Pearland school trustees are taking a hard look at the district’s policies and procedures in the wake of two gun incidents on school property in the last six months.

School district trustees had plenty to say about the Jan. 27 gun incident when they reconvened after a closed-door executive session earlier this month.

A Dell company employee carried a handgun with him to the January meeting of the school district’s information technology staff. A district employee reported the incident after the meeting ended, and Pearland police were called.

“From what I understand, it was a mistake on his part,” Pearland police Lt. Onesimo Lopez said. “(The Dell employee) forgot that he had it with him … that it was packed in his bag.”

In August, Athletic Director Mike Watson retired after his suspension for allegedly bringing a weapon onto district property. Trustees on Feb. 9 named Ben Pardo as the district’s new athletic director.

Trustee Suzy Roberts, who went public with the January incident, had said she expected some board members to try to sanction her for publicizing the second gun incident. She asked district officials to review federal whistleblower laws that protect employees who report violations of rules or laws within their organization.

“Your comments can’t be inhibited,” Roberts told trustees at a Feb. 9 board meeting. “I understand that the whistleblower (statute) doesn’t exactly apply to me, but (should be considered) in the interest of what is fair and right. Sometimes people shine a light on something.”

Meanwhile, no effort was made at the meeting to sanction Roberts for publicizing the January incident. But trustees had no lack of opinions about the incident when they returned from the closed-door session.

“I think forwarding the e-mail from (Superintendent Bonny Cain about the incident) to the media was an inappropriate action by a trustee,” trustee Adele Brennan said of Roberts. “Appropriate actions were being taken and the release to the media was a hysterical act without purpose.”

Trustee Lillian Smith agreed, saying that Roberts pushed aside the district’s internal investigation procedures and showed little respect for the board of trustees’ code of conduct.

“These procedures have not been followed,” Smith said. “The code of conduct has been broken. And, it appears in my own personal opinion that it is the intent to undermine this district, to make this district look bad in anything and everything that is done in that area.

“We are trustees and it is our job as trustees to, as I’ve believe I’ve actually heard you say at one time, support the district,” Smith told Roberts. “And your actions are not supportive of the district.”