Texas school district to investigate police use of force during student protest

The Little Elm Independent School District in Texas is calling for an investigation into what led to the arrest of four teenage students during a protest at a high school.

The school district’s safety and security committee will oversee an “after-action” review into the incident, Superintendent Daniel Gallagher said in a statement on the school district’s website.

On Friday, Little Elm High School students held a protest at the school after a classmate shared on social media that she was sexually harassed by another student on the bus, The Dallas Morning News reported. 

Police said that some students were pepper-sprayed and one was tased after a small group of students “aggressively” approached other students and officers, according to the Morning News. 

“What led to Friday’s student protest hits us at the core of who we are and we have to find a way to restore the trust you need in order for all of us to move forward,” Gallagher added in his statement.

But critics have questioned why the officers needed to use such force and how things escalated. They have also been critical of school official’s response to the protest, the Morning News reported. 

Gallagher also announced that he would hold a “listening session” about the incident on Nov. 30 in addition to creating an independent committee to review the district’s policies about sexual harassment reporting and investigations.

He added that the independent investigation will specifically assess the sexual harassment claims that prompted the protest.

The Hill has reached out to the Little Elm Independent School District and the Little Elm Police Department for comment.