SAN ANTONIO — One angry mom who lives near Kate Schenck Elementary said she was shocked and scared when she saw a nearly naked person sprawled out on the grounds of the school, just a few yards from the building's marquee Thursday.
"He was on the school grounds in the grass, by the sidewalk. I thought he was dead!" the mom, who didn't want to give her name, said.
She said she called 911 because she thought maybe the person had been hit by a car.
"Then he started moving his fingers, his hand, he was holding a cigarette and I told the police he was alive and they said they would send someone out."
The mom said when the person started moving around, she became angry because they were mostly nude.
"Having his front part out. Having his buttocks showing? It's indecency," the mom said, adding that as a long-time resident, she doesn't believe elementary aged children should be exposed to such a display.
"I don’t think that's something that a child should see because once a child sees it, it's something you cannot un-see or forget. It's engraved in your memory. It's engraved in your thoughts, and I think we need our streets cleaned up," the mom said.
When the woman posted her concerns on a social media platform, the comments section blew up, with people both outraged and sympathetic to the plight of the person, who many believe might have mental health issues.
The mom said no matter what background issues may be at play, children deserve protection.
"You can do what you want inside your own home, but when you're putting it on school property that's a no-no," the mom said.
People who live and work in the area around Goliad and Southeast Military spoke privately about the situation, saying they have been watching the person for about two years. Many said they didn't feel threatened by the behavior, but most expressed discomfort at the idea of kids being exposed to nude displays as they walk to and from school.
The mom who complained to the school and police said "When you're showing off your parts and stripping in public? That's a no-no! He stripped over here in front of O'Reilly's. He's taken off his clothes along Goliad Road and I'm tired of it and I have kids and I won't allow it."
The mom said she asked staff at the school to get SAISD police to remove the man from the campus, but they said it was a problem for San Antonio Police.
The mom said she called SAPD, twice, and waited more than an hour and never saw an officer show up.
SAPD said they did send an officer, but by the time they arrived, the person had moved on and could not be located.
Friday, an SAISD spokesperson provided the following statement about their efforts:
"A concern of neighbors near one of our schools was brought to our attention and our district police have been notified. Officers will be vigilant as they patrol the area and will address any future incident of this nature."
The woman who complained does have case numbers and records of her contact with SAPD on her phone. She said she plans to follow up with detectives and see if there is a way for her to pursue formal charges.