The Austin Independent School District has given its staff updated guidelines on how to respond to student-led protests after seeing an uptick in demonstrations in recent weeks.
"We have managed past walkouts by giving students space and freedom to express themselves," AISD Superintendent Matias Segura said in a letter to families on Friday. "However, the number of protests, combined with demonstrations moving off campus, has prompted our leaders to develop more detailed protest protocols to ensure the safety of our students and staff while maintaining our focus on on-campus instruction."
Students from AISD recently participated in a national walkout to protest federal immigration policies and enforcement. Some district teachers and staff walked along with them, while campus police followed along to help keep the students safe. That prompted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to demand information from the district for its alleged involvement in the protest. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott also directed the state's education commissioner to investigate AISD following the event.
Segura said district staff will continue to monitor student protest activities during school hours. However, starting on Monday, they will only monitor walkouts that occur within 300 feet of a school building. If students walk further than 300 feet away, Segura said staff will remain on campus, and district police will coordinate with local law enforcement to continue to monitor students.
Segura said the district also "communicated staff expectations to all Austin ISD employees in alignment with the Texas Education Agency guidelines released this week." The TEA warned school districts that they could be taken over by the state if they help facilitate students walking out of class to attend protests.
Staff members, Segura said, are not permitted to participate in, plan or endorse student walkouts, and "may only direct the students planning a walkout to notify the principal of those plans." Teachers are also expected to remain in the classroom with students who decide not to participate in demonstrations.
