Texas student walkouts: TEA warns teachers, districts of consequences to demonstrations

Anti-ICE school walkouts continue in Central Texas

The Texas Education Agency is warning teachers and school districts about the consequences of actions related to political activism.

AUSTIN, Texas - The Texas Education Agency is warning teachers and school districts about the consequences of actions related to political activism.

What we know:

The TEA outlined some of the ramifications of anti-ICE walkouts in schools:

• Students must be marked as absent and schools risk losing daily attendance funding if they allow or encourage students to walk out of class.
• Teachers that facilitate walk-outs will be subject to investigation and sanction including licensure revocation.
• School systems that facilitate walkouts will be subject to investigation and sanction, including either the appointment of a monitor, conservator or board of managers.

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Texas student walkouts: TEA releases new guidance outlining consequences, responsibilities

The Texas Education Agency has released new guidance regarding student walkouts and absences, as well as educator and district responsibilities.

What they're saying:

Taylor Carriker-Cavin is a Dobie Middle School teacher at Austin ISD. 

"I think that threatening educators with the loss of certification or districts with takeovers actually creates fear and confusion and doesn't support what our students and our schools actually need," said Taylor Carriker-Cavin.

The TEA’s guideline release follows Gov. Greg Abbott’s directive to investigate instances at public schools, like Austin ISD, after photos of teachers walking alongside students with signs during a protest were posted on social media.

"Schools are tasked with preparing students to participate in democracy, and I think that this is an opportunity for activism to be a learning experience rather than to be seen as disruption," said Carriker-Cavin.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Abbott threatens school funding over student walkouts

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is threatening to strip funding from schools after hundreds of students walked out in protest of ICE operations and immigration policies.

The mayor of Hutto shared a similar viewpoint ahead of the planned protest at Hutto ISD on Thursday, saying his main message is safety for students and clarity from the state.

"If you respond in a manner that is viewed as supportive of a walkout, then you can be punished by the state. And so, I don't understand how they expect the ISDs to control a situation when they're limiting their communication," Hutto Mayor Mike Snyder said.

The TEA stated in part that while it’s "inappropriate for educators to neglect students released onto public streets with no supervision or parental notification," they also should not "facilitate disruption by encouraging students to leave campus during instructional hours."

"The TEA is putting ISDs in an extremely difficult position," said Mayor Snyder. "You can't keep kids in the classroom. You can't lock the doors, but you can't communicate because if you communicate the wrong way, the TEA's going to come take your district over."

School districts continue to reiterate that these are not school-sponsored activities.

Gov. Abbott posted on X: "AISD gets taxpayer dollars to teach the subjects required by the state, not to help students skip school to protest. Our schools are for educating our children, not political indoctrination."

There were anti-ICE walkouts at both Leander and Elgin high schools on Wednesday. 

For other districts, like Hays CISD, Bastrop ISD, and Manor ISD, walkouts are planned this week.

Teen gets lost during Hays CISD student walkout

Dig deeper:

Also, the Hays CISD superintendent, Dr. Eric Wright, said there was a 12-year-old boy from Simon Middle School who got lost on Tuesday. 

The superintendent said the boy left the middle school during a student protest earlier in that day and walked five-and-a-half miles until he found another campus. 

He was later reunited with his parents.