Parents say Santa Fe ISD not doing enough to protect students

SANTA FE, Texas (FOX 26) - It can make your heart flutter to see a crowd of students clustered outside Santa Fe High School but thankfully, it is only a drill.  

A few days ago, Scot Rice conducted his own drill. His wife was wounded in the Santa Fe high school shooting in May.

"Yeah, I'm really not happy right now," said Rice. Not happy because of what he found.

"Started walking around, checking doors and they were all locked," described Rice. "Nobody came up to ask me what I was doing or who I was or who I was with."

It didn't get any better for him when he went to the fieldhouse and captured some video.

"I walked into the fieldhouse and the kids were playing football and track was going on," added Rice. "No security. An hour and a half."

Even when a team from Alvin showed up for a game. Two of the children at football practice were Jeff Farris' boys.

"Not good, not good at all," said Farris. "Concerned. I feel like my kids aren't safe. I feel all the kids aren't safe. I'm a concerned parent not just for my kids but all the kids."

Rice and Farris said the police told them the only officer on duty that afternoon was following school buses. Santa Fe Independent School District has been increasing security in some regards. During the summer, police officers were guarding football practices.

The district recently installed metal detectors by the front entrance of the high school. But since the shooting, there have been several threats and even an on-campus arrest of a student this week. Nerves are raw.

Granted, there have been no repeat school shootings, not one, but that's no comfort to worried parents.

"They say you can't get hit by lightning twice and it happens. It could happen anywhere."

FOX 26 News brought these concerns to the attention of the district spokeswoman who said that she's eager to talk directly to and work with the parents about them.