Tarkington Independent School District v. Ellis

OPINION

HOLLIS HORTON, Justice.

The central issue in this case is whether Texas law mandates the expulsion of a student for unknowingly possessing a weapon on a school district’s property. We hold that the Texas Education Code permits school districts to decline to expel students for unknowingly possessing prohibited weapons if the districts have adopted intent as a factor in expulsion decisions. Based on the transcript of the expulsion hearing in this case, the trial court could have reasonably concluded that the Tarkington Independent School District’s hearing officer erroneously thought the…