PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Valley school districts have been notifying parents about anti-ICE student protests planned for Friday.
Posts circulating on social media suggest there could be walkouts at more than 30 schools.
Students from different Valley schools marched to the state Capitol Wednesday, and walkouts occurred at Westview High School in Avondale and Sequoia Charter in Mesa Thursday in protest of federal immigration enforcement.
Phoenix civil rights attorney Benjamin Taylor said students have First Amendment rights to political protest, even during school hours.
“Under the law, under the Constitution, you have a First Amendment right to do a political protest, even if you’re a student,” Taylor said.
However, there are limitations. Students can’t interfere with others’ learning and must protest on public property, not inside school buildings.
“They just can’t disrupt other students,” Taylor said.
Audra Watson with the Institute for Citizens and Scholars works directly with youth wanting to get involved with their communities. She said protesting is often the first step young people take to practice civic skills.
“Oftentimes, we make democracy sort of a theoretical concept. For young people, this is an opportunity for them to weigh in and have their voices heard,” Watson said.
Students who decide to walk out could end up with an unexcused absence or maybe a suspension if they already have a high number of unexcused absences.
“They should worry about that, and they should understand what the consequences are,” Watson said.
Safety is a concern when it comes to walkouts. Watson said students should tell their parents before they participate and carry an ID.
Taylor said protesting peacefully could help create a safer environment and lessen the risk of things taking a chaotic turn that could lead to more serious consequences.
Maricopa County School Superintendent Shelli Boggs said in an emailed statement that the First Amendment is important for students to understand, but argues that walkouts during class are not acceptable.
“The First Amendment is a foundational American right, and students should be taught it’s meaning and function. It is neither reasonable nor appropriate for students to walk out of class during the school day to protest federal policies or agencies, including ICE. Instructional time is limited and valuable, and walkouts during school hours, regardless of the issue, disrupt learning, undermine classroom stability, and place schools in the middle of political disputes they are not intended to referee.
There are serious school safety concerns when students, many of whom are under the age of 18, leave campus during the school day. Parents send their children to school with the expectation that they will be in class, accounted for, and safe, not walking out of campus as part of political activity. Allowing minors to leave school during instructional hours creates real risks to student safety and exposes schools and families to liability. Public schools must remain focused on academics and neutral in political matters. Teachers and staff should not encourage, organize, or participate in student walkouts or protests during instructional time. Their responsibility is to educate – not to advocate. Parents expect schools to prioritize reading, writing, math, and student achievement, and that expectation is reasonable and must be respected.”
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