On Wednesday, Leon County high school principals sent out emails to parents and students addressing the consequences of demonstrations addressing the national controversy over ICE enforcement of federal immigration laws.
The email (shown below) recognized the students’ constitutional rights to free speech but noted that “district’s primary responsibility is to maintain safe, orderly schools and to protect uninterrupted teaching and learning for all students. Actions that disrupt the instructional day, interfere with school operations, or compromise campus safety are not permitted and will be addressed in accordance with the Leon County Schools Code of Student Conduct and School Board policy.”
The email concluded, “Disciplinary consequences will be applied when behavior infringes upon the learning environment or the rights of others.”
The email comes after reports on Tuesday indicated that The Florida Department of Education sent a letter to school districts saying: “Florida’s public schools must remain focused on teaching, learning and student safety. Therefore, we encourage you to have conversations with your students about the importance of not allowing civic engagement to detract from time in the classroom.”
In addition, Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas said on the social media platform X, “We will not tolerate educators encouraging school protests and pushing their political views onto students, especially ones that disparage law enforcement.”
TR has been made aware of ICE demonstration being organized by students at Leon High School and planned for February 13th.
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Dear High School Parents and Students,
Leon County Schools recognizes students’ constitutional rights to free speech as defined by School Board policy and applicable law. However, the district’s primary responsibility is to maintain safe, orderly schools and to protect uninterrupted teaching and learning for all students. Actions that disrupt the instructional day, interfere with school operations, or compromise campus safety are not permitted and will be addressed in accordance with the Leon County Schools Code of Student Conduct and School Board policy. Disciplinary consequences will be applied when behavior infringes upon the learning environment or the rights of others. Leon County Schools will continue to enforce expectations that ensure schools remain focused on safety, order, and academic purpose. Interruptions to the daily school routine will not be accepted.
Leon County Schools
LCS Responds to Potential ICE Demonstrations by Students added by Staff on
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I wonder if the actual laws governing the formation of, duties of and allowed actions of, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were taught in public schools would public school students realize that interfering with federal law enforcement is an arrest-able offense?. Voicing protests and holding signs protesting are protected from government interference. Blocking streets with out permits and physically interfering in any way with any LEO carrying out their duty is not allowed or protected. These protests where individuals are regretfully injured or killed are exactly what those who would like to see America destroyed as a free moral nation want to happen!
Why are there tags on the page, Andrew Gillum is not the mayor. He is however a Bisexual recovering Addict that was arrested in Miami. please remove his name. Tallahassee is not proud of having him as a mayor.
I’ve seen it in multiple forums and I’m kind of getting sick of public schools being blamed for kids not reading at grade level. It’s lazy parenting to say teachers are responsible for a child’s success.
Try walking off your job to protest and see what happens to your pay or employment status.
Kids have a “job” too…..going to school.
Also, did anyone notice no kids at the Charter Schools left school to protest anything. Kind makes you wonder why, doesn’t it.
Children do not have the same constitutional protections as adults. They can be compelled to stay in school and be quiet, or face consequences. That is what the law says.
so the kids will skip school … which will make them not part of the attendance and absent for the day … and they will go protest at the capital … what is LCS gonna do to them for that? the lawyers will have a field day …
heads up to any lhs students planning to attend this— make sure you get signed out by your parents before participating so that you can’t be punished!!
So many experts on public education and the law.
so go to the congress and have curriculums changed. currently, the GOP led congress thinks kids should learn history and civics. While you may think reading writing and arithmetic is the only thing to teach, your legislature disagrees. The kids are taught the constitution intentionally and I’ll be doggone if the right to assemble/protest isn’t the 1st amendment. imagine that. you’re a simp, and are disingenuous. What you really don’t like is that people you don’t agree with are using the laws. You really only think your kind should be able to use the laws. You really only think your vision or view point is worthy of constitutional protections. All are equal except some are more equal than others, right Napoleon?
There’s a reason public school enrolment is down. There’s a reason parents are pulling their children OUT of public schools and opting for charter and private schools. There’s a reason children in public schools are being failed by the schools themselves and can’t read or write at grade level. There’s a reason graduation rates are pathetic. Ask these same children to name their congressman or even one local elected leader and watch the dear in the headlights reaction.
Teaching political/ideological Activism over important/necessary Academics is a failed curriculum.
This ‘skipping school’ opens a lot of bad doors for other reasons to skip school. So, who gets to decide if the ‘reasons’ are good or bad’? SHUT this mess down now.
If they don’t care what they think, then telling them to keep their non-school opinions to themselves doesn’t hurt a thing.
Thank you for agreeing.
We are talking about high school kids, teenagers. They could care less what their teachers, or any adults think.
They’ve all seen Tik-Toks of ICE shoot a man in the back 5 times. They don’t think it is OK. Imagine being such a drill bit you think the reason they are upset about it is their teachers told them so.
At least some of them paid enough attention in civics class to understand they have a right to assemble, a right to protest, and a right for free speech. We should be happy about that much.
One branch of government cannot undermine another branch.
@ Donna: “We will not tolerate educators encouraging school protests and pushing their political views onto students, especially ones that disparage law enforcement.”
That’s it in a nutshell. Most of these students do not possess the understanding of the issue. They are brainwashed by lunatic zealot teachers, the biassed media, social media misinformation trolls, etc.
The LCS system has NO BUISNESS supporting these walk-out/protests in any way, either during OR after school. Schools should NOT encourage students to protest anything. Your job is to teach reading, writing, and arithmetic, etc. They are NOT political ideological indoctrination systems.
If you “walk-out” of the classroom to protest some political position you’ve been manipulated into believing, you should be punished according to school attendance protocols… full stop.
Your job is to teach students how to read and write, not how to radicalize and hate.
They should allow an organized protest for after school hours. The school should encourage students to demonstrate their 1st amendment rights. I am glad to see they want to stand up for what they believe is an atrocