Baytown Sterling High School: Bond Denied in Deadly Stabbing Case as Students Return

Bond Decision for Accused Student

• ⚖️ A judge has denied bond for Andre Matthews, the 18-year-old accused of murdering 16-year-old Andrew Meismer.
• ✂️ Prosecutors allege Matthews used a pair of scissors during a dispute over a THC vape pen inside an empty classroom.
• 🏫 Matthews was reportedly enrolled in a special education program and had a documented pattern of escalating behavior, including bringing a kitchen knife to school previously.
• ⚠️ The judge ruled Matthews posed a danger to the community, citing Texas's new constitutional amendment 11D.

Student Return and Safety Concerns

• 🏫 Students returned to Sterling High School for the first time since the stabbing, following winter break.
• ✊ Many students gathered to protest and express safety concerns following the incident.
• ✅ Students and parents expressed relief that bond was denied, aiming to feel safer within their community.

Victim's Family and Student Advocacy

• 💔 Members of the victim's family, including Andrew Meismer's mother, were present in court.
• 🤝 A senior student leader conveyed a message of support to the victim's family, stating, "We are here for you. We are all fighting for you and that we are going to get justice for Andrew."
• 💬 The new superintendent of Goose Creek CISD has agreed to meet with students and parents to discuss safety concerns later this week.