Talarico’s 2020 School-Discipline Remarks Resurface in Texas Senate Race as 2021 Bill Stalled
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 8
Talarico’s 2020 School-Discipline Remarks Resurface in Texas Senate Race as 2021 Bill Stalled
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 8
Summary
James Talarico’s 2020 comments backing a shift from “tough-on-crime” to “smart-on-crime” school discipline resurfaced as he campaigns for the U.S. Senate in Texas.
In that interview, Talarico tied criminal-justice reform to schools, arguing for restorative practices over suspensions or expulsions and saying students should repair harm rather than be removed from classrooms.
His approach also appeared in 2021 legislation—HB 62—which sought to move schools away from in-school and out-of-school suspensions and alternative placements, but the bill died in committee.
Republicans later pushed back, especially after the 2022 Uvalde shooting, arguing violent students sometimes must be removed; Talarico’s campaign says he supports both school safety and smart-on-crime policies.
The revived remarks add scrutiny to Talarico’s broader criminal-justice views, including a 2022 speech calling for less spending on prisons and policing, ahead of his Nov. 3 matchup with Ken Paxton.