1st-grade students 'humiliated' after wetting themselves because teacher reportedly took away bathroom pass



An elementary teacher in Texas is currently on leave after she allegedly revoked bathroom privileges for her entire first-grade class, and some students ended up wetting themselves and going home with soiled clothing.

On Wednesday, students in Ashley Barrera's first-grade class allegedly began misbehaving in the hallway at Bartlett Elementary School in Conroe, a city of 103,000 residents about 40 miles north of Houston. In reprisal, Ms. Barrera reportedly took away their bathroom privileges in apparent defiance of the district's Student Code of Conduct.

'There was a puddle of urine under the chair that nobody came to help with, and nobody came to clean her up for the remainder of the day.'

A report from KPRC, which can be viewed here, indicated that students may have been denied access to the bathroom for up to three hours between lunch and afternoon dismissal. During that time, multiple students "ended up peeing on themselves," according to a message Barrera reportedly sent to parents later that day.

In the alleged message, Barrera apologized for the incident but also seemed to suggest that the students were somehow in the wrong.

"I had talk [sic] with the students about how important it is to use our thing appropriately, but please have a talk with them about that as well," she apparently wrote without explaining what "our thing" is.

Far from taking her side, parents are outraged that students were denied access to the restroom and were then allegedly forced to sit in wet, dirty, smelly clothing.

"If I sent my child to this school smelling like that, they would call CPS and have me investigated and try to have my child taken away from me. So how is it OK for my child to go to school clean, prepared, and come home smelling like that?" said Joseph McCauley, a father of one of the children who had an accident, according to KTRK.

Amber Johnson, whose daughter is likewise in the class, offered even more disturbing details. "These kids are traumatized and humiliated," she claimed. "They were made fun of. They were crying, begging, pleading, and asking multiple times to go to the restroom, and they were refused."

Yet another student told his mother, Ashley Chancey, about his desk partner's humiliation after she wet herself in her seat.

"He said there was urine all over the little girl. There was a puddle of urine under the chair that nobody came to help with, and nobody came to clean her up for the remainder of the day," Chancey recalled, according to the Daily Mail.

The boy further indicated that the poor girl was "absolutely mortified" after "the class erupted in laughter," Chancey explained.

Exactly how many students had accidents that day is unclear. A letter from Principal Charita Smith made reference to "both students who, upsettingly, had accidents," an indication that there had been only two. But Amber Johnson claimed she had heard that as many as six students had soiled themselves.

"THESE KIDS WERE MADE TO SIT IN THEIR P*SS CLOTHES ALL DAY LONG," she wrote on Facebook. She further alleged that parents were not informed about the incident until "2 minutes before DISMISSAL."

Johnson described Barrera's alleged punishment as "inhumane" and claimed it could cause health problems such as urinary-tract infections.

"This is sick," she posted to Facebook.

KPRC received reports of similar issues in Barrera's classroom lately. The outlet also heard that another teacher was in the room during the incident, but district administrators told KPRC they could not verify that information.

Barrera has been placed on leave, it was confirmed to the outlet.

According to Lonestar Live, Principal Smith sent the following letter home to parents:

This afternoon, we were made aware of a situation in a first-grade classroom in which restroom privileges were revoked. I have spoken with the parents of both students who, upsettingly, had accidents. The class will have a current staff member to serve as the substitute teacher for the remainder of the week while we complete our investigation into the matter. This incident is not indicative of the safe and loving environment we foster at Bartlett Elementary. I thank you for your support and continued partnership. Charita Smith, Bartlett Elementary Principal.

Blaze News reached out to Principal Smith but did not receive a response.

H/T: Corey DeAngelis

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[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://thefederalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screenshot-2024-12-04-at-2.02.04 PM-1200x675.png crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//thefederalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Screenshot-2024-12-04-at-2.02.04%5Cu202fPM-1200x675.png%22%7D" expand=1]Large corporations have strayed from the American values of classic country music, but some young artists are keeping the tradition alive.

Texas doctor encourages illegal alien patients to skip citizenship question — Abbott warns hospital he’ll pull funding



Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) threatened to pull state funding from a local hospital last week after one of its doctors encouraged patients to defy his executive order regarding citizenship.

Dr. Tony Pastor, a cardiologist at Texas Children's Hospital and assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, posted a video on TikTok on November 11 that was viewed more than 1 million times before it was deleted.

'There will be consequences.'

In the video, Pastor told his followers that he and his colleagues at the hospital had been informed that patients could skip an intake form question inquiring about their citizenship status.

Pastor said, "So my proposal to everyone who's seeing this is, just know that you do not have to answer this question."

Abbott responded to Pastor's statements on November 24, warning the hospital that the doctor was "putting [its] Medicaid & Medicare funding at risk."

"[You] better think twice & have crystal clear records. There will be consequences for failing to follow the law in the Order," Abbott wrote.

Pastor posted additional videos on TikTok addressing the governor's response.

He captioned one video, writing, "When the gov of Texas threatens you on twitter because he is mad you exercised freedom of speech."

Pastor stated in another video, "This new law that's asking hospitals for immigration status is under the guise of trying to get data on how much money we're spending on undocumented patients."

