KTRK-TV
Workers have discovered graves at a school construction site in Sugar Land
Workers have discovered graves at a school construction site in Sugar Land
Workers have discovered graves at a school construction site in Sugar Land
Workers have discovered graves at a school construction site in Sugar Land
Workers have discovered graves at a school construction site in Sugar Land

Texas district gets OK to exhume human remains at construction site

June 6, 2018
Graves were discovered earlier this year at site of planned career and technical center in the Fort Bend district.

A judge has given the OK for a Texas district to exhume human remains found earlier this year at a school district construction site.

KTRK-TV reports that Judge John Hawkins has granted the Fort Bend district permission to exhume 94 graves at the site in Sugar Land. The district plans to build the James Reese Career and Technical Center on the site.

Fort Bend says a lab will be set up on site to study the remains.

The district says in a news release that since announcing discovery of the gravesite In April, it has worked with the Texas Historical Commission to conduct further exploratory work and establish the cemetery’s perimeter.  Archaeologists have identified 94 graves.

The judge's ruling clears the way for exhuming the graves so that forensic anthropologists and archaeologists can gather additional data regarding the cemetery, including the sex, age, race, medical condition, and possible causes of death of the individuals who are buried at the site.

“We are appreciative of the Texas Historical Commission’s guidance during this process, and we hope to begin further analysis soon to ensure that we are properly honoring the deceased and identifying an appropriate location for reinterment,” says Fort Bend Superintendent Charles Dupre. “As the process to learn more about this site continues, we remain committed to honoring the history of those buried at the site.”

The exhumation is anticipated to take up to three months. Construction work continues on the James Reese Career and Technical Center in the areas not impacted by the archaeological work.

Researchers have said that the bodies buried at the site could be African-American prisoners who were contracted out for labor.

Sponsored Recommendations

How to design flexible learning spaces that teachers love and use

Unlock the potential of flexible learning spaces with expert guidance from school districts and educational furniture providers. Discover how to seamlessly integrate adaptive ...

Blurring the Lines in Education Design: K–12 to Higher Ed to Corporate America

Discover the seamless integration of educational and corporate design principles, shaping tomorrow's leaders from kindergarten to boardroom. Explore innovative classroom layouts...

Room to Learn: Furniture Solutions for Education

Preparing students for the future. Utilizing our experience in the education market, we offer a dynamic selection of products that pair technology with furniture to help stimulate...

Transforming Education: A Case Study in Progressive Classroom Design

Discover how Workspace Interiors and the Baldwin School District reshaped learning environments in Long Island, New York, creating pedagogically responsive spaces that foster ...