Female kindergarten teacher charged with felony assault after 'attacking five-year-old boy for breaking a pencil'

Daily Mail UK ^ | February 24, 2026 | Kelly Garino

[Morgana]

A Texas kindergarten teacher was arrested after allegedly twisting a five-year-old boy’s arm and forcing him into a corner for breaking a pencil, authorities say.

Pamela Mitchell, 64, was taken into custody Thursday, more than a month after police say she attacked a young boy in her Waco classroom at J.H. Hines Elementary for snapping a pencil, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by KWTX News.

Court documents revealed that Mitchell grabbed the child, twisted his arm behind his back and dragged him out of his seat.

'She used her knee and placed it in the center of the child's back, forcing the child in the corner,' according to the affidavit.

Mitchell was booked into the McLennan County Jail on Friday and charged with injury to a child, a third-degree felony that carries up to 10 years behind bars. She is being held on a $3,000 bond.

'The student has recovered and is free from injury,' WISD spokesperson Jill Anderson told the outlet.

'We recognize the gravity of this situation and remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the students in our care,' she added.

According to the affidavit, the assault happened on January 8, after Mitchell briefly left the classroom and came back to discover a pencil the boy had allegedly broken.

After being told by her school aide what occurred while she stepped out, Mitchell allegedly lunged at the child and attacked him.

School officers were alerted to the alleged assault after the aide reported it to the Department of Family and Protective Services (CPS), according to KWTX.

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TOPICS: Education
KEYWORDS: arth; education; pencilabuse; texas; waco

[Wilderness Conservative]

One good thing about black women is they won’t hesitate to slap some religion into little @$$holes when they act out.

[A_perfect_lady]

She should have retired sooner. Kids are getting so bad, the rage can just blind you.

[kawhill]

Pamela Mitchell, 64. I wonder if she’s a nun...back in the day they would preach heaven to you and beat the hell out of you.

[ConservativeMind]

My public school elementary principal paddled kids.

That was a real act of physical violence. That happened across the country.

All of that was illegal and these people should have been in prison for ten years, each time?

[Bulwyf]

I’m 6’2 235 lbs former infantry, I’m pretty sure I can manhandle most children. It would take a freak of nature for me to not be able to.

[Ge0ffrey]

Tyke vs. Dyke

[Bulwyf]

There’s obviously more to this. The lesson learned is that kids can do anything and teachers are powerless. This is not a good dynamic. I’m not passing judgement on the teacher. I know sometimes that kids need to be corrected. I’d be interested to hear more.

What’s bothering me is they are talking 10 years in jail? That’s crazy! They want to ruin her life over this? There are going to be generations of delinquents growing up it sounds like.

[telescope115]

I’m glad I only went to CCD on Sundays. I remember one boy was reprimanded for something, I forget what, and he was pouting. The nun told him to stop sticking his lower lip out or she was going to cut it off with her scissors.

[telescope115]

The “Board” of Education, lol.

[bert]

The boy was insolent and insubordinate

He purposely broke the pencil to create an excuse for not performing the writing assignment of the teacher.

He won

[dfwgator]

[DeplorableTrumpSupporter]

'The student has recovered and is free from injury,' WISD spokesperson Jill Anderson told the outlet.

Are you sure the child recovered? ARTH!!

[telescope115]

Thanks for the info. I’m not defending the kid. I’m sure he had it coming.

My wife was a teacher’s aide for 20 years. She’s told me plenty of stories… And teachers’ hands are tied and administrators are too ‘woke’ to ‘administrate’ proper discipline. And some moms come to school dressed like whores…. it goes on and on.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Once upon a time you would be told to pick on someone your own size.

Guess we are not doing that any more.

[Vaduz]

Rulers do rule and smart a lot on the knuckles.

[dandiegirl]

No I’m not. A five year old broke a pencil. Harsh punishment is ridiculous.

[bankwalker]

harsh? LOL!

[bert]

The info is my opinion of events that transpired and were not mentioned by the biased reporter

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

The info is my opinion of events that transpired and were not mentioned by the biased reporter

So you lied through your teeth.

Good to know.

[Albion Wilde]

This sort of child management may have been how she was brought up. It's wrong to twist an arm and put a knee in a kid's back, but ten years in jail is also wrong, since the kid was not gravely injured. Agree with others, there was more to it. I'd have to see a video.