"The reason I have an issue with that is that if you really, truly cared about patients and spending, and both, in Texas, then why are we one of 10 states that has not accepted Medicaid expansion?" Pastor continued.

Texas Children's Hospital has vowed to cooperate with Abbott's executive order.

"Texas Children's fully supports Governor Abbott's new Executive Order and is in full compliance," it stated. "We have worked closely with the Texas Hospital Association and our industry partners across the state to ensure compliance in advance of the effective date."

The hospital's statement continued, "While we recognize that individuals working at Texas Children's hold their own personal views on many topics, those opinions do not necessarily reflect the official position of Texas Children's Hospital. We will continue to prioritize patient care while ensuring we are in full compliance with all laws and legal directives."

The governor's executive order went into effect on November 1, requiring hospitals receiving Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Plan to add "Are you a U.S. citizen?" to intake forms.

Abbott, who issued the order in August, stated that it would allow Texas to track how much the state's taxpayers are spending on care for illegal aliens due to the current administration's open-border policies.

"Due to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris' open border policies, Texas has had to foot the bill for medical costs for individuals illegally in the state," Abbott stated. "Texans should not have to shoulder the burden of financially supporting medical care for illegal immigrants."

"Texas will hold the Biden-Harris Administration accountable for the consequences of their open border policies, and we will fight to ensure that they pay back Texas for their costly and dangerous policies," he declared.

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Appeals court hands Texas a big victory, making it harder for Biden admin to let in illegal aliens



The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit handed the Lone Star State a big win Wednesday, barring the Biden administration from "damaging, destroying, or otherwise interfering with Texas's c-wire fence in the vicinity of Eagle Pass."

The Biden administration has worked feverishly in recent years to hinder the state's efforts to secure its southern border with Mexico. These efforts have focused in large part on Shelby Park, a 47-acre municipal park in Eagle Pass where hordes of illegal aliens have stolen into the homeland.

The question of whether state troopers and members of the Texas National Guard could lay nearly 30 miles of concertina wire in the area has been batted around the courts for over a year.

The Fifth Circuit Court issued a temporary order in December 2023 prohibiting the Biden administration from cutting wire except when faced with medical emergencies. The following month, the U.S. Supreme Court vacated the order and kicked the matter back down to lesser courts.

Although the legal dispute was far from settled, Texas lay wire anyway, citing its need and responsibility to "maintain operational control."

The installation of nearly 70,000 rolls of razor wire in Eagle Pass along with fencing and shoreline barriers apparently helped make an immediate difference. According to the Media Research Center, after closing off Shelby Park in January, the number of illegal alien encounters dropped 325% from the previous month and 41% from January 2023.

Federal agents responded to the reinforcement of the border by cutting through the wire on multiple occasions —something the Border Patrol union stated would "undoubtedly encourage more illegal immigration" and hinder Border Patrol agents' efforts to target criminal elements crossing the border illegally.

'This is a good win for Texas, a good win for the country.'

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, rumored to be under consideration by President-elect Donald Trump for the next FBI director, sued the Biden administration in October, accusing Border Patrol of illegally destroying state property when helping foreign nationals flout American law.

Paxton's lawsuit indicated further that federal agents "not only cut Texas' concertina wire, but also attach[ed] ropes or cables from the back of pickup trucks to ease" illegal aliens to steal into the country, reported the Texas Tribune.

District Judge Alia Moses granted the state temporary relief, allowing federal officials to cut wire only in cases of life-threatening medical emergencies.

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a 2-1 opinion Wednesday granting Texas a preliminary injunction against the Biden administration. Circuit Judge Kyle Duncan, who was nominated to the court by President-elect Donald Trump, noted in the majority opinion:

The injunction is not barred by intergovernmental immunity because Texas is seeking, not to "regulate" Border Patrol, but only to safeguard its own property. Nor, for similar reasons, is the injunction barred by the Immigration and Nationality Act ("INA"). Finally, Texas has satisfied the injunction factors from Winter v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 555 U.S. 7 (2008). Most importantly, the United States does not even contest that Texas has shown it will likely succeed on its state law trespass claims.

The court noted that while the Biden administration contends that the concertina wire poses a risk to human safety, the administration's own behavior does as well as it has "facilitated and encouraged aliens to 'undertake the dangerous task of crossing the river.'"

The court also rejected the Biden administration's argument that the Lone Star State's fencing undermines international relations, adding that "concerns about international relations do not erase property owners' rights over thousands of square miles along the border."

The lone dissenter on the court was a Biden-nominated judge, Irma Carrillo Ramirez.

The ever-defiant Republican Gov. Greg Abbott noted in response to the ruling that Texas will "continue adding more razor wire border barrier."

Paxton called the result a "huge win for Texas," tweeting, "We sued immediately when the federal government was observed destroying fences to let illegal aliens enter, and we've fought every step of the way for Texas sovereignty and security."

"It was shocking to me that the federal government would go out of their way to cut razor wire to allow illegals to cross when we're just trying to protect our own land," Paxton reportedly told Newsmax Wednesday evening. "This wasn't their land. This was our land, our private property. It had nothing due to the federal government. So this is a good win for Texas, a good win for the country, that this court recognized our ability to protect our land."

