Teen's claim of being beaten by officers over mask are false, Texas school says

LEAGUE CITY, Texas -- A Texas school district pushed back against allegations that a student was targeted by staff members and brutally beaten by school officers for improperly wearing her COVID-19 face mask.

The student's mother, Shanna Proctor-Lyons, said her daughter had a broken hand as well as head and knee injuries after three officers took her into a private room without any surveillance cameras or police body cameras.

"I just lost it," she said. "I couldn't understand why my 15-year-old was beaten so badly. They didn't have any reason why."

Her daughter, Kaidence Lyons, said she was walking down a hallway when a staff member started yelling at her for not wearing her mask correctly.

The school district, Clear Creek ISD, said it reviewed surveillance video and conducted interviews to determine that those allegations were "false and defamatory."

"We can unequivocally state that criminal charges and student discipline action were not about face coverings," the district said in a statement.

But the school district did not address Lyons' accusations that she was brutally attacked by school officers after being taken into a private room without surveillance cameras.

"The most telling part of the school district's disgraceful statement is what it does not say," the Lyons' family attorney said. "It does not argue that a school employee never led Kaidence to sit alone in a private room, away from any video surveillance. It does not dispute that three school resource officers went into that room- where a teenage girl waited, vulnerable and alone- and viciously beat her. And it does not explain why she was handcuffed without ever being told that she was under arrest. In the best interest of Kaidence, and all the children of the Clear Creek ISD, we sincerely hope that the administration discontinues these retaliatory scare tactics against Kaidence and her family. Instead, we ask that they act with transparency and a spirit of accountability for the violent attack of a child that happened within the walls of one of their schools."

Read Clear Creek ISD's full statement:

In the Clear Creek Independent School District, we believe each person deserves to be physically and emotionally safe which is why CCISD immediately launched an investigation into a family's public allegation that two CCISD employees physically and/or verbally accosted their child at Clear Creek High School. The family claims the student was targeted due to her race. The school district has investigated these allegations, including a thorough review of video surveillance and eyewitness interviews. The school district has determined the family's allegations to be false and defamatory. The family has not responded to our multiple requests to talk but instead they have chosen to use social media to threaten to harm and defame two well-respected educators.
While the school district must keep student discipline matters private due to federal law, we can unequivocally state that criminal charges and student discipline action were not about face coverings. It is our hope the family will cooperate and participate in the investigation process so that their concerns can be fully addressed. The Galveston County Sheriff's Office is investigating the family's public claims against deputies assigned to the campus. All questions regarding that matter should be directed to their office.

Read the family's attorney's full statement:

"Earlier this evening, the Clear Creek Independent School District released an outrageous statement concerning the brutal beating of one of their own students, Kaidence Lyons, by school resource officers at Clear Creek High School. At no point has any member of the Lyons family ever made any "threat to harm" or defamatory statement against any educator. Rather, this family simply told their story and spoke the truth. In the school district's desperate attempt to skirt responsibility, they have resorted to blaming Kaidence and her family for the terrifying, life-changing encounter that occurred on their watch. The family has not yet met with school officials to discuss the event because they desired their legal counsel to be present, and most importantly,they have been with their child in the hospital as she received treatment for a broken wrist and head and knee injuries. The most telling part of the school district's disgraceful statement is what it does not say.It does not argue that a school employee never led Kaidence to sit alone in a private room, away from any video surveillance. It does not dispute that three school resource officers went into that room- where a teenage girl waited, vulnerable and alone- and viciously beat her. And it does not explain why she was handcuffed without ever being told that she was under arrest. In the best interest of Kaidence, and all the children of the Clear Creek ISD, we sincerely hope that the administration discontinues these retaliatory scare tactics against Kaidence and her family. Instead, we ask that they act with transparency and a spirit of accountability for the violent attack of a child that happened within the walls of one of their schools."