Скачать или смотреть Students Walk Out Nationwide Over ICE Protests — Schools Caught in the Middle

Classrooms across the United States became flashpoints of political conflict as K–12 students in multiple states walked out of school to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

On January 29 and 30, 2026, coordinated student walkouts took place in states including California, Texas, Georgia, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and Minnesota. Organizers referred to the protests as a “national shutdown” or “ICE Out.”

Most demonstrations were student led and spread rapidly through social media. Many school districts reported having little or no advance warning.

District leaders across the country have responded in different ways — some permitting protests during lunch or after school, others marking students absent, and some warning of disciplinary consequences.

The walkouts raise major questions:

• Should schools remain politically neutral spaces?
• Are political walkouts part of modern civic education?
• How do schools balance student voice with instructional responsibility?
• Where should boundaries be when national political conflicts enter K–12 classrooms?

Share your thoughts in the comments.

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