Only Bryan ISD school board members and some administrators know the level of safety and security in district buildings.
No information or statements were presented before or after the board during their March 27, 2023 meeting approved an audit report that is required by the Texas Education Code to be conducted every three years.
WTAW News request for a copy of the audit report was denied.
Bryan ISD’s assistant director of safety and security Rich Himmel told WTAW News “that we are very happy with the information, the feedback that we get from the state (about the audit). And they are very happy with us.”
When asked for specifics about the audit, Himmel said “those results are exempted (from) disclosure to the public. And that’s what I can tell you.”
WTAW News was told by a representative of the Texas Association of Broadcasters that school districts can decide whether or not to release this report.
Meantime, surprise security inspections continue at school district buildings around the state. In Bryan ISD, officials reported two incidents from inspections last fall. At one unidentified location, an exterior door located behind a locked fence did not close properly. At at second unidentified location, an interior door was not closed and locked. That was something that is not required by the state but is required by the district.
Since then, Himmel said there have been an undisclosed number of surprise inspections. When asked for details, Himmel said “We have been happy with the results” and “there have not been any unpleasant surprises.”
Himmel joined Bryan ISD in November 2022 after four years supervising security officers at the Bush Library and before that spending 27 years in southern California with the Orange County sheriff’s department.
Click below for comments from Rich Himmel, visiting with WTAW’s Bill Oliver.