Uvalde Mayor Says Robb Elementary School to Be Demolished
Mayor Don McLaughlin announced during a Uvalde Council meeting on Tuesday, June 21, that Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, will be demolished in the wake of the shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers, according to national news.
“My understanding—and I had this discussion with the superintendent—is that the school will be demolished,” he said. “You can never ask a child to go back or a teacher to go back in that school, ever.” No further details on the timeline of the demolition were available.
Texas-based grocery store chain H-E-B and its owners, the Butt family, announced that they are committing $10 million toward the construction of a replacement facility. The donations were made to the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District Moving Forward Foundation, Uvalde CISD’s new nonprofit arm.
The Texas Tribune reports that the district will hold open community meetings so that students and families can provide input on the new school’s design. The district is partnering with Fort Worth-based architecture firm Huckabee and San Antonio-based construction company Joeris on the new facility, and both companies will provide their services free of charge. The donation from the Butt family and H-E-B will go toward construction and planning materials.
“Our first store in Uvalde opened in 1959, and Uvalde people are our people,” said Charles Butt in a statement. “As we continue to mourn tremendous loss, I join with my family and H-E-B in working to ensure the Uvalde community can move forward from this tragic event. Our children are this country’s future, and our schools should be a safe place where children can thrive and envision new possibilities.”
The school district has also announced its plans for the coming school year. Robb Elementary School students will be relocated to two other schools within the district. Most students will relocate to Flores Elementary, home to most of the district’s fifth- and sixth-graders. Students entering second grade this fall will attend Dalton Elementary, home to students in pre-K through first grade.
“I’m just immensely grateful,” said Hal Harrell, Uvalde CISD superintendent. “Humanity showed up in a great big way…Our kids are our future, and the best foot forward is a great education. And I truly believe that this new building will go a long way in manifesting that for our students here in Uvalde.”
About the Author
Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at mjones@1105media.com.