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Sterling HS students hold town hall following classmate's on-campus death
Baytown students were calling for change during their town hall Friday night two weeks after their classmate was allegedly stabbed by another student on campus. FOX 26's Sherman Desselle gives a recap of the town hall.
BAYTOWN, Texas - Two weeks after a fatal campus fight claimed the life of a student, the Sterling High School community is seeking answers and demanding policy changes.
Sterling HS town hall
What we know:
Students and parents gathered Friday evening for a town hall meeting at Love United Methodist Church.
The forum, organized by the newly-developed Baytown Student Safety Coalition, served as a direct response to the Dec. 17 death of Andrew Meismer, a student at Ross S. Sterling High School who was killed during an altercation on school grounds.
Andrew Meismer (Photo provided by family)
Coalition members outlined several failures they claim occurred during and after the fatal altercation. One student described a chaotic scene where students were placed on a "hold" without explanation, leading to widespread panic.
"No one told us what happened," she said, noting that many students relied on social media for updates because school staff and teachers were not provided with real-time information.
A student-led coalition hosted a community town hall. The meeting was focused on safety in Goose Creek ISD schools after the fatal stabbing involving students on campus Dec. 17
What's next:
The coalition presented three primary demands for the district:
Specialized Oversight: The appointment of a dedicated, certified Campus Behavior Coordinator. Students say currently, the principal fulfills this role, but students argue a specialized official is necessary.
Separated Discipline: Stricter use of disciplinary alternative education programs to separate students with repeat offenses from the general population.
Improved Crisis Response: A complete overhaul of communication protocols, including immediate notification to teachers during emergencies.
"There has been a complete lack of communication from GCCISD and Sterling in the weeks that follow Andrew's passing," said student Ace Ellis. "Their apathetic approach leads us students to feel unimportant to our district. More like tests scores and people. We believe that our district owes students and victims alike an acknowledgment of the tragedy that took place on their property, a recognition of the missteps they have taken, and the plans that prevent future violent acts from occurring."
Student killed in fight
The backstory:
According to authorities, Meismer died from stab wounds sustained during the fight.
The suspect, 18-year-old Aundre Matthews, remains in Harris County custody on a murder charge. Court proceedings for Matthews are expected to resume next week.
Court documents state the two got into a fight over the sale of a $21 THC vape pen.
Matthews has a $3 million bond.
Sterling HS student accused of stabbing classmate to death over vape gets $3M bond
Bond has been set at $3 million for a Goose Creek CISD Sterling High School student accused of stabbing a classmate to death with a pair of scissors over a $21 vape pen.
Community concerns
Local perspective:
The town hall comes amid mounting frustration with Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School District's leadership.
Community members have raised questions regarding the suspect’s alleged disciplinary history, claiming that prior red flags may have been overlooked.
The meeting was attended by Meismer’s parents and several district officials, including the newly appointed superintendent, who is set to officially begin his tenure next week at the start of the spring semester.
While most school board members present declined to comment, the incoming superintendent spoke with reporters following the forum. He confirmed he has met with the Meismer family and expressed a desire to bridge the gap between the administration and the student body.
"I’m very encouraged by what I observed," said Rodriguez. "It takes a lot of courage and passion to unite and deliver the type of message that they delivered today. So that’s one of the reasons why I said the conversation will not stop here. It will continue, and I look forward to having further conversations with them."
Coalition members asked for further feedback from the community and plan on hosting more events in the future.
The Source: FOX 26's Sherman Desselle attended Friday's Town Hall meeting.