The Texas House of Representatives has passed House Bill 6, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Leach of Plano, on April 15. The legislation includes a controversial provision that removes the existing ban on assigning out-of-school suspensions for students in grade 3 and below. This measure has been a topic of debate, reflecting evolving views on school discipline in the wake of significant post-COVID incidents. The notion of enhancing disciplinary measures has garnered support from both sides of the aisle during this legislative session.
During discussions, several Democratic representatives raised concerns about the morality and effectiveness of suspending young students, questioning Rep. Leach directly. In response, Leach pointed to cases where school administrators felt the need to remove potentially disruptive students from the classroom but were restricted by current law. Often, to ensure safety, classrooms have had to be cleared because of one student's behavior.
Support for the bill was expressed by two Democratic members of the House Public Education Committee: Rep. Harold Dutton of Houston and Rep. John Bryant of Dallas. Each recognized the complexity of the issue but argued that changes in school conditions justified the enhancement of discipline policies.
Several amendments were proposed for the bill by four Democrats and one Republican. Among these, efforts to impose a 30-day limit on in-school suspensions, mandate the reporting of discipline statistics to parents, and ensure device access for students in virtual Discipline Alternative Education Programs (DAEPs) were defeated. Rep. Gene Wu of Houston attempted to remove the provision concerning out-of-school suspensions for younger students, but this amendment was also rejected. An amendment by Rep. Mike Olcott of Aledo, establishing a minimum 30-day DAEP placement for students making terroristic threats or assaults on school employees, was successfully added.
As debate concluded, Rep. Leach urged his colleagues to support the bill, emphasizing the need to stand by teachers and preserve classroom safety.
The legislation was passed with a 122-21 vote and will proceed to the Senate for further consideration.
