The Community Independent School District in Collin County is taking a closer look at campus safety after another lockdown at Community High School.
District leaders met Tuesday night for an emergency board meeting to discuss new security measures, just days after police say a 17-year-old student brought a loaded gun to school on Oct. 1. That student was arrested and has been expelled, according to the district.
For parents like Deanna Easley, the incident hit close to home. She said her 15-year-old daughter, Lily, is still shaken nearly a week later.
"Honestly, is my kid going to come home today is the thought when you are a parent," Easley said.
This is not the first safety scare for the district. Community High School went into lockdown in September after a separate threat, and another gun was found in a student's backpack in May. The district has since posted a list of new security updates on its website.
Easley recalled the moment she saw a text message her daughter tried to send during last week's lockdown.
"She showed me the text she tried to send me, and it said, 'We're having a lockdown. This is not a drill. In case I don't make it home, I want you to tell my sister I love her so, so much.' That is not something that a parent should ever have to deal with," Easley said.
Parents packed the boardroom on Tuesday night, demanding stronger security and more accountability from district leaders.
"There were 31 school days between two separate incidents of firearms at Community High School," one parent said.
"We simply cannot wait to react. We need proactive, preventative steps now," another added.
"At the end of the day, our goal is shared -- to keep our school safe, welcoming, and focused on learning," said another parent.
Community ISD Police Chief Brad Merritt told parents that every campus already has an assigned officer, but acknowledged that more needs to be done.
"I'm on your side," Merritt said.
He proposed several upgrades, including metal detectors, additional officers, a clear bag policy, and new AI camera software that could detect weapons before someone enters a school building.
"Think of the exterior cameras ... to detect weapons prior to even coming into the facility," Merritt said.
His proposal was met with applause and a unanimous vote from the board to move forward with the changes.
In the meantime, Easley said she plans to enroll Lily in therapy. With an 11-year-old daughter also attending middle school, she said safety remains her top concern.
"I don't want her to live in fear. I do want her to be aware. I think there's a balance with being resilient," Easley said. "We've got to take action as parents while also supporting our students and making sure that they are loved."
The district also plans to train its narcotics dog to detect weapons. The board has not yet said how much the new safety measures will cost or how they will be funded.