A Texas kindergarten teacher has been fired and arrested after allegedly assaulting a 5-year-old student over a broken pencil, school officials confirmed. Pamela Mitchell, 64, was taken into custody on February 19 following a report from a teacher's aide to the Department of Family and Protective Services.

The incident occurred on January 8 at J.H. Hines Elementary School in Waco, when Mitchell reportedly grabbed the boy's arm, twisted it behind his back, and forced him into a classroom corner. The arrest affidavit states Mitchell shoved her knee into the child's back during the confrontation. The student reported experiencing pain from the alleged assault.

Mitchell, who had been hired in October 2025, faces charges of injury to a child and was held on a $3,000 bond in McLennan County Jail. Waco Independent School District officials emphasized their commitment to student safety and stated the child has since recovered. The district is cooperating with law enforcement as the investigation continues.