Gov. Greg Abbott wants Texas educators and school employees convicted of having an improper relationship with a student to spend at least 10 years in prison and register as sex offenders.
Abbott unveiled the proposal Tuesday during a roundtable with law enforcement officials and school superintendents in Lubbock.
“We must protect our students and lock up predators. Together, we will keep Texas classrooms a safe space for children to learn, grow and succeed,” Abbott said.
The proposal would require anyone convicted of an improper relationship between an educator and a student to serve a minimum 10-year prison sentence. Those convicted would also be required to register as sex offenders.
They would not be eligible for community supervision, deferred adjudication, parole or mandatory supervision.
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows said lawmakers would work with Abbott during the next legislative session on the proposal.
“Every child in Texas deserves to walk into school ready to learn and grow, not afraid that someone could prey upon them,” Burrows said. “To the survivors: we hear you, we see you, and what happened to you should never have happened.”
Kyreeá Flores, a survivor who spoke during the Lubbock event, said she hopes telling her story will help other students and those around them recognize warning signs sooner.
“I’ve learned that healing doesn’t mean pretending the pain never happened, it means deciding what you’re going to do with it,” Flores said. “What happened to me should have never happened, but if my story can help another child be seen sooner or help recognize the warning signs, then I’m going to use my voice to do that.”
