Texas House passes ‘Teacher Bill of Rights’ after debate over school discipline reforms

A sweeping education bill aimed at strengthening teachers' authority in Texas classrooms sparked hours of tense debate in the state House on Tuesday, ultimately passing with bipartisan support despite sharp disagreement over how schools should handle student behavior—especially among young children.

House Bill 6, known as the “Teacher Bill of Rights”, was authored by Rep. Jeff Leach (R-Plano) and is designed to give teachers broader powers to manage discipline, including suspending students and referring them to alternative education programs. The legislation responds to growing concerns about violence and disruptions in Texas classrooms, a topic that has drawn emotional testimony from educators and parents alike in recent months.

Leach emphasized the bill’s focus during the legislative session, framing it as a response to urgent pleas from teachers: “The bill expands teachers' ability to maintain order, to safeguard students' safety, and to uphold academic integrity in the classroom.”

What’s in the Bill?

The version of HB 6 debated on the House floor Tuesday included several notable changes from its original draft:

Charter schools would be permitted to exclude students based on elements of their criminal history.

In-school suspensions would be capped at a maximum of 10 days.

Teachers would be required to formally document disruptive behavior.

Disciplinary decisions would need to be made jointly by teachers and administrators, creating a shared accountability model.

Another key provision addresses discipline for younger students, especially those in kindergarten through third grade—a sticking point that sparked much of Tuesday’s contentious floor debate.

A Divisive Debate

Rep. Gene Wu (D-Houston) led opposition to the bill, raising concerns about how it could disproportionately affect very young children and students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“We’re talking about five-, six-, and seven-year-olds,” Wu said. “We should only suspend or expel these kids if they are violent. Because little kids do little kid things.”

Wu warned against passing legislation driven by fear rather than data, cautioning that overly punitive policies could harm vulnerable students and potentially push them out of the education system entirely.

Leach, however, pushed back forcefully, arguing that teachers are reporting unprecedented levels of disruption and even violence from younger students, and feel “handcuffed” by current policies.

“There’s a growing population—especially in K through 3—where teachers are saying, ‘We feel powerless. We can’t do anything,’” he said. “For kindergartners or second graders who are assaulting teachers or fellow students, maybe what that kid needs more than anything is to go home for a few days.”

Amendments and Unlikely Support

Several amendments were proposed, including one from Wu that would have raised the bar for in-school suspensions, though it ultimately failed. Leach did adopt a clarifying amendment of his own, and another from Rep. Mike Olcott (R-Fort Worth), which ensures students can be punished for committing an “offense of assault” as defined by the state’s Penal Code.

Despite vocal opposition from some Democrats, others broke with party lines to support the bill.

Rep. Harold Dutton (D-Houston), long an advocate for education reform, offered his endorsement: “We need to do something to make sure our schools are safe, our classrooms are safe, and our teachers are safe. More especially, all the other students are safe.”

Rep. John Bryant (D-Dallas) echoed that sentiment, saying, “No matter what the cost is, we must make sure that our schools are a place every child wants to be and every child can find to be a place of learning, growth, and safety.”

What’s Next?

HB 6 passed on its second reading with a decisive 121-21 vote, setting it up for final passage and consideration in the Senate. The bill has become a signature priority for Republican lawmakers who say the state must act quickly to restore order and morale in classrooms.

House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) praised the outcome, saying, “We have seen increasingly disruptive behavior in classrooms across the nation, but here in Texas, lawmakers are empowering teachers to defend their learning environments for our students to succeed.”

Burrows also noted that disciplinary authority is becoming just as critical as salary when it comes to retaining quality educators, a sentiment echoed by several school districts in testimony.

As the bill moves forward, supporters say it’s a step toward restoring classroom control and teacher respect. Critics, however, warn it could open the door to harsher disciplinary practices with long-term consequences for Texas students—especially its youngest and most at-risk.