On April 2, 2025, our safety was shattered.

At the UIL 5A track meet at David Kuykendall Stadium, students, parents, and teachers witnessed an unthinkable act of violence. Austin Metcalf, a 17-year-old student at Memorial High School, was fatally stabbed. A young life, full of dreams and potential, was taken. 

And the painful truth? This could have been prevented.

Moments after the incident occurred, we realized that the killer had gone to our school and walked the same hallways that we did. No one- not the teachers, other students, or Austin could have ever imagined something like this could happen in a place where we are supposed to feel safe, supported, and protected.

For years, Frisco ISD has been proud of being voted the safest school district in the entirety of the United States. We’ve been told that our schools are the model for safety and care. But the tragic events that occurred just less than 10 hours ago make it clear that this is no longer true. How can we claim to be the safest district when students can walk into a school event with weapons and nothing stops them?

Right now, Frisco ISD only enforces bag checks and a clear bag policy for football games, but this needs to change. The reality is that now more than ever, we need these security measures at all school events. The safety of our students cannot depend on the type of event they attend.

We are calling on Frisco ISD to take immediate action and implement the following comprehensive safety measures:

1. A clear bag policy combined with bag checks to ensure nothing harmful is hidden in personal belongings at all outside school events.
2. Increased security officers at every event, trained in de-escalation and with immediate access to local law enforcement if needed.
3. Enhanced screenings for athletes and performers before entering restricted areas, ensuring no weapons are brought onto the field or stage.

Dallas ISD has already implemented a clear bag policy, seeing a decrease in both violence, and crime. 

Austin’s family, our friends, and every student deserve to feel safe. We cannot let this tragedy be ignored. The stimulus for them was a mass shooting. The stimulus for our city is Austin's story and the future he had ahead of him, all taken away by one knife within moments.

Frisco ISD can no longer claim to be the safest district when events like this are allowed to happen. Therefore, we're urging you to join us in our petition to help the betterment of the safety of the community we've believed was safe for far too long.