Police are investigating an unnamed elementary school teacher in Commerce Independent School District who resigned over an “incident” involving “improper physical restraint” of a special education student.
Commerce ISD posted on social media that administrators were alerted on September 8 to “an incident involving a teacher.”
Upon notification, the district immediately initiated an internal investigation and contacted law enforcement. These investigations resulted in the resignation of a Commerce Elementary School teacher.
Commerce ISD has followed all procedures required by the Texas Education Agency, including reporting the incident to the Commerce Police Department, the Commerce ISD Police Department, and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. At this time, a police investigation is ongoing.
In a later notice following completion of the investigation, the district said it was an “isolated incident.”
The investigation concluded that the educator failed to follow their training in proper restraint procedures. All Commerce ISD special education teachers are trained in Safety-Care protocols, which are designed to
ensure the safety and well-being of students.
According to the district, video evidence has been collected and submitted to the Hunt County District Attorney’s Office.
The district is located in Hunt County and has four schools with about 1,500 students and 250 employees. No other information about the incident or teacher is currently available.
“The safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority,” added Superintendent Steve Drummond.
Superintendents are required to report any alleged physical or sexual abuse of students to the state via the TEA’s educator misconduct reporting portal within 48 hours.
Thousands of educator misconduct complaints have been reported to the TEA since the agency began keeping organized records in 2021.
New educator misconduct reporting requirements enacted during this year’s regular legislative session now require school employees to report suspected abuse to the DFPS within 24 hours, rather than the previous 48 hours.
Suspected abuse must also be reported to local law enforcement. School district police departments are no longer considered local law enforcement for abuse reporting.
Updated TEA guidance directs school employees to report suspected abuse even if they are unsure: “When in doubt, report.”
“Educators are obligated to protect students from harmful or inappropriate behavior, whether it comes from colleagues or others,” states the TEA. “This responsibility is more important than any personal doubts or discomfort about reporting a colleague’s misconduct or taking part in an investigation. The safety and well-being of students must always come first.”
“Reporting suspected abuse is not only a moral duty—it is also required by law.”
