Inset: Pamela Mitchell (McLennan County Sheriff's Department). Background: The Texas elementary school where kindergarten teacher Pamela Mitchell allegedly injured a child after they broke a pencil (Google Maps).
A Texas kindergarten teacher was charged with a felony after she yanked and injured a 5-year-old student's arm and "used her knee" to force him into a corner as punishment for breaking a pencil, cops say.
Pamela Mitchell, 64, is accused of punishing the boy on Jan. 8 while he was in her class at J.H. Hines Elementary School in Waco, according to local CBS affiliate KWTX.
An arrest affidavit obtained by the TV station says Mitchell left her classroom momentarily and then returned to find a pencil that the victim allegedly broke. A school aide told her what happened while Mitchell was gone and she proceeded to attack the youth moments later, the affidavit says.
"[Mitchell] went to the child and grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back and forced him out of a chair," the affidavit alleges. "[Mitchell] used her knee and placed it in the center of the child's back forcing the child in the corner."
An arm injury that the boy allegedly suffered was reported to the school and an internal investigation was reportedly launched, as well as a CPS probe.
"During the internal school investigation and CPS investigation, the child was interviewed and told the principal that Pamela Mitchell's actions caused the child pain," the affidavit states, according to KWTX.
Waco Independent School District police arrested Mitchell, who started teaching at Hines in October 2025, and charged her with felony injury to a child. An ISD spokesperson told KWTX that she was no longer working for the district as of Friday.
Mitchell was reportedly working toward teacher certification and worked previously as a substitute, according to the spokesperson.
"Waco ISD is committed to the safety and well-being of every student," the rep said. "We take every incident that risks the safety of our students seriously and investigate every report thoroughly to ensure our schools remain safe, supportive environments."
Waco ISD told KWTX that "the student has recovered and is free from injury." Requests by Law&Crime for comment were forwarded to district officials on Monday by a spokesperson.
"We recognize the gravity of this situation and remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the students in our care," the district rep told KWTX.
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