Lubbock, TX — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is calling for significantly tougher criminal penalties for educators convicted of improper relationships with students, including a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years behind bars.
Abbott outlined the proposal during an Aug. 11 roundtable in Lubbock focused on educator misconduct and student safety.
Under the proposal, educators convicted of sexually assaulting students or engaging in criminal improper educator-student relationships would face at least 10 years in prison without parole. Abbott is also calling for convicted offenders to be required to register as sex offenders and to be ineligible for probation or deferred adjudication.
The proposal would represent a major change from current Texas law.
Texas Penal Code §21.12 already makes certain improper relationships between educators and students a criminal offense, including specified sexual conduct or sexual contact involving qualifying school employees and students. Current law, however, does not impose the mandatory 10-year minimum sentence Abbott is proposing.
Abbott’s proposal is not currently Texas law. Legislative action would be required before the proposed sentencing changes could take effect.
The governor has previously pushed Texas lawmakers to strengthen laws addressing inappropriate educator-student relationships. In 2017, Abbott called for tougher consequences for educators who sexually assault students and later signed legislation addressing inappropriate relationships and educator misconduct.
The Texas Education Agency also investigates allegations of educator misconduct, including sexual misconduct, inappropriate communications, grooming behaviors and other boundary violations involving students or minors.
What Abbott Is Proposing:
• Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison for qualifying convictions
• No parole
• Sex-offender registration
• No probation or deferred adjudication
The proposal comes amid continued scrutiny of educator misconduct and how Texas handles cases involving inappropriate relationships between school employees and students.
Official Texas Penal Code:
https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PE/htm/PE.21.htm#21.12
Texas Education Agency — Educator Misconduct Investigations:
https://tea.texas.gov/educators/investigations/educator-misconduct-investigations