Anti-ICE protests have spread from the streets to the schools, with students walking out of class at campuses across the country last week, including several in Texas. That prompted Gov. Greg Abbott to order the Texas Education Association (TEA) to investigate schools that allowed or even encouraged these protests, and to possibly cut off their state funding. "If kids are skipping class and going out and protesting, those schools are not going to be paid for that day for those students who are skipping class," Abbott said. "Protesting by leaving school is not allowed by law."
A closer look at these campus protests around the country reveals teachers are encouraging and leading many of them. Videos on social media show young children in elementary schools chanting "No Donald Trump" and "Enough is Enough" at the behest of teachers. A teacher in Seattle posted a video thanking her middle school students for protesting ICE. Comedian and podcast host Adam Carolla highlighted video of an elementary school teacher forcing young children to repeat anti-ICE rhetoric, which set off Carolla.
"Teachers, just teach, that's all," said Carolla. "We don't need to know where you're at...I don't want to know if you're straight or gay, I don't want to know who you voted for, you have a job--teach...there's history, math, reading and language...feel free to go ahead and teach!"
Attorney and conservative activist Jared Woodfill agrees with Gov. Abbott that this type of coerced protest is not protected by law. "For a teacher who that young person looks up to, allowing and even encouraging them to stand against a government organization or individual simply enforcing the law, we have a real big problem there," says Woodfill. "Those teachers need to be severely reprimanded, and should be fired."