven by students, highlighted urgent safety concerns following a fatal school stabbing, with calls for improved communication.
BAYTOWN, Texas — A Friday evening Baytown town hall heard students and adults calling for change after a student was stabbed to death in December at Sterling High School.
The five students who put the Baytown student safety coalition together said they came together in the immediate aftermath of Andrew Meismer’s death to ensure the district hears their safety concerns.
Dozens of Goose Creek CISD parents and students sat inside a packed Love United Methodist Church on Friday evening. One by one, people spoke about safety concerns.
“Throughout all this fear, my only source of information was Facebook.”
“Today we’re worried about if a popping balloon is a gunshot.”
“We truly believed our lives were in danger [when the fatal stabbing occurred]. My body froze, but then I ran, too.”
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This town hall was started by Sterling High School students, including Ace Ellis.
“This is a way for people to hear us in a way that’s non-threatening. We want to collaborate, and we believe this is a way for our demands to be known and to be heard,” Ellis said.
Ellis is one of several students who formed the Baytown Student Safety Coalition shortly after the death of their classmate.
“Communication is very important, and that day, December 17th, there was a complete lack of communication on what exactly was happening, and it caused panic, and it caused fear,” Ellis said.
Students and parents have been asking for safety solutions since 16-year-old Meisner was stabbed to death, allegedly by 18-year-old Aundre Matthews at school in December.
Among those present at the town hall were Meismer’s parents and incoming Goose Creek CISD Superintendent Joe Rodriguez.
“How do you think stepping in, you’ll be able to take those concerns and take put them to the front of rebuilding trust with the district?” KHOU 11 Reporter Amanda Henderson asked Rodriguez.
“There’s going to be plenty of conversations, but it’s going to take action,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said one course of action is to have conversations. He tells us there is intent to meet with students as well as staff in this new semester, which will be his first on the job in GCCISD.
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