Sure, let kids leave school to protest ICE — as long as they can read | Opinion
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- Allow students to protest if achievement tests show grade‑level skills.
- Schools should have crystal‑clear walkout policies for safety and instruction.
- State probes into protests can politicize efforts to improve failing districts.
Something got lost in the controversy over teenagers walking out of school to protest immigration enforcement: education.
Few of the culture-war fights that spill over to campuses have much to do with learning. We often argue over students, classes and books without answering the most vital question, in the famous words of President George W. Bush: Is our children learning?
Some tried to claim the mantle on this one. ICE opponents acted as if bolting class in the middle of the day was the equivalent of filling the streets to protest Vietnam. Politicians such as Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton made it about stopping leftism in schools, though it was really another power play to aggrandize state government.
Here’s a solution: When a walkout erupts, check students’ scores on achievement tests. If the precious treasure in question can read and solve math problems on grade level, let that student protest. Those who can’t should sit their butts down and study.
Scoff if you must, but is it any more ridiculous than suggesting that mushy-headed teens are the conscience of the nation or threatening a state takeover because they left class for a while?
Abbott, Paxton suddenly love state power on ICE walkouts
From Fort Worth to San Antonio, Texas high schools have seen walkouts to protest disruptive ICE tactics in communities. For every kid who’s sincere and has seen the effect in his or her home or neighborhood, 10 more are simply doing a transgressive thing that happens to be available. That’s what teenagers do.
Schools should have crystal-clear policies disallowing walkouts for safety and educational purposes. With the state our schools are in, every possible moment should be geared toward instruction. And you can bet a school district (and thus its taxpayers) would pay dearly if a child were hurt because administrators and teachers stood by or even encouraged a protest.
Given that, Republican leaders initially had the higher ground in criticizing school leaders. Abbott or Paxton never saw an upper hand that they couldn’t make completely heavy-handed.
The governor ordered Education Commissioner Mike Morath to investigate whether the Austin school district aided a protest. Poor Morath is a busy fellow, what with all the Texas school districts performing so poorly that he’s legally obligated to put them under state supervision.
Then, Abbott gave the game away by mixing his messages. He wrote on X that the state would “course correct” the Fort Worth school district. He noted that the state has taken over the district because of academic failure, then tied it all to “indoctrination” that is supposedly causing parents to flee FWISD.
The quickest way to delegitimize the state’s efforts to improve school districts that have failed children for decades is to give critics ammunition to undermine it as political. Abbott just made Morath’s job even harder.
Paxton demanded that three Texas districts, including Dallas, hand over documents so he can make sure schools don’t “become breeding grounds for the radical Left’s open borders agenda.” This is his go-to move of late, launching “investigations” that he hopes will impress Republican primary voters in his battle with Sen. John Cornyn. It’s intimidation, and nothing more.
Seriously, what is it lately with Republicans and state power? Conservatism correctly understood is about restraint at all levels of government and modesty in exercising authority, knowing that the law of unintended consequences is always in effect. Three terms each in office seems to have convinced Abbott and Paxton that it is their charge to fix every wrong, local or otherwise, that causes heartburn for their most cherished part of the GOP electorate.
No, the young don’t have special wisdom on immigration
As if that weren’t nauseating enough, the ICE walkouts were another excuse to trot out tired tropes about how the youth shall lead, their wisdom untainted by cynicism.
Actually, their opinions haven’t yet been tempered by facts, history or the notion that most issues are quite complicated and impervious to slogans that fit on cheap posterboard. “The children” are not smarter than us. They like to break the rules. It’s part of growing up, but that doesn’t mean we have to celebrate it.
Especially if we’re hearing from a sophomore who reads at, say, a sixth-grade level. Shut up, sit down and crack a book. Or do your protesting after school.
It’s not the kids’ fault that they’re in this position. Some adults encourage this nonsense, often out of nostalgia for their own youthful marches and simple slogans. As Billy Joel wrote in a song aptly titled “Angry Young Man”: I once believed in causes, too, had my pointless point of view. Life went on no matter who was wrong or right.
On this one, just about everyone is wrong.
