HISD investigating after social media account claims photos were taken inside closed schools

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The Houston Independent School District says it is investigating after a social media account posted photos that appear to have been taken inside some of the district’s closed campuses.

HISD closed 12 schools at the end of the last school year as part of a push to consolidate the district. The futures of those campuses remain unknown.

ABC13 visited several of the closed schools on Monday, including Nathaniel Q. Henderson Elementary School in the Fifth Ward. Signs around the entire perimeter warn that the property is under surveillance, and all entrances are padlocked.

Despite that, a social media account claims to feature photos from inside the shuttered building, along with photos from a few other closed campuses.

The district called the activity trespassing.

“Unauthorized entry into closed facilities is illegal and can be dangerous,” HISD said in a statement to Eyewitness News, adding that it is “…concerned about social media content that may encourage trespassing, vandalism, or other illegal activity.”

HISD would not give details on how it is protecting the closed campuses or how many incidents of unauthorized entry have been reported.

Marcus Curry lives near Fleming Middle School, one of the campuses featured on the account. He said that since the school closed earlier this year, he hasn’t noticed any obvious signs of people trying to get in. But he said he is worried the social media posts could encourage others to try and get inside and damage the building.

“Yeah, because if it’s boarded up or closed down, you really don’t want nobody messing with your stuff,” Curry said.

A resident who lives near Franklin Elementary School didn’t want to give her name but said she has seen district police patrol around that campus but is not surprised to hear about potential unauthorized entry.

“Not really, because it’s abandoned and the lights are still on,” the resident said.

When asked about plans for the shuttered campuses, HISD said it continues to evaluate the closed properties as part of its long-term planning.

ABC13 reached out to the social media account and is waiting to hear back.

The Harris County District Attorney’s office said that if someone entered a closed HISD building and didn’t commit other crimes like vandalism or theft, they could be charged with criminal trespassing, punishable by a fine or up to a year in jail.

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