Students across multiple school districts in Central Texas staged walkouts on March 11, 2024, to protest the activities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The demonstrations involved hundreds of students from schools including Hays CISD, Manor ISD, Lockhart ISD, and Pflugerville ISD. This collective action sparked investigations by state officials, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Governor Greg Abbott.
The walkouts were not authorized by the school districts, which stated that students participating in the protests would be marked absent and could face disciplinary measures. The protests occurred at several campuses, particularly within Hays CISD, where students left classes at Hays High School, Live Oak Academy High School, Johnson High School, Lehman High School, and Barton Middle School. Reports indicated that hundreds of students joined the demonstrations.
In response to the protests, Attorney General Paxton launched an investigation into Austin ISD, demanding documents related to campus departure policies and internal communications. This investigation follows an order from Governor Abbott, who directed the state education commissioner to look into the events, asserting that taxpayer funds should be used to teach state-mandated subjects rather than facilitating protests.
The reactions from school districts varied. At Lockhart High School, students began their walkout around 1:10 p.m. and marched along Highway 183 toward downtown Lockhart, as noted in a letter from Principal Michael Herbin. Local law enforcement, including Caldwell County Constables and the Lockhart Police Department, monitored the situation to ensure safety. Meanwhile, Pflugerville ISD reported that many students who left school congregated near the Pflugerville Justice Center.
In a statement, Hays CISD expressed a desire for the situation to serve as a learning experience for all students, emphasizing the importance of understanding their rights and responsibilities, regardless of their views on the issues at hand.
The protests unfolded alongside other significant incidents in the Austin area on the same day, including a police standoff, traffic fatalities, and a fire. Austin police SWAT teams responded to a barricaded suspect following a domestic disturbance call early Monday morning, while a cyclist tragically died after being struck by a vehicle on State Highway 71. Additionally, a pedestrian was killed in downtown Austin in an unrelated traffic incident.
These events further highlight the pressing public safety concerns faced by the community, coinciding with the student protests. The combination of demonstrations and other incidents reflects a challenging environment as Central Texas navigates these multifaceted issues.
