H.R. No. 2418
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Superintendent Richard Baumgartner of the Rise
Academy charter school in Lubbock demonstrated great courage in
rescuing one of his teachers during a violent incident on May 10,
2011; and
WHEREAS, On that day, a troubled man burst into the office at
Rise Academy, where he told the secretary he had killed his mother
and asked her to call 9-1-1; he then locked himself into
Superintendent Baumgartner's office with a teacher and threatened
to assault her at knife point; and
WHEREAS, Arriving on the scene, Mr. Baumgartner realized his
coworker was in grave danger and decided he could not wait for the
police and quickly forced the door open by slamming it with his
shoulder; this distracted the assailant from the teacher, who
escaped, but in the commotion, Mr. Baumgartner was wounded; he then
picked up a chair to defend himself and talked to the man until the
police arrived; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Baumgartner's swift and caring response came as
little surprise to those who know him; a native of Kalamazoo,
Michigan, he committed himself at an early age to improving the
prospects of impoverished Americans through education; after
working with innovative educator Marva Collins at her Westside
Preparatory School in Chicago, he founded Rise Academy in Lubbock
in 1999; and
WHEREAS, Richard Baumgartner risked his own life to ensure
the safety of a person in tremendous peril, and he is indeed worthy
of special recognition for his remarkable heroism; now, therefore,
be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
Legislature hereby commend Superintendent Richard Baumgartner of
Rise Academy for his courageous rescue of a coworker and extend to
him sincere best wishes for continued success and happiness; and,
be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Baumgartner as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
Frullo
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 2418 was adopted by the House on May
30, 2011, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House