HARRIS COUNTY — A seventh-grade student at Bleyl Middle School in Harris County was allegedly sexually assaulted by another student on campus, prompting a criminal investigation and criticism of the school’s initial response. The incident is still under investigation by Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (CFISD) officials and police.

The student’s parents first learned of the alleged assault from her therapist. The father went to school administrators on a Friday morning and requested a school resource officer. Administrators issued a no-contact order between the students and said they began investigating immediately after receiving the complaint before Memorial Day weekend. CFISD stated it implemented safety measures and provided an update the same day.

The family called CFISD police directly on Monday evening to file a formal report. Police told the family they should have been contacted immediately, that evidence including the student’s clothing should have been collected, and that the student should have been sent for a victim’s exam at the hospital. The family says they never spoke with a CFISD police officer following the initial report to school administrators. The mother said, “Right now, I have zero faith in the public school system.” She added, “When you ask for a school resource officer, one should automatically be called.” She also said, “We can still make up for it and we can make sure that other young girls are safe and we make sure that you’re safe for the rest of your education.”

CFISD stated that it follows state law and coordinates with law enforcement as required. Texas Education Code §37.015 mandates that school principals notify police about serious offenses, including sexual assault. The district said consequences will be applied in accordance with the student Code of Conduct and school board policy after the investigation concludes. The family is pursuing criminal charges against the student accused of the assault.