Districts say participation in walkouts will lead to disciplinary action

Spring ISD and Needville ISD are warning that any students who participate in a school walkout will face disciplinary action.

Spring ISD says the following message was shared with students at secondary schools over morning announcements on Wednesday and a similar message was sent to parents:

  • Like the staff and administration here, I know you feel a great deal of sympathy and solidarity with the students and teachers in Parkland, Florida. It is incredibly upsetting and we understand how many of you must be feeling upset and frustrated.
  • We are aware of plans for a national walk out today but want to strongly encourage you to show your support for the students in Florida in ways that won’t disrupt the school day. Please know that we want to work with you to find productive ways to make meaningful change through other methods of support, like reaching out to lawmakers. 
  • It is important that you know that we must follow normal procedures today and any students who walk out of class could face an in-school suspension per our normal policies. 

The following message was posted late Tuesday night on the Needville High School Facebook page:

The Needville ISD is very sensitive to violence in schools including the recent incident in Florida. Anytime an individual deliberately chooses to harm others, we are sensitive and compassionate to those impacted. There is a "movement" attempting to stage walkouts/disruptions of the school through social media and/or other media outlets.

Please be advised that the Needville ISD will not allow a student demonstration during school hours for any type of protest or awareness!! Should students choose to do so, they will be suspended from school for 3 days and face all the consequences that come along with an out of school suspension. Life is all about choices and every choice has a consequence whether it be positive or negative. We will discipline no matter if it is one, fifty, or five hundred students involved. All will be suspended for 3 days and parent notes will not alleviate the discipline.

A school is a place to learn and grow educationally, emotionally and morally. A disruption of the school will not be tolerated.

Respect yourself, your fellow students and the Needville Independent School District and please understand that we are here for an education and not a political protest.

Curtis Rhodes
Superintendent of Schools

 

Two groups are planning nationwide demonstrations following the mass shooting at the Florida high school.

Women’s March Youth EMPOWER organizers are calling on students and teachers to walk out of class for 17 minutes on March 17, one month after the Florida school shooting, to honor the victims.

 

Another group, National School Walkout, is planning a similar protest on April 20 – the anniversary of the Columbine Mass Shooting.