Socorro ISD meeting turns into finger pointing session from parents demanding answers

Parents lashed out against Socorro Independent School District officials Friday evening.

“You guys didn’t contact us, we had to go to you,” said one parent who says his child, who has autism, was raped at H.D. Hilley Elementary school.

SISD Superintendent Jose Espinoza has tried to assure parents their kids are safe after the rape allegations surfaced.

“No stone will be left unturned in this search for the truth,” said Espinoza.

He told parents the district’s number one priority was the security of their students.

“Our district has gone above and beyond to investigate this matter,” said Espinoza.

The superintendent said during the meeting they have implemented safety measures at the school, including stationing a police officer at school during school hours and setting up to 10 cameras within the school.

For parents, it wasn’t soon enough.

“The point of this meeting was to give the run-around so the people can hear what you white guys want to say not the truth. You guys wanted to brush it under the carpet and you guys didn’t put any attention to us until we went to the media. That’s why we’re here,” said one parent.

Espinoza said they went through all the necessary steps.

“We launched an investigation and contacted the proper authorities, we conducted our internal investigation, we called the City of Socorro police department and we called child protective services,” said Espinoza.

Some parents said that wasn’t the case when they talked to the Hilley Elementary School principal after they reported the rape.

“Is it not true that when we went and reported this incident to Miss Gonzales, she said that she was too busy to do anything about it?” one parent ask SISD administrators.

At one point, Espinoza said the district is doing everything possible to keep students safe.

“We want you to do the impossible to keep our children safe,” one parent answered.