EPISD Seeks Attorney General Approval to Withhold Records in Armando Cerna Elementary Threat Case
EAGLE PASS, TX — Eagle Pass ISD has requested the Texas Attorney General’s permission to withhold nearly all records related to the reported threat incident at Armando Cerna Elementary, according to filings made between October 10 and November 20. Only a small portion of documents, three categories in total, were released, while all remaining materials were either withheld or labeled as nonexistent.
The information comes from the district’s official disclosure list, released on November 20 in response to a Public Information Act request submitted by The Maverick Times. The Deputy Superintendent’s document details exactly what EPISD did and did not release.
Read: Records Show Communication Gaps After Threat at Armando Cerna Elementary
District Withholds Key Records Pending Attorney General Ruling
For many requested items, the district responded with a single statement:
“The responsive documents for this request have been submitted to the Office of the Attorney General for review. The decision is pending at this time.”
This language appears for the following categories:
• Threat assessments, investigative summaries, internal memoranda, and after-action reviews
• Written threats, notes, or any “kill list”
• Personnel or administrative actions related to the incident
These categories include many of the most critical documents that would show how school administrators and district police handled the incident.
District Declares Several Categories “No Documents to Disclose”
The district stated that certain highly requested categories do not exist, including:
• External law-enforcement communications
• Surveillance videos
• Body-worn camera or in-car recordings
• Reports made to TEA or the Texas School Safety Center
• System indexes showing where EPISD stores communications or incident data
• De-identified disciplinary documentation
These “no documents” responses raise questions about what information was created, retained, or communicated during and after the incident.
Only Three Categories of Records Released
The district released only three types of documents:
- A teacher’s early-morning text message sent on September 23, showing fear, confusion, and lack of reassurance from administrators
- A parent letter issued by Principal Juan Leija on September 23
- September 23 alerts, including email, text, voice messages, ParentSquare posts, and the Eagle Pass Police Department’s public service announcement
No additional internal or investigative records were released.
Seven Filings Submitted to the Attorney General
The district’s disclosure list confirms seven separate filings were made to the Attorney General involving this case. These include filings related to both Parent Advocate Luis Aranda’s earlier request and The Maverick Times’ November 3 request.
These filings were submitted on:
• October 10
• October 15
• October 29
• November 5
• November 13
• November 19
• November 20
The filings include 10-day letters, 15-day letters, and an amended 15-day letter. The district invoked numerous provisions of the Texas Public Information Act to justify withholding, including confidentiality of juvenile law-enforcement information, internal memoranda protections, and educator evaluation confidentiality.
What Remains Unknown
Based on the disclosure list, key questions remain unanswered:
• What exactly was written in the threatening notes?
• What internal communications took place among the principal, superintendent, and police chief?
• What disciplinary actions, if any, were taken following the threat?
• What findings, if any, are contained in threat assessments or investigative summaries?
All of these documents were either withheld or claimed to not exist.
Attorney General Decision Pending
The Texas Attorney General has not yet ruled on whether EPISD must release the withheld records. Until the ruling is issued, the district is allowed to keep the materials confidential.
The outcome will determine the level of transparency available to parents, employees, and the community regarding how EPISD handled a threat at one of its elementary campuses.
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