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4w ago

East Central ISD Suspends About 30 Students After Anti-ICE Walkout, Says None Expelled

Officials say they enforced attendance rules under new state guidance, a stance now shaping how Texas schools respond to walkouts.

Protesters march down Navarro Street in downtown San Antonio on Friday evening, Jan. 30, 2026, during a National Shutdown protest. Students from dozens of schools in the area had walked out of class to participate in demonstrations earlier in the day, and some have since faced disciplinary action.
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Overview

  • About 30 East Central High students who left class on Feb. 13 received suspensions and extracurricular restrictions, the district confirmed.
  • East Central ISD said no students were expelled, while student accounts alleged an expulsion and warned seniors could be barred from prom or graduation; those claims remain unconfirmed.
  • A student named Ayven said he lost access to prom and the senior trip, as the district maintained the penalties addressed unauthorized absences rather than political views.
  • San Antonio Students for Peace said it has tracked more than 50 local walkouts and called East Central’s response unusually severe, noting the district even sent a bus to retrieve protesters.
  • The Texas Education Agency has warned districts against facilitating off-campus demonstrations and Attorney General Ken Paxton has opened probes into Austin, North East, Dallas and Manor ISDs, with NEISD reporting 100–150 unexcused absences per high school and a handful of suspensions.