A Waco, Texas kindergarten teacher has been arrested and charged with a felony after allegedly grabbing, twisting the arm of, and forcing a 5-year-old boy into a corner — reportedly as punishment for breaking a pencil.

Pamela Mitchell, 64, was arrested and charged with third-degree felony injury to a child, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by KWTX. She was booked into the McLennan County Jail the following day, Friday (February 20), on a $3,000 bond.

The incident occurred on January 8 inside a kindergarten classroom at J.H. Hines Elementary School in Waco, which sits about 95 miles southwest of Dallas. According to the affidavit, Mitchell had stepped out of the classroom briefly. When she returned, a teacher's aide told her that a student had broken a pencil while she was gone.

What happened next is described in stark detail in the affidavit. "[Mitchell] went to the child and grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back and forced him out of a chair," the document states. "[Mitchell] used her knee and placed it in the center of the child's back forcing the child in the corner."

The teacher's aide reported Mitchell to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, which then contacted Waco Independent School District (WISD) police. During a subsequent internal school investigation and a Child Protective Services (CPS) probe, the boy was interviewed and told school officials that Mitchell's actions had caused him pain.

According to WKRC, Mitchell had been hired in October 2025 and was still working toward her teaching certification, having previously worked as a substitute teacher. She has since been fired.

In a statement WISD spokesperson Jill Anderson confirmed Mitchell's termination and said the district is cooperating fully with law enforcement.

"Waco ISD is committed to the safety and well-being of every student," the district 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."

The district added, "At no point is it acceptable for an employee to correct student behavior in a way that causes pain or harm."

As a third-degree felony in Texas, injury to a child carries a potential sentence of two to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

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