Texas Threatens To Investigate Teachers, School Districts That Allow Anti-ICE Walkout Protests

Texas Governor Greg Abbott is warning schools in the Lone Star State that they could face a loss of state funds if they “allow” students to engage in walkout protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement efforts in their communities.The warning comes after hundreds of students in Texas walked out of schools to protest ICE. Thousands of students across the country have engaged in walkout demonstrations to protest the Trump Administration’s immigration policy.On Monday, hundreds of students from the Hays Consolidated Independent School District walked out of class. Police officers arrested two teens after a fight. One was arrested for assault on a public servant, resisting arrest, consumption, and possession of alcohol by a minor. The police department said the arrests were not related to the protest.But in a post on X, Mr. Abbott highlighted the incident to criticize the school district, writing, “It’s about time students like this were arrested. Harming someone is a crime even for students. Disruptive walkouts allowed by schools lead to just this kind of chaos.”“Schools and staff who allow this behavior should be treated as co-conspirators and should not be immune for criminal behavior,” he said. “We are also looking into stripping the funding of schools that abandon their duty to teach our kids the curriculum required by law.”A Democratic state representative, Erin Zwiener, criticized Mr. Abbott for not posting about a separate arrest by the Kyle police department for allegedly assaulting a student. She said the governor is “only making protests less safe for students & more disruptive for Texas communities.”The Hays superintendent, Eric Wright, said that a teacher was placed on administrative leave after photos surfaced that showed the educator holding a profanity-laced protest sign.“The school district belongs to everyone and we do not, as an entity or as employees, use taxpayer time and resources to engage in political activity,” Mr. Wright said. While Mr. Abbott threatened schools with a loss of funds, the Texas Education Agency issued guidance warning students, teachers, or school districts against engaging in “inappropriate activism.”The education agency said that students should be marked absent if they engage in walkout protests, and warned that school districts could lose funding if they are found to have encouraged or “facilitated” a protest. Several school districts in Texas that saw students walk out have stated that they did not sponsor the protests and that students should be in the classroom during the school day. Teachers could also face investigations and disciplinary measures, such as the loss of their teaching license, if they are found to have participated in or supported the protests. Additionally, the agency said that school districts that encourage the protests could have their school boards replaced by a state-appointed board of managers.In a statement, the education agency said, “Today, in classrooms across Texas, tomorrow’s leaders are learning the foundational, critical thinking skills and knowledge necessary for lifelong learning, serving as the bedrock for the future success of our state and nation.”“It is in this spirit that school systems have been reminded of their duty and obligation to ensure that their students are both safe and that they attend school, with consequences for students for unexcused absences,” it added.Texas is not the only state to issue a warning to schools about anti-ICE protests. On Tuesday night, Florida’s education commissioner, Anastasios Kamoutsas, said in a post on X, “We will not tolerate educators encouraging school protests and pushing their political views onto students, especially ones that disparage law enforcement.”The Florida education department encouraged teachers to “have conversations with your students about the importance of not allowing civic engagement to detract from time in the classroom.”

Texas Threatens To Investigate Teachers, School Districts That Allow Anti-ICE Walkout Protests

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