Over a hundred students in Oklahoma have been suspended for skipping classes to participate in protests against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, as more and more students become involved in demonstrations.
On February 18, Governor Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma praised Charles Bradley, the superintendent of the Mustang Public Schools district, for taking disciplinary action against 122 students who left school to join the protest activities. Stitt took to social media platform X to commend the superintendent’s decision.
In his post, Stitt warned the young people of Oklahoma, stating that while freedom of speech is sacred and inviolable, skipping school will deprive them of their future. He urged them to stay on campus, develop skills, and make their voices heard in a responsible manner.
The disciplinary action taken by the Mustang Public Schools district in Oklahoma comes amidst a nationwide wave of student walkouts in protest against ICE, with some of the demonstrations escalating into property damage and physical confrontations posing risks to student safety.
The district is seeking to strike a balance between addressing these concerns, safeguarding students’ freedom of speech, and respecting parental rights. As more protest activities are planned and announced, the district is also grappling with legal responsibilities and school policies.
Efforts to reach the Mustang Public Schools district by the Epoch Times for comment went unanswered at the time of publication.
Meanwhile, at least three locations have publicly announced upcoming protest plans.
According to posts on Instagram by organizers, a county-wide walkout is scheduled to take place in Prince William County, Virginia, on February 20.
William Howard Taft High School in Chicago is also set to have a walkout on February 20. In an official statement on X, the school stated that participation is voluntary, and faculty will supervise the protest activities while notifying the parents of students participating in the protests.
Posts on Instagram indicate that some students in Richmond, Kentucky, plan to leave school on February 26 to join protests against ICE.
The Mustang Public Schools district on the outskirts of Oklahoma City had previously issued a warning, stating that high school students who were “unlawfully detained off-campus” during an “unauthorized demonstration” on February 5 would be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with district attendance policies and student behavior guidelines.
The school emphasized that the disciplinary action was not based on the content or viewpoint of the speech, but rather on the students being absent from school during class time.
It was also noted that the activities were not sponsored or approved by the school, and when the walkout occurred, staff and administrators took immediate measures to supervise students and prioritize campus safety.
The statement emphasized that classroom teaching for the students who remained on campus continued as usual, maintaining a normal learning environment.
The school urged parents to discuss with their children the importance of adhering to campus rules, staying in school during class time, and making safe and responsible choices.
The statement further added that despite social media allegations implicating adults in the protests, a comprehensive review by the school leadership found no evidence that district staff incited, organized, or assisted the student activities.
Regarding Governor Stitt’s statement, the majority of commentators on the X platform deemed the suspensions reasonable, while a minority raised concerns.
One internet user pointed out that if parents consented to their children participating in protest activities, it would not fit the school handbook’s definition of truancy, as truancy refers to absences without parental or school permission.
Last month, tensions escalated during anti-ICE protests following the deaths of two protesters, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in enforcement conflicts with immigration officials arresting fugitives.
During the “National Strike” event held on January 30, dozens of organizations mobilized online to encourage people to participate in strikes, walkouts, and boycotts to express dissatisfaction with ICE.