Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton finds something to smirk at during a 2024 appearance at a conservative conference in Arizona. Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Gage Skidmore
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Monday said his office is investigating whether San Antonio’s North East ISD and two other Texas school districts approved and facilitated recent student walkouts protesting Trump administration immigration policies.
Paxton, an unyielding Trump ally, said he ordered up the inquiries over “concerns that ISD administration and faculty orchestrated the protests,” but offered no basis for the claim. He further alleged the districts have taken little to no action to ensure the safety of students during recent walkouts.
“I will not allow Texas schools to become breeding grounds for the radical Left’s open borders agenda,” Paxton added. “Let this serve as a warning to any public school official or employee who unlawfully facilitates student participation in protests targeting our heroic law enforcement officers: my office will use every legal tool available to hold you accountable.”
The announcement also comes as Paxton heads into a heated midterm election challenging incumbent U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a fellow member of the GOP. Paxton, a MAGA loyalist, has repeatedly called out his rival as a “RINO,” or Republican in name only.
North East ISD officials said they’re cooperating with Paxton’s investigation, which centers around Churchill High School, adding provided information on other district campuses as well.
“NEISD gave guidance to staff before the [Texas Education Agency] issued its guidance and it was substantially similar,” spokeswoman Aubrey M. Chancellor said in a statement. “Staff was informed to follow our policies, which dictate that their role is to supervise students, maintain a safe learning environment and remain professionally neutral. Staff was reminded to not encourage, endorse, discourage, or attempt to persuade students about participating in a walkout or protest.”
While the campus respects our students’ rights to express their individual views, our highest priorities are to maintain students’ safety on campus and preserve a rich learning environment accessible to all of our students.
“Should students participate in a walkout, we want to be clear that students will be considered truant from class resulting in an unexcused absence,” the texts read. “Additionally, if the event creates a significant disruption to learning or creates any type of physical danger to others such as bringing weapons or inciting violence, students will receive disciplinary consequences ranging from detention or In-school suspension to Out-of-school suspension or recommendation to an alternative educational setting.”
Campus administration also pledged to maintain vigilance about upcoming communications and urged parents speak to their children to ensure they understand the risks of leaving campus.
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