The Tribune noted that a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not respond to its request for comment.

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'We are hurting': Texas police officer — a husband and father of 3 — gunned down in 'ambush'



A Texas police officer — a husband and father of three — was fatally shot in the line of duty in an "ambush" Monday.

The Greenville Police Department stated in a press release that Officer Cooper Dawson initiated a traffic stop around 7:40 p.m. Greenville is about 75 minutes northeast of Dallas.

'We are heartbroken over the loss of Officer Cooper Dawson, who selflessly put his life on the line to serve and protect our community.'

The suspect reportedly fled the traffic stop, and Dawson allegedly pursued the suspect on foot.

Police noted that Dawson, 27, was "ambushed and shot multiple times" while pursuing the suspect.

Despite suffering critical injuries, Dawson reportedly "displayed exceptional courage, returning fire, and striking the suspect."

Following the shooting, both Dawson and the suspect were rushed to Hunt County Regional Hospital.

Dawson's condition was so severe that authorities had to airlift him to Medical City Plano where he later died.

Dawson's death reportedly was the first in the line of duty within the Greenville Police Department in more than 100 years.

The Dallas Morning News identified the alleged cop-killer as 25-year-old Christian Robert Sparger.

Citing Denton County court records, the Morning News said Sparger pleaded guilty last year to charges of aggravated assault and continuous violence in a separate case.

The paper also said Sparger was arrested in 2017 and 2018 for marijuana possession, public intoxication, and failure to identify as a fugitive with intent to provide false information.

"Officer Dawson was a highly respected member of the Greenville Police Department and had previously served with the Garland Police Department," Greenville Police stated. "His dedication to public service and his unwavering commitment to protecting the Greenville community will never be forgotten."

Before leaving the Garland Police Department in 2023, Dawson purportedly earned 10 certificates of merit, a dozen commendations, and two bars for saving a life.

Greenville Police Chief Chris Smith declared, "We are heartbroken over the loss of Officer Cooper Dawson, who selflessly put his life on the line to serve and protect our community. We ask that you keep Officer Dawson’s family, our department, and the Greenville community in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time."

According to KXAS-TV, Smith added, "We are hurting. We are hurting as a department. We are hurting as a community. Today, we honor him as a hero, a husband, a father, and a friend. The grief we feel is indescribable."

Smith also said, "We lost a good man today. He was an excellent officer. Today, we honor him as a hero, a husband, a father, and a friend. The grief we feel is indescribable."

Greenville Police displayed a squad car in front of its department in memory of Dawson.

At 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Greenville Police featured a procession of Dawson's remains through the city streets as a tribute to him.

Dawson also served with the U.S. Army National Guard.

Details regarding memorial services for Dawson's family will be announced in the coming days, police said.

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GOP states sue ESG 'cartel': BlackRock, Vanguard, State Street accused of manipulating energy market



A coalition of 11 Republican-led states filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against BlackRock, Vanguard Group, and State Street Corporation, accusing the three asset managers of violating antitrust laws.

According to the complaint, the companies' promotion of environmental, social, and governance standards resulted in less coal production and higher energy prices.

Companies 'formed a cartel to rig the coal market.'

The lawsuit stated that the financial institutions "artificially constrained the supply of coal, significantly diminished competition in the markets for coal, increased energy prices for American consumers, and produced cartel-level profits" for themselves by leveraging their power.

Reuters reported that the three financial institutions have more than $26 trillion in assets under their management.

The companies have pressured coal companies to reduce their carbon emission by more than 50% by 2030, the complaint noted.

"Competitive markets — not the dictates of far-flung asset managers — should determine the price Americans pay for electricity," it read.

The coalition of states — including Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, West Virginia, and Wyoming — was led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R).

Paxton accused the asset managers of "illegally conspiring to manipulate energy markets."

"These firms also deceived thousands of investors who elected to invest in non-ESG funds to maximize their profits. Yet these funds pursued ESG strategies notwithstanding the defendants' representations to the contrary," he claimed.

The lawsuit accused BlackRock of "actively deceiving investors about the nature of its funds" by using all of its holdings, even those in non-ESG funds, to advance its climate goals.

Paxton told Turning Point USA founder and CEO Charlie Kirk that the reduced coal production forces the U.S. to purchase more energy overseas.

"It's affecting consumers in all kinds of ways," he said.

Paxton wrote in a post on X, "Texas will not tolerate the illegal weaponization of the financial industry in service of a destructive, politicized 'environmental' agenda. BlackRock, Vanguard, and State Street formed a cartel to rig the coal market, artificially reduce the energy supply, and raise prices. Their conspiracy has harmed American energy production and hurt consumers. This is a stunning violation of State and federal law."

BlackRock said in a statement to Bloomberg that the lawsuit "undermines Texas' pro-business reputation."

"The suggestion that BlackRock invested money in companies with the goal of harming those companies is baseless and defies common sense," the company said.

Vanguard Group and State Street Corporation did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters or Bloomberg.

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