UVALDE, Texas — Robb Elementary School Principal Mandy Gutierrez has been fully reinstated to her position and is no longer on paid administrative leave.
Uvalde CISD Superintendent Hal Harrell notified Gutierrez via letter that she'd be allowed to return to work, while also thanking her for sending a Wednesday letter seeking to clarify conclusions drawn by the Texas House investigative committee's report about Robb security flaws.
Gutierrez had been on paid leave since Monday.
In her letter to the investigative committee, she defended herself against claims that she had become complacent regarding safety in her first year as Robb principal. In regards to the classroom 111 door being faulty, the principal wrote neither she nor her predecessor had "no recollection or record of those complaints" from teachers.
She also clarified the report's comments about her not using the intercom system to communicate a lockdown alert at Robb .
"The reason for this is because I was trained NOT to use the PA system in these situations," she wrote. "Our training emphasized that using the Public Address System could compound the problem in creating a panic situation with students and an alert to the one or more gunman that was present to do maximum harm."
Gutierrez is a Uvalde CISD veteran who just completed her first year as Robb Elementary School principal.
(Read the superintendent's full letter below.)
Pete Arredondo, the embattled district police chief blamed for playing a central role in the failed law enforcement response on May 24, remains on unpaid administrative leave from Uvalde CISD.