MFISD again aims to curb middle school misbehavior at H-E-B
Recent online comments have accused Marble Falls Middle School students of bad behavior at H-E-B in Marble Falls. The grocery store is across the street from the school. File photo
Marble Falls school district officials are again looking to crack down on purported poor behavior by some of its middle school students at the Marble Falls H-E-B, which is across Pony Drive from the campus. The issue was previously addressed by the store in March 2023.
The decision follows recent online comments from residents on sites such as Nextdoor alleging that students entering the store after school are stealing merchandise, vandalizing property, and accosting shoppers.
“These teens need a wake-up call,” one Nextdoor commenter wrote. “Where are the parents?”
Marble Falls Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Jeff Gasaway told DailyTrib.com he is personally contacting H-E-B representatives to address the problem.
“I’m going to be reaching out to H-E-B to find out what we can do as a collective to help them and also to ensure that the reputation of our students remains good and strong,” he said, adding that he was not aware of any cases of shoplifting.
The superintendent encouraged families to follow school protocol by collecting their students in the designated pickup lines at Marble Falls Middle School. Some parents have been picking up their children in the H-E-B parking lot.
“Hopefully, if parents will pick up their kids in the drop-off and pickup lines, that will curtail the problems with kids going over there,” Gasaway said.
An email sent to parents on April 18 by Marble Falls Middle School Principal Rudy Gonzalez echoed Gasaway’s concerns.
“For the safety of our kids, they really should be waiting here at the school to get picked up,” the email reads. “For our kiddos that walk home, we really need them to walk directly home and not linger at our local businesses.”
Gasaway invited families who can’t pick up students in a timely manner to inquire about the campus’ ACE program, an after-school tutoring program.
“We’ve got an ability for kids to get academic help and improve their grades by participating in the ACE program after school,” he said. “We’re going to be encouraging our kids to do that.”
Gasaway also reminded residents about the district’s lack of authority over students misbehaving off campus after school.
“We want our kids to always be a great reflection of us, their parents, and the community,” he said. “With that being said, when a student leaves Marble Falls ISD property, our ability to address concerns of their behavior off our property is very limited.”
2 thoughts on “MFISD again aims to curb middle school misbehavior at H-E-B”
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I have been on HEB when the kids come in after school also. It is sad that all students have to be judged by the actions of a few, but it was very disturbing to observe the misbehavior. There was running and very foul language. A cashier told me that she had observed some shoplifting. I have seen it more than once. I try to avoid the store at that time.
I have been in HEB and the kids ..mostly females are running in the isles and using language that some sailors wouldn’t even say ! After school kids has no business in the store unless they are there to purchase an item or with parents.In this day and age it is not safe for them to be wondering all over unattended.