North Texas students continue anti-ICE walkouts despite suspension threats: "We shouldn't be punished for exercising our First Amendment rights."
Students across North Texas continue to walk out of class to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement policies, despite potential disciplinary consequences.
At Boswell High School in Fort Worth, students have organized two walkouts so far, one during school and one after school. Students like Brody Jones, who's a senior at Boswell, said he continues to organize anti-ICE walkouts and protests, despite the warnings.
"It's for my community," Jones said. "People don't feel safe, and I can't stand for that."
On Feb. 2, Jones and dozens of his classmates at the high school walked out of class to protest, even after the principal warned them of possible punishment.
"Originally, we were being threatened with prom and graduation rights," he said.
That was before the Texas Education Agency and Gov. Greg Abbott released guidance warning districts that they could face investigations or even loss of funding over student walkouts. Despite that, students protested again this Monday, this time after school. But those who walked out during school hours last week are now facing in-school suspension. Jones is one of them.
"I can get where they are coming from, but I do believe our punishment is incorrect," said Jones. "I believe we shouldn't be punished for exercising our First Amendment rights."
An Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District spokesperson confirmed that students who participate in walkouts will be marked absent and could face additional disciplinary action aside from in-school suspension, like out-of-school suspension, and loss of privileges such as prom attendance or walking at graduation. But despite the consequences school districts are handing down, students across North Texas are still participating.
"This is a different generation, and we must pay attention," said Sheila Walker, the president of the National Education Association Dallas. "They're not afraid."
Walker said students continuing to walk out and protest reflects both their passion and their understanding of civic engagement.
"The character of our students says, we know we have rights," said Walker. "This is part of democracy. This is what we've [students] been taught. This is what we're learning in school, so, to exercise your right to know that democracy, know that it's right, it says that our generation is changing."
Jones said they're not backing down.
"You could try to threaten us. You could try to intimidate us. You could try to silence us, but at the end of the day, it's only going to make us stronger," he said.
