A foundation born out of tragedy is bringing hope to local students and their families.
The Uvalde Foundation for Kids formed after 19 students and two teachers were killed at Robb Elementary School last year, and organizers are hoping to end school violence nationwide.
Now, the nonprofit is focusing its efforts on Spring Independent School District where staff said the violence is out of control.
From issues like kids bringing guns to school, and students beating up teachers and each other, Spring ISD staff members tell us something has got to change.
“Not only are the teachers afraid, but the kids are afraid,” said a woman who tells us she’s proud to be an education administrator but asked us not to identify her out of fear of retaliation by her employer, Spring ISD.
Still, she says she can’t keep quiet about glaring issues of violence and bullying on the campuses.
“We’ve had kids commit suicide since I’ve been there,” she said.
Last month, the Assistant Principal at Westfield High School ended up in the hospital after her family says she was beat up by a student while trying to break up a fight.
Daniel Chapin is the founder of the Uvalde Foundation for Kids.
“We want to reach out and let that district [Spring ISD] know that their struggle is not in vain, it’s not isolated. [And] that there are additional resources available to them,” Chapin said. “We’ve already opened up our 24-hour, seven days a week mental health care line.”
Other free offered resources could include actual boots on the ground in school districts like Spring ISD, which is said to have only a few officers.
“If you think of the Guardian Angels in the 1970s, the anti-crime group that volunteers, you know what I’m referring to? This is literally an exact replica of that program,” he said.
Chapin says he has a meeting call with Spring ISD officials Thursday at 9 a.m. to discuss possible plans of action.
He says the foundation also works with individual educators, students, and parents needing help.