Tens of thousands of children between the ages of 10 and 13 have been swept into Texas’s criminal justice system after incidents at school, according to reporting by Clare Amari, with support from the Fund. School leaders used to handle disobedient students themselves, but now that more campuses have police officers, educators rely on law enforcement. The story was published in the New York Times, the Houston Chronicle and other outlets. A state legislator who authored a 2023 law requiring a police officer at every public school said the data is alarming, and that he will push for stricter limits on policing in schools when the legislature reconvenes.
Grantee reporting for NY Times and Texas outlets shows young kids swept into criminal justice system at school; key legislator vows reform
