Members of the Texas State Board of Education escalated the state’s response to student ICE walkouts this week by formally urging an investigation into whether educators or administrators facilitated students leaving class during the instructional day.
The move follows public warnings from Governor Greg Abbott, statewide enforcement guidance from the Texas Education Agency, and the opening of multiple investigations into school districts where walkouts occurred.
“If you’re a student, you have a job and that’s to go be in a classroom,” Abbott said. “Protests by leaving a school is not allowed by law.”
🚨Greg Abbott: “If kids are skipping class, going out protesting, those schools are not going to be paid for that day.”pic.twitter.com/UXRRb9RAAJ
— Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) February 7, 2026
Abbott also warned that school leaders could face legal exposure if students are injured during demonstrations that occur after leaving campus.
“If there’s any student who gets run over because of a protest that was allowed by school to take place, I fully expect the school district and the leaders to be held legally responsible for that,” Abbott said.
Walkouts Spread Across Multiple Districts
Abbott’s remarks followed a series of student walkouts across Central Texas tied to protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Districts reporting walkouts included Austin ISD, Hays CISD, Manor ISD, Lockhart ISD, Pflugerville ISD, and Bastrop ISD.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Abbott ordered the Texas Education Agency on January 30 to investigate Austin Independent School District after students from multiple campuses left class during the school day to participate in anti-enforcement walkouts.
TEA Issues Statewide Enforcement Guidance
On February 3, the Texas Education Agency issued statewide guidance warning districts that facilitating or encouraging student walkouts during instructional hours can trigger investigations, loss of state funding, educator discipline, or state takeover.
Under the guidance, districts must mark students who leave class during the school day as unexcused absent, resulting in daily attendance-based funding losses. TEA said educators who encourage or assist walkouts may face referral to the State Board for Educator Certification, while districts found to have facilitated disruptions could face audits or governance intervention.
TEA emphasized that Texas law prohibits the use of taxpayer-funded resources to support political activism that disrupts instruction during the school day.
SBOE Presses for Inspector General Action
Several members of the Texas State Board of Education escalated the issue further by sending a formal letter to Mike Morath, Texas Commissioner of Education, urging the agency to investigate whether educators or administrators encouraged or facilitated students leaving campus during the instructional day. The letter was signed by SBOE members Brandon Hall, Julie Pickren, and Tom Maynard.
A letter from Texas State Board of Education members calls for investigation into student walkouts during instructional hours | Image from Brandon Hall/Facebook
The board members warned that walkout activity has continued despite prior guidance from the Texas Education Agency.
“We are concerned that even after the TEA notification, these activities are escalating in both reach and size,” the letter states. The board members added that prior warnings alone may be insufficient to stop the walkouts.
The letter calls on TEA’s newly appointed Inspector General for Educator Misconduct to take swift action in cases where school safety laws may have been violated, citing concerns about student safety and compliance with state attendance and governance requirements.
Multiple Investigations Underway
TEA confirmed it is investigating Austin ISD and other districts following Abbott’s directive. Attorney General Ken Paxton has also announced a separate investigation into Austin ISD related to the walkouts.
Although the investigations originated in Austin, TEA said the enforcement guidance applies statewide. Walkouts were also reported at several North Texas campuses, according to local reporting.
State officials reiterated that Texas public schools remain legally obligated to prioritize instruction, student safety, and compliance with attendance laws tied to public funding.
