Gov. Abbott urges 10-year minimum prison terms for teachers convicted of sexual or romantic relationships with students

The useful part

Aiden Gonzalez/The Texas Tribune Texas teachers who have inappropriate relationships with students would face a minimum of 10 years in prison under a proposal by Gov. The governor pushed for stricter penalties for educators convicted of abusing students during a roundtable in Lubbock on Tuesday. Such teachers would have to register as a sex offender and face at least 10 years in prison with no parole, Abbott said.

How it works

• Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows backed the proposal, signaling it will be a priority for the lower chamber when state lawmakers convene next year.
• More than 1,700 allegations of inappropriate romantic and sexual relationships or communications between teachers and students in Texas schools were reported in 2026, three times that of the previous year,...
• "With literally thousands of violations in just the past two years, clearly the message has not been received to stop assaulting students in our schools," Abbott said.
• I want a law that will accomplish that mission." A 2017 Texas law requires a teacher involved in an inappropriate relationship with a student to forfeit teaching credentials and lose their taxpayer pensions...

What to take from it

Superintendents or principals who "turned a blind-eye" to misconduct and failed to report improper relationships could face fines up to $10,000 or jail time. More by Sneha Dey READ MORE New hearing denied in fight over Texas law that gave undocumented students in-state tuition June 4, 2026 Sept. 8, 2026 Two weeks later, one of the largest recorded wildfires in North Texas history continues burning Aug.

Details worth keeping

If you find an error, email corrections@texastribune.org. Nearly 400 investigations were closed after a preliminary review. "I want zero victimization by inappropriate teacher-student relationships.

Related coverage

• Mysanantonio: Abbott wants teachers convicted of such misconduct with a student to face 10-year minimums in prison sentences with no parole.
• Whereisthebuzz: A former teacher of Angleton High School has been arrested and indicted in a year-long investigation of inappropriate sexual relationships with her students, the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office said. Holly…
• Texastribune: Some districts use the temporary work permits to fill critical teacher shortages in roles such as bilingual education.
• Mysanantonio: Some districts use the temporary work permits to fill critical teacher shortages in roles such as bilingual education.
• Theblaze: A middle school teacher was arrested over her inappropriate interactions with a 16-year-old boy in juvenile corrections in Galveston, according to Texas police.