Bullying Scandal Rocks Lehman High School Baseball Program — And It’s Part of a Troubling Trend
A disturbing pattern of bullying has come to light at Lehman High School in Kyle, shaking the Hays County community and raising serious questions about the safety of student-athletes across Central Texas.
What Happened at Lehman High School?
On April 7, parents of LHS students reported a “potentially serious pattern of bullying” to campus administrators and a school resource officer. The allegations involved members of both the varsity and junior varsity baseball teams targeting a fellow student — a student with a disability, according to four officials across multiple agencies who confirmed the details to KVUE-TV.
By April 9, Hays Consolidated Independent School District (CISD) had suspended ten students and placed head baseball coach Jacob Kaase on paid administrative leave while investigators determined whether players had been properly supervised. Investigators obtained and are reviewing at least two videos of separate incidents spanning several weeks — evidence that points to a clear pattern of conduct, not an isolated moment of poor judgment.
The Hays County Sheriff’s Office has taken the lead on the investigation because, as the district acknowledged, some of the alleged behavior “may rise beyond a school disciplinary matter and constitute criminal activity.” Prosecutors with the Hays County District Attorney’s Office are being consulted about potential charges.
Hays CISD Superintendent Dr. Eric Wright was unequivocal: “Bullying of any kind is intolerable. It goes against everything we are about at Lehman High School and in Hays CISD.”
After initially indicating the season might be canceled, the district reversed course and decided the remaining games would continue — but only with players not implicated in the investigation.
A Troubling Pattern Across Central Texas
The Lehman case is not an isolated incident. It is the third high-school sports controversy to emerge in Central Texas in just three years.
In 2024, a highly-rated football recruit from Lake Travis High School was caught up in a scandal after an incident that could have killed a fellow student with a severe peanut allergy. The alleged victim’s family ultimately sued the school district. Then, in early 2025, parents at Canyon High School in New Braunfels came forward with allegations of bullying, unfair treatment, and a toxic culture within the school’s football program. Now Lehman adds baseball to that grim list — and this time, the victim is a student with a disability, a population the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) specifically protects.
Going back further, a notable case from 2020: Samuel Reynolds, a 16-year-old student from Texas, was shot and later died after intervening in a bullying incident.
What the Law Requires
Texas law is clear on this issue. Under Texas Education Code §37.0832 — commonly known as David’s Law, passed in 2017 after 16-year-old David Molak of San Antonio died by suicide following relentless cyberbullying — every school district must adopt policies to prevent and respond to bullying. The law defines bullying as a single significant act or pattern of acts that exploits a power imbalance and has the effect of physically or emotionally harming a student or creating an intimidating educational environment.
School districts must notify the parents of a bullying victim within three business days of a report, conduct an investigation within ten school days, and may impose disciplinary consequences up to and including expulsion. Victims may also request a school transfer under Texas Education Code §25.0342.
The Texas Education Agency finalized minimum standards for bullying prevention in January 2023, requiring districts to establish campus bullying committees, teach students about healthy relationships, and collect annual survey data to identify trends.
Austin ISD‘s policies go further in spelling out responsibilities. Under AISD’s Bullying & Harassment Policy, consequences must be consistent with the Student Success Guide Code of Conduct and tailored to the severity and nature of each incident.
Critically, AISD policy extends accountability not just to students who directly bully others, but also to students who “by their indirect behavior, condone or support another student’s act of bullying.” A Safe & Supportive Schools Program Team must be convened to develop a plan for both the victim and the perpetrator. AISD also maintains an anonymous reporting link on its website for students who fear retaliation.
Resources for Victims of Bullying
If you or someone you know is being bullied, help is available:
- StopBullying.gov — Comprehensive resources for students, parents, and educators: www.stopbullying.gov
- Crisis Text Line — Text HOME to 741741 for free, confidential support 24/7
- SAFE Austin SAFEline — (512) 267-7233, 24-hour helpline for Austin-area residents; also provides school-based counseling through the Expect Respect program: www.safeaustin.org
- Mental Health America — (800) 969-6642
- Texas School Safety Center — Resources and reporting tools for Texas students and parents: txssc.txstate.edu
- Austin ISD Anonymous Reporting — Anonymous Tips | Austin ISD
- Disability Rights Texas — Guidance specifically for students with disabilities who are bullied: www.disabilityrightstx.org
The investigation at Lehman is ongoing. But the swift action by Hays CISD — suspensions, a coach placed on leave, and law enforcement involvement within days — sends a signal that must become the norm, not the exception, throughout Texas schools.
Sources
- KXAN Austin — “Baseball team bullying investigation leads to suspensions of Lehman HS students, staff member” (April 10, 2025): https://www.kxan.com/news/local/hays/baseball-team-bullying-investigation-leads-to-suspensions-of-lehman-hs-students-staff-member/
- KVUE — “Lehman High School baseball players accused of abusing student with a disability; police reviewing videos” (April 13, 2025): https://www.kvue.com/article/news/education/schools/lehman-high-school-baseball-bullying-student-disability/
- KVUE — “Lehman High baseball coach placed on leave amid alleged bullying incident” (April 15, 2025): https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/lehman-high-school-investigation-bullying-alleged-incident/
- CBS Austin — “It’s unacceptable: Ten students suspended as district cites video of possible violations” (April 12, 2025): https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/its-unacceptable-ten-students-suspended-as-district-cites-video-of-possible-violations
- BroBible — “Texas High School Suspends 10 Baseball Players And A Staff Member Over Bullying That Crossed Into ‘Criminal Activity'” (April 11, 2025): https://brobible.com/sports/article/texas-high-school-suspends-baseball-players-bullying/
- StopBullying.gov — “Texas Anti-Bullying Laws & Policies”: https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/laws/texas
- Texas Law Help — “Anti-Bullying Policies in Texas Schools” (Updated January 8, 2026): https://texaslawhelp.org/guide/anti-bullying-policies-in-texas-schools
- Texas Bar Association — “Bullying in Texas Schools” (overview of David’s Law): https://www.texasbar.com/AM/Template.cfm?Section=articles&Template=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=51964
- Texas Education Agency — “Coordinated School Health – Bullying and Cyberbullying”: https://tea.texas.gov/texas-schools/health-safety-discipline/coordinated-school-health/coordinated-school-health-bullying-and-cyberbullying
- Austin ISD — “Bullying & Harassment Policy”: https://www.austinisd.org/ed-support/discipline-standards-accountability/bullying
- Austin ISD — “Respect for All Initiative”: https://www.austinisd.org/respectforall
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Texas geography is far more extreme than most people realize. From being larger than most countries to having every major ecosystem in North America, secret underground cave systems, and geography so diverse you can experience desert, forest, mountains, and coastline all in one state – Texas is a geographic marvel.
