San Antonio ISD is investigating an allegation that a substitute teacher struck Bowden Academy fifth grader Narcisso Sanroman with his own notebook. The 11-year-old’s family says the incident began when he asked for help with a math problem.
According to WOAI, Sanroman’s mother said her son told her the substitute hit him in the head five times with a notebook. He told her, “I asked her what eight times seven was.” His family said the notebook belonged to him.
Sanroman's mother said the school's principal moved quickly once he learned what happened. “He called CPS, he called the San Antonio ISD police, called dad,” she said, according to the same report. The substitute teacher was removed from campus following the allegation, per that account.
District Confirms Investigation, TEA Notified
San Antonio ISD said it is investigating the allegation and has reported it to the Texas Education Agency, the station's report notes. The Texas Education Agency's own guidance explains that its investigations division reviews misconduct reports to determine whether disciplinary action should be taken against an educator's certificate, or, for employees who are not certified, whether they remain eligible to work in Texas public schools, per the Texas Education Agency.
Separately, the agency's own frequently-asked-questions guidance addresses when educators may legally use physical force. Teachers remain subject to general criminal statutes on assault and child abuse, but Texas Education Code Section 22.0512 and Texas Penal Code Section 9.62 permit an educator to use force they reasonably believe is necessary to maintain discipline, according to the Texas Education Agency. Whether that standard applies to this case has not been addressed by any official source.
Family Files Police Report as Student Returns to Class
Sanroman's family also filed a police report, though San Antonio police said some details could not be released because the case involves a juvenile, the report states. Sanroman is a special education student with ADHD, anxiety and DMDD, according to the same account.
Despite the alleged incident, Sanroman went back to class at Bowden Academy, but his family said he was left shaken and questioning whether he could trust teachers. San Antonio ISD said it is personally and privately communicating with the student and his family to provide support and care, according to FOX San Antonio.
Statewide context on restraint investigations
The Texas Education Agency’s Continuing Advisory Committee for Special Education says TEA has investigated more than 100 cases of educators unlawfully restraining students with disabilities since 2015. That is a statewide figure, not a San Antonio ISD total, and the restraint cases do not establish what happened in Sanroman’s case, according to the committee’s report.
Several key details remain unconfirmed. The substitute teacher's identity, certification status and employment status have not been made public, and it is not clear whether the school district or the Texas Education Agency has reached any conclusions in their respective reviews. No information has been released about the police report's classification or whether charges have been filed.
