Schools Suspend Hundreds of ICE-Walkout Protesters

Amid a wave of student walkouts opposing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, school officials in at least two states have suspended large numbers of students.

In Virginia, Woodbridge High School suspended 323 students for leaving school property during one such walkout a week ago, Diana Gulotta, spokeswoman for Prince William County Public Schools, told The Epoch Times via email on Feb. 20. No suspensions were issued for students who “peacefully walked out of class and stayed on campus” at several other schools in the district during the past week, she said.

During the morning of Feb. 20, a few students at other high schools in the district walked out and “either stayed on campus or stayed in the gym.” Those students’ absences will be counted as unexcused, Gulotta said. She described all the walkouts as “student-led.”

In Oklahoma, a school district has suspended more than 100 youths who protested during school hours, Gov. Kevin Stitt said.

The governor, writing on X on Feb. 18, commended Charles Bradley, superintendent of the Mustang Public Schools in Yukon, Oklahoma, “for suspending 122 students who walked out of class to protest.”

Stitt also issued a cautionary message, saying, “Young Oklahomans: Free speech is sacred, but truancy robs your future. Stay in school, build skills, and make your voice heard responsibly.”

The large-scale suspensions in Oklahoma and Virginia follow walkouts of schoolchildren across the nation, sometimes erupting in vandalism and physical attacks, and risking student safety.

Districts are trying to balance those concerns with students’ free-speech rights as well as parental rights. They also must navigate liability concerns and school policies, as plans for additional protests take shape.

The Epoch Times contacted the Mustang Public School District for comment but received no reply prior to publication.

Meanwhile, plans for additional protests in at least three locations have been publicized.

A “countywide” walkout was set for Feb. 20 in Prince William County, Virginia, according to an Instagram post from organizers.

In Chicago, William Howard Taft High School also expected a walkout on Feb. 20. The school’s official X account states that “participation is optional.” The school said staff would supervise the protest and parents would be notified if their children join it.

In Richmond, Kentucky, some students plan to leave class for an ICE protest on Feb. 26, according to multiple Instagram posts. 

The Mustang Public School District, located outside the state capital of Oklahoma City, previously made a public statement warning that high schoolers “who remained off campus beyond authorized times” during a Feb. 5 “unsanctioned demonstration” would face action under the district’s attendance policy and student conduct code.

“The content of their speech or their viewpoint” was irrelevant, the district said. Rather, students were being disciplined “for leaving class and missing instruction during the school day.”

In addition, the district said, “This activity was not school-sponsored or approved,” and as the walkout was in progress, staff and administrators immediately took steps to supervise the students and “prioritize campus safety.”

“Classroom instruction continued for students who remained, and the learning environment was maintained,” the district said.

The district encouraged parents to talk with students about “school expectations, the importance of remaining on campus during the instructional day, and making safe, responsible choices.”

In addition, the statement said, “Despite social media claims alleging adult involvement, district leadership reviewed all allegations and found no evidence that any Mustang Public Schools employee instigated, organized, or facilitated this student activity.”

In responses on X to the governor’s statement, a number of commenters said the suspensions seemed appropriate, while a few people raised concerns.

If parents approve of their children participating in the protest, that would not meet the student handbook’s definition of truancy, which was “absence without permission of parents or school,” one commenter said.

Anti-ICE protests gained momentum in January after two protesters, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were each shot and killed in two separate confrontations with federal immigration officers who were attempting to arrest wanted persons.

During a Jan. 30 “National Shutdown,” dozens of organizations encouraged people to boycott work, school, and businesses to show their opposition to ICE. Organizers claimed success, trumpeting on their website, “50 states, 300 actions, 1000+ organizations, millions standing up.”