Photo: Kimberly Mateo-Rubio/Twitter
They need to focus on keeping kids safe.
By NyRee Ausler — Written on Nov 03, 2022
Kimberly Mata-Rubio, who lost her 10-year-old daughter, Alexandria “Lexi” Aniyah Rubio in the school shooting that took place on May 24, 2022, at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, took to Twitter to express her anger over a message the school sent her.
On the morning of October 26, Mata-Rubio received a message from the school telling her that her 11-year-old daughter was in violation of the dress code and asking her to bring a change of clothes.
Mateo-Rubio shared a screenshot of the message transcript that read, “if you can please bring either another pair of pant or maybe some leggings so she can put underneath her pants. It looks like the cuts are too high.”
Now the grieving mom is slamming Uvalde for focusing on their dress code instead of security.
She shared her scathing response in a tweet that read: “One thing we’re not going to do is dress code my 11-year-old for some ripped jeans. UCISD, focus on school security. Maybe, if you had, my daughter, her little sister would still be alive.”
Mateo-Rubio’s daughter, Lexi, whom she shared with Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office deputy, Felix Rubio, was among the 19 students and 2 teachers that were slain when a gunman opened fire at the school.
On May 24, an 18-year-old man, Salvador Ramos, clad with body armor wrecked his car near the school.
He was then able to get around the police, enter a classroom, lock himself in, and murder 21 people.
Eventually, an off-duty Border Patrol agent,t whose wife and daughter were in the school, was alleged to have entered the building and shot Ramos to death.
Parents are having a difficult time understanding why 376 law enforcement officers were on the scene, but Ramos was left in a classroom for 77 minutes before finally being stopped.
The gunman, who had turned 18 just eight days before the shooting had amassed an arsenal worth $5,000 despite and history of red flags that were mostly ignored.
In the year before the shooting, Ramos had threatened women, carried a dead cat around, and used the nickname, “school shooter”. Although he was identified as “at-risk” he received no follow-up services and flunked out of school.
In the aftermath of the ordeal, the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District suspended their entire police department. An investigation into the police response is still ongoing.+
Most people agree that Uvalde elementary school is focused on the wrong thing.
School officials have not responded to Mateo-Ramos’ viral tweet about her daughter’s alleged dress code violation, but followers on Twitter have a lot to say about the matter.
One person responded, “They're always so quick to try to do something about things that don't matter but ignore the more serious issues. I'll never understand.”
Others were concerned about the fact that the school was intent on policing girls’ bodies while ignoring more pressing matters. She said, “I have no words. Just another example the girls bodies need to be managed above all else.”
Someone else shared the same sentiment, “The whole policing women and girls. Maybe the boys need to be taught to not objectify. Make that more a subject than this. They have way more important things to worry about as you said school security. I hate that you continue to have to go through this.”
NyRee Ausler is a writer from Seattle, Washington, and the author of seven books. She covers lifestyle and entertainment & news, as well as navigating the workplace and social issues.