Newly passed bill gives Texas schools more leeway to crack down on violence

The Texas Legislature has passed a sweeping school discipline bill that would expand educators’ authority to suspend students, roll back limitations on discipline for younger students, and modify how schools respond to disruptive behavior.  

Supporters of House Bill 6, which has been sent to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk, say the legislation is primarily a response to violence that has escalated since the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Under the bill, schools can now extend in-school suspensions beyond the current three-day limit, so long as a principal reviews each placement every 10 days. 

The bill also expands the criteria for out-of-school suspensions, allowing schools to discipline students who cause “repeated and significant” disruptions or threats to safety. 

The bill has received bipartisan support in both chambers of the legislature. Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, who sponsored the measure in the Senate, described the legislation as a long time coming.  

“We’ve reached a crisis point where there’s just some kids that absolutely are such a deterrent to the overall learning process that we have to find a better way,” Perry explained. 

The legislation changes how students are referred to alternative education programs, which typically are stricter environments focused on online coursework and are housed separately from traditional classrooms. 

Notably, schools also will have the discretion to issue lesser penalties for first-time vaping offenses, marking a softer approach compared to prior zero-tolerance policies. 

Abbott has signaled his support for the legislation, writing in a post on X, “It’s common sense to give teachers the authority to remove disruptive students from classrooms. We must restore discipline in our schools.” 

While some critics say the bill is too harsh in expanding discipline toward younger students, educators argue increased measures are necessary to match the increasingly disturbing behaviors children are displaying. 

“I watched a 5-year-old tear up a kindergarten classroom, and when I say tear it up, I mean destroy it. It’s real,” Dr. Chad Gee, a Texas superintendent, told CBS News. “And how are those teachers supposed to educate all the students in their classrooms with that going on?” 

Upon the governor’s signature, the new rules will take effect Sept. 1, just in time for the school year.