Photo by Fibonacci Blue. CC BY 4.0.
One growing concern for many parents across the country is the increasing role of schools in encouraging political activism among students—particularly activism directed against federal immigration enforcement. We have witnessed many reports of teachers and school officials encouraging student “walk outs” of class to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These demonstrations have happened in cities across the country and often involve students leaving school grounds to march in public protests.
Parents are rightly questioning whether schools should be promoting this type of political activism. Some students may already hold strong opinions about immigration based on what they hear in the media or at home, yet still others may disagree or prefer not to participate at all. Schools should focus on academics, not encouraging students to engage in leftist political demonstrations during school hours. This also raises and alarming concern about safety. Many reports have shown students protesting along busy streets and highways and getting into confrontations with law enforcement. Some of these protests have even resulted in injuries to and arrests of students! Observers have witnessed incidents where bystanders were struck by objects such as rocks and bottles.
Let’s be clear—these protests aren’t spontaneous student actions. These are organized and encouraged by activist groups and teachers’ unions. One of the largest teachers’ unions in the country, the National Education Association, adopted a resolution in 2025 opposing ICE enforcement actions and supporting student protests against immigration raids and deportations.
Parents are taking to social media to vent frustration after learning their children were encouraged—or in some cases required—to participate in protests without parental permission. In one reported incident, a parent actually confronted school officials after discovering his child had been forced to attend a protest during school hours. Many state policymakers have gone into action, threatening schools with penalties for allowing students to leave class without parents explicitly approving their absence. But this issue raises a far broader question. Taxpayer funded schools should not be allowed to promote activism at all. Public schools must get back to academics, not ideological activism.
The leftist agenda is corrupting classrooms in taxpayer funded schools across the country. If you’re a parent, teacher, or administrator who really cares about our children, we promise to keep you informed with our Education Reporter. Visit PhyllisSchlafly.com and let us hear from you! Again that’s PhyllisSchlafly.com. Join us tomorrow for the Phyllis Schlafly Report.
