Texas School Police Used Force 2,600 Times on Students as Security Spending Topped $1.3 Billion
Updated
Updated · The Texas Tribune · May 30
Texas School Police Used Force 2,600 Times on Students as Security Spending Topped $1.3 Billion
3 articles · Updated · The Texas Tribune · May 30
Summary
More than 2,600 student use-of-force incidents were identified across Texas schools from 2022 through 2025, including pepper spray, Tasers, handcuffs and takedowns over fights, vaping and other minor misconduct.
About 450 detailed reports and video reviews showed officers often escalated encounters after being called by school staff, with force used in roughly 60 cases when students talked back, pulled away or ignored commands.
At least nine incidents involved Tasers, dozens involved pepper spray, four involved officers holding teens at gunpoint, and nearly a quarter of the 450 reviewed cases left students with injuries; some children were as young as 6.
Texas expanded campus policing after Uvalde and now spends more than $1.3 billion a year on school security, with nearly 400 district police departments and about 11,000 officers trained to work in schools.
Oversight remains thin: districts and police agencies largely police themselves, state officials do not routinely review school-force cases, and many policies mirror municipal policing rather than student-specific guidance.
Why are Texas students facing tasers for minor misbehavior after a law meant to protect them?
As some cities turn to crisis teams, why was a Texas honor student arrested over a $13 classroom doorbell?
After Uvalde: How Texas HB 3’s Armed Security Mandate Is Reshaping School Safety, Equity, and Mental Health
Overview
Texas House Bill 3 (HB 3) has led to a stronger focus on school security and a greater presence of armed personnel, but this shift has created major challenges for school districts. Limited training opportunities for handgun instructors and requirements like psychological evaluations make it harder to arm staff. At the same time, Texas faces a critical shortage of mental health professionals, forcing some districts to look out of state for support. As a result, schools are struggling to balance increased security demands with the need for student mental health services, impacting the overall well-being and safety of students.