On the morning of September 23, 2009, music therapist and special education teacher Todd Henry reported for duty at John Tyler High School in Tyler, Texas. It was just two weeks into the school year, and Henry was still getting acquainted with his new crop of students, including 16-year-old Byron Truvia.
Henry was never told about Truvia's troubled past. At the age of 10, the boy's mother had him committed to a psychiatric hospital. At 14, Truvia stabbed his sister, and was detained by the Texas Youth Commission for two years. He was released in the fall of 2009 just in time to start the school year in Mr. Henry's class.
On that fateful September morning at 8:50 a.m., Truvia attacked 50-year-old Henry, stabbing him repeatedly in the neck and shoulders. The beloved music teacher died later that day.
Henry's tragic death prompted Texas to change its policy on juvenile disclosure. Gov. Rick Perry recently signed a new law giving educators more access to information about students' criminal histories.
The measure requires law enforcement agencies to provide school superintendents with all pertinent details of offenses committed by juvenile justice system parolees. Superintendents must then pass the information on to principals and teachers, who would also receive written notification of student arrests.
Rep. Jerry Madden, the legislation's sponsor, said that the law ensures "a safe learning environment" for teachers and students. Texas educators agreed, and strongly supported the measure.