Full Breakdown
Texas School Policing: Use-of-Force Surge After 2023 Mandate
5/31/2026, 5:14:53 AM
Legislative Background
In late 2023 Texas enacted a law mandating a licensed police officer with arrest powers on every school campus, a response to the 2022 Uvalde shooting. Officials say about half of districts have placed officers, while the Texas Department of Public Safety has trained 11,000 officers for school duty.
Use-of-Force Data
In a joint investigation by The New York Times and the San Antonio Express-News, 2,600 use-of-force incidents were documented in Texas schools from Jan 2022 through Dec 2025. Incidents include handcuffing, pepper-spraying, tasers, restraining, and slamming students against walls. Texas has no statewide database; the count was compiled from district records, court filings and over two dozen videos.
On-the-Ground Incidents
Examples show the range of force. In 2024, 17-year-old Anabelle Jaramillo was handcuffed and held on the floor for three minutes after a $13 doorbell theft accusation. A 17-year-old boy was dragged, straddled and punched after an alleged strike on an officer—charges later dropped. A 14-year-old with a vape was slammed face-first into a wall and told “do it again.” Other reports include a 10-year-old hogtied, a 6-year-old handcuffed after kicking staff, and a 17-year-old chased with a gun.
Official Responses and Criticism
The law defines the required officer as “a licensed police officer with arrest powers.” District leaders say officers improve “outward-facing security” against intruders, a view echoed by superintendents. Attorneys note Texas courts treat school-based force as comparable to corporal punishment, limiting liability. A federal appellate court dismissed a 2023 lawsuit on that basis, and advocates call for transparent data and stricter limits on physical tactics.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The investigation found that while roughly half of districts report officer placement, the 11,000 trained officers suggest many schools host police without formal compliance. No statewide database exists, leaving the frequency of tactics such as wall-slamming uncertain. The number of lawsuits is described only as “some,” with no comprehensive tally.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I want to be clear that not all of those involved an officer slamming a restrained student against a wall.” — Clare Amari, Texas school law-enforcement reporter, The New York Times
- “Liz Teitz: I think that’s something we found in our reporting — that a lot of folks, especially after Uvalde, do want police officers on campus.” — Liz Teitz, reporter, San Antonio Express-News
- “Amari: There have been some lawsuits.” — Clare Amari, The New York Times
- “Just look at the TV,” — Third-grade math teacher, Dallas
What’s Next
Lawmakers and the Texas Education Agency face pressure to create a statewide reporting system for school-police encounters and to define clear use-of-force limits. Advocacy groups plan additional lawsuits, while the agency has announced a compliance review of the 2023 staffing requirement.
