The Texas Education Agency warned school districts Tuesday that they could face state intervention if they help facilitate students walking out of class to attend protests.
The agency issued the guidance after Goveror Greg Abbott directed Education Commissioner Mike Morath to investigate a social media post showing Austin Independent School District students participating in nationwide walkouts protesting recent killings by federal immigration officers.
In guidance released Tuesday evening, the agency said students, educators and districts involved in what it called “inappropriate political activism” could face consequences. Those include students being marked absent and districts potentially losing state funding, educators being investigated and disciplined — including the possible loss of teaching licenses — and districts facing state oversight, such as the replacement of an elected school board with a board of managers.
State law gives Morath authority to conduct special investigations into school districts as he deems necessary, the agency said.
School districts where walkouts occurred have said they did not endorse or enable the protests and that participating students would receive unexcused absences.
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