Overview
- Texas Education Agency officials confirmed investigations into Austin ISD and other districts and warned of funding consequences, educator discipline and potential state intervention for facilitating walkouts.
- Austin ISD, in a Feb. 6 letter to the Attorney General’s Office, denied sanctioning protests and issued guidance limiting staff monitoring to within 300 feet of campuses, with law enforcement handling safety beyond that distance.
- Walkouts continued this week across North Texas, including Fort Worth-area and Mansfield ISD campuses, as schools marked participants absent and imposed suspensions or revoked privileges such as prom and graduation participation.
- Reports of safety incidents persisted, with Kyle Police arresting two juveniles during a Hays CISD walkout, and districts noting they cannot lawfully use force to prevent students from leaving en masse.
- Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton pressed for accountability, citing complaints and public videos, while districts maintained that any staff presence was to protect students rather than endorse protests.