BAYTOWN, Texas – A Baytown mother is pushing for new legislation in Texas after her 16-year-old son was killed at school last year.
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Mother fights for new state law after son’s death
What we know:
Andrew Meismer was allegedly stabbed to death by a classmate with a pair of scissors during a fight over a vape pen inside Sterling High School in December 2025.
Now, his mother, Rebecca Meismer, is turning her heartbreak into action, pushing for a proposed law in her son’s honor in hopes of preventing another tragedy.
Rebecca says she believes more could have been done to protect her son and wants greater accountability when serious acts of violence happen inside Texas schools.
“Andrew was bigger than life. He was 16. He was a junior in high school, and he was the class clown. Everybody knew him,” Rebecca said.
She remembers the last morning she saw her son alive. What started as a normal Wednesday quickly turned into a nightmare when she received a phone call from the school telling her Andrew had been stabbed.
Rebecca says she was rushing to the school when she received another call telling her Andrew was being flown to a hospital in Houston.
“My world fell apart, and my family shattered into pieces in a way that will never come back together because that kid was the glue,” Rebecca said.
In connection with Andrew’s death, 18-year-old Aundre Matthews is charged with murder.
Prosecutors say Matthews had a disciplinary history before the deadly incident, including prior allegations involving knives and inappropriate conduct.
Rebecca believes those warning signs should have been handled differently.
Now, she’s pushing for proposed legislation called “Andrew’s Law,” which would require serious physical assaults causing injuries in Texas schools to be reported to law enforcement, investigated and reviewed by the criminal justice system to determine whether criminal charges should be filed.
“Andrew’s Law is about making sure serious physical assaults that cause injury in Texas schools don’t stop at school discipline,” Rebecca said. “We want those cases properly reported, investigated and reviewed by the criminal justice system so that decisions about criminal charges aren’t left solely to the school.”
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Rebecca believes stronger accountability could have made a difference in her son’s case.
She says she has already been discussing the proposal with local lawmakers and hopes to have a bill drafted soon.
A community meeting is also scheduled for next week in Baytown, where residents can learn more about Andrew’s Law and share their input. Join Citizens 4 Strong Education is holding a community on Tuesday, October 13 from 6-8PM at El Toro’s along Garth Road in Baytown.
Rebecca hopes the legislation will help protect other students while keeping her son’s memory alive.
“It would ensure Andrew’s legacy lives on. It would be his voice and his memory because Andrew just wanted people to be happy,” she said.
Weapons-related violations in Texas schools
According to the Texas Education Agency, during the 2024–2025 school year, schools reported the following disciplinary violations:
- 276 firearm or handgun violations
- 162 incidents involving the unlawful carrying of a location-restricted knife
- 230 offenses relating to a prohibited weapon
Crime Stoppers raises concerns about teen violence
Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers of Houston says juvenile violence remains a serious concern across the Houston area, with teenagers increasingly becoming both suspects and victims of violent crimes.
“The sad reality is that teen violent crime has risen sharply in the last few years, and also teen victims of violent crime have equally risen sharply,” Kahan said.
Kahan also expressed concerns about the difficulty of accessing juvenile criminal histories and hopes state lawmakers will take a closer look at juvenile violence during the upcoming legislative session.
He says tips submitted to Crime Stoppers over the past several years have helped authorities recover hundreds of weapons from schools across Harris County.
Kahan is encouraging students, parents and school staff to report suspicious activity, weapons or potential threats before violence happens.
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He emphasized that tips to Crime Stoppers can be submitted anonymously.