Texas Superintendent Resigns After Third-Graders Find His Gun in Bathroom

A handgun in a holster in a file photo. David Ryder/Getty Images

A Texas school district superintendent has resigned after his gun was found in the bathroom by a third-grade student.

Former Superintendent Robby Stuteville submitted his resignation from Rising Star Independent School District on Feb. 20 after news of the firearm incident was made public, according to multiple reports.

School Board Trustees accepted his resignation three days later during a special meeting and appointed secondary school principal Monty Jones as acting superintendent until a replacement is hired.

“No one to my knowledge called for his resignation,” Jones told NBC News. “And the board certainly did not. We were supportive, and we were trying to work through it.”

Stuteville “didn’t feel like it was a situation to where he could carry on without further distractions,” Jones added.

Local law enforcement launched an investigation last week after becoming became aware of the incident that occurred in January.

Rising Star is a small, rural community in Eastland County, about 135 miles southwest of Fort Worth. The town has a population of less than 900.

What Happened?

Last month, a third-grader at Rising Star Elementary found a firearm in the bathroom.

The student reported the discovery to his teacher, who sent the student and another boy back into the bathroom to “be sure that’s what he found,” Jones told NBC.

The students went back to their teacher, who has not been publicly identified, and confirmed that there was a gun in the bathroom stall.

“Once it was determined that’s what it was, they went straight to the superintendent’s office,” Jones said.

The students did not touch the gun, according to Jones.

Stuteville told KRBC that the firearm had been left unattended for approximately 15 minutes and that he was “proud” of the students for reporting it.

It is unclear why the district did not immediately notify law enforcement or parents when the incident occurred.

Jones did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Campus Carry

Stuteville and Jones were permitted to carry their weapons on campus in reaction to the school shootings that have occurred on school campuses across the nation over the last several years.

Both men completed a weeklong firearm and emergency situation training course.

“Be advised that Rising Star ISD will take any means necessary to protect our students and staff,” the district website states.

Investigation

Rising Star Police Chief Don Braly told KTAB that the department is taking the incident “very seriously” and that the situation is under investigation.

“When that investigation is concluded, the information and the facts, not rumors, will be turned over to the district attorney’s office,” Braly said.

Rising Star Police Department did not respond to a request for comment.

Parents Respond

Over two dozen parents attended the emergency school board meeting to voice their concerns over the district’s handling of the incident.

The district did not inform parents about the issue.

Many said they first learned what had happened through “the news,” according to KTAB.

“It makes the school seem like they have something to hide,” one parent reportedly said at the meeting.

Another parent, Giovanni Mata, said that his family had recently moved to the district from Uvalde.

Mata said he did not approve of how the teacher handled the information from the student who initially found the gun.

“So the teacher asked another kid, my son, ‘Can you go see if it’s a real gun?’” Mata reportedly said. “Why would you send a kid? Why not send someone else?”

Still, others said they believed the issue was being blown out of proportion.

“How many of your kids have access to guns in your home?” one parent said to the others who attended. “A bunch of you, including mine. I think it’s a mistake, and I think you pointing fingers at [Stuteville] for doing something like this is wrong.”

But Mata believes some of the parents might feel differently if their child had been the one involved.

“If this was your kid in that situation, I’m sure you would act completely different,” the father said. “You can’t say that was a mistake to leave a gun there.”

School Board of Trustees

The school board issued a statement to parents after it appointed Jones as acting superintendent.

“The past is history and cannot be changed,” the Rising Star Board of Trustees wrote in the statement posted on its website.

“Today we are weathering the storms from past decisions. We are striving to make sure that our children are educated in a safe, loving, healthy, and secure environment.”