By Robert Jordan, Founder of SITE|SAFETYNET℠
Texas Mother Charged for Aiding Planned School Attack: A Wake-Up Call for School Safety Stakeholders. A San Antonio mother is facing terrorism-related charges after allegedly supplying her son with tactical gear and ammunition used to plan a potential mass school attack. According to law enforcement, Ashley Pardo, 33, provided her teenage son with the means to prepare for a violent assault at Jeremiah Rhodes Middle School — despite multiple warnings from police, child protective services, and school personnel.
Pardo was arrested and charged with aiding in the commission of terrorism after investigators discovered she intentionally supported her son’s plan, reportedly in exchange for babysitting duties. Authorities noted her consistent refusal to take his behavior seriously, even after he expressed a desire to commit mass violence and showed signs of radicalization, including white supremacist symbols and references to known mass shooters.
On May 12, the student arrived at school wearing tactical clothing and left shortly after, sparking an urgent security response from school officials. Police increased their presence, swept the campus for explosives, and detained the student off-site later that day. That same day, the student’s grandmother discovered a homemade explosive device in his bedroom — bearing references to the 2019 Christchurch mosque shooter — along with live ammunition and disturbing handwritten notes.
This incident was not isolated. Earlier in the year, school officials had flagged violent drawings and behavior, including a labeled “suicide route,” manifestos, and online research into mass shootings using a school-issued device. Despite repeated alerts, Pardo told school staff she was “not concerned.”
Pardo has been released on a $75,000 bond and awaits her court appearance in July. Meanwhile, school leadership emphasized their commitment to student safety and swift response protocols in a letter to families.
Why This Matters to All of Us
This chilling case underscores a central tenet of our mission at SITE|SAFETYNET℠: school safety is not a one-time effort — it requires proactive, continuous assessment and a unified response from all adults in a child’s life.
This was preventable.
The warning signs were there.
The system responded.
However, one adult’s failure to act responsibly nearly cost lives.
Let this serve as a wake-up call for educators, law enforcement, mental health professionals, and parents. No school can do this alone.
We must empower communities to identify and act on red flags before tragedy unfolds. That’s why our real-time Dynamic Safety Score (DSS) system exists — to give schools and families tools to detect risks, mobilize support, and stay vigilant.
