On Friday, Austin ISD officials permitted hundreds of students across 14 campuses to leave school during school hours to participate in anti–Immigration and Customs Enforcement demonstrations around the city.
I personally observed several hundred students—some of them very young—marching up Congress Avenue toward the Texas Capitol. Many carried signs bearing vulgar slogans, including messages such as “F*** ICE.” Students arrived in waves, at times accompanied by Austin ISD police officers. It appeared that a few adults wearing badges walked alongside the students, suggesting the presence of teachers or other district personnel. But the vast majority of kids were unsupervised.
I took photos and video of the march and posted them on X, where the images quickly gained national attention. Governor Abbott reposted it and wrote that he was directing Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath to investigate what happened. “AISD gets taxpayer dollars to teach the subjects required by the state, not to help students skip school to protest,” he wrote.
Then the flood gates opened. Students at numerous schools around the state participated in organized walkouts to protest ICE. On Tuesday, TEA issued a strong response saying that school officials found to have facilitated the walkouts would be subject to sanctions, including possible revocation of teaching licenses, state intervention, and a loss of funding.
Several state lawmakers quickly raised concerns, questioning whether the district merely tolerated the protest or actively facilitated it. House Public Education Committee Chairman Brad Buckley said that students being escorted by administrators and district police amounted to “at least de facto endorsement.” Rep. Tom Oliverson questioned whether state law adequately prohibits school employees from organizing or enabling protests during instructional hours. Rep. Cody Harris argued the district once again demonstrated misplaced priorities.
Attorney General Ken Paxton announced his office would also investigate, stating that parents expect schools to educate students and keep them safe—not turn the school day into a political protest.
With additional school-related protests reportedly planned later this month, the broader issue remains unresolved. Once again, public education appears to be drifting further from what parents expect: schools focused on rigorous, age-appropriate academics, not institutions that place children at the center of adult political controversies.
Brian Phillips
Chief Communications Officer
