HOUSTON – School districts in the Houston area commonly rent their facilities to unaffiliated groups, Channel 2 Investigates found.
The issue is of particular importance following a terrorist attack at a Garland ISD-owned conference center on Sunday.
While it was not immediately clear Monday what rental policies are in place at Garland ISD, it was clear that the school district and local and federal law enforcement officials were prepared for trouble.
"It started several months ago when Garland ISD got word of this event being booked there. There were security concerns with them," Garland police officer Joe Harn said.
Harn said that the organizers of the controversial event were charged an extra $10,000 for beefed-up security.
Houston ISD, Cy-Fair ISD, Aldine ISD, Galveston ISD, Clear Creek ISD and Spring Branch ISD rent facilities with varying restrictions. Each school district appears to use open-ended language that seems to allow the districts to reject some groups, organizations, and businesses while accepting others.
HISD's policy regarding facility rental states the following:
"In accordance with Board Policy, the facilities of the Houston Independent School District (District) are available for rental to outside organizations. Rental of facilities are limited to educational, religious, governmental, and civic groups [such] as nonprofit organizations and to profit-making organizations such as daycare centers, credit unions, dance studios, etc. Facilities may not be used by outside organizations without a valid rental contract. The availability of facilities for functions other than the District's own activities is subject to the needs and the convenience of the District."