PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Students at Wellington High School returned to campus on Monday for the first time since a concerning incident that led to the arrest of two students.
The situation unfolded Thursday when bullets were discovered on school grounds, prompting heightened anxiety and questions among parents and guardians about safety measures and protocols in place.
WATCH: Parents share concerns with WPTV's Joel Lopez
WPTV's Joel Lopez has been at the forefront of covering this story, listening to parents' concerns and pushing for more information from the Palm Beach County School District.
These are a few of the many messages he received over Easter weekend as parents turned to him for answers:
"Why haven't we heard from law enforcement directly? It feels like, in light of the recent FSU shooting, this situation is being downplayed — possibly to avoid public scrutiny," said one of the messages by a concerned parent.
Since the incident, many parents have expressed confusion and urgency for updates.
"More transparency. What actions were taken to ensure that today's initial check in was covered?" said Wievke Maule.
"You think that would've made your student feel a little safer going into school?" asked Lopez.
"And myself, yes, I believe so," said Maule.
Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office only assisted on Thursday and did not have answers on the investigation.
Despite efforts to obtain direct responses, requests for interviews with Superintendent Mike Burke and Palm Beach County School Police Chief Sarah Mooney were redirected to a standard letter from Cara Gorham, the principal of Wellington High School, that Lopez had already received from parents.
This provided limited information, only confirming that search dogs had been deployed and did not find any weapons on campus, which offered some reassurance to parents.
As emotions remained high, many families voiced their feelings of uncertainty.
“I asked him if he was nervous; I could tell his mood was a bit anxious,” said Maule, who was picking up her freshman son. Other parents shared their gratitude for Gorham's letter, although many still felt left in the dark regarding the specifics of the incident.
"On a personal note, I've already requested mental health resources for my daughter from the school, because she was terrified to return to class. The rumors, the uncertainty, and the lack of transparency have taken a toll on her, and i know she's not the only student feeling this way," said one parent in a message to Lopez.
WATCH: 2 students arrested after bullets found at Wellington High School
Gorham noted that school police believed they had identified how the bullets came to be on campus but did not elaborate, stating, "We are unable to share those specifics in order to protect the integrity of those safety protocols."
This lack of transparency has left parents feeling uneasy.
“We will never know, and that part is disturbing,” said Maule.
Further adding to the discussion, Bob Miracola, who was picking up his senior grandson, stated, “The security is good, but I think we need to beef up the security for these kids. In high school at this age, it’s pretty scary.”
WATCH: Parents question how bullets got into Wellington High School
Lopez asked parents what changes their children noticed on campus; students reported being asked to open large metal water bottles upon entering the school. They say previously, they were instructed to hold the containers above the metal detectors or to pass them around the sides — a practice that raised questions about the effectiveness of current procedures.
Parents from other schools in the district have expressed similar practices to Lopez, the school district has not responded to the claims.
Parents are eager to understand the thoroughness of the safety checks conducted.
“I would love to know what they did, what they searched, how long they were here for, and how thorough they were,” Maule expressed.
Despite WPTV's ongoing attempts to reach out to Palm Beach County School board members, including Marcia Andrews, who represents the Wellington area, there has been no response.
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'Tell us the truth': Parents question how bullets got into Wellington High
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