Texas schoolchildren face criminal charges for minor misbehavior
The gist
Texas schools referred kids 10 to 13 for prosecution over 47,000 times since 2014.
Most cases were minor misbehavior, pushing families into court and legal bills.
How it unfolded
- 2014Children ages 10 to 13 in Texas were referred for prosecution after school incidents more than 47,000 times since 2014, per an analysis by The New York Times and The San Antonio Express-News.
- 2024 -25 academic yearAbout 4,800 students ages 10 to 13 were referred during the 2024-25 school year, the most recent year with data, a third more than a decade before.
- Oct 15, 2026The New York Times reports that over the past decade Texas districts swelled campus police numbers and took a tougher stance on misbehavior, sweeping tens of thousands of students into the justice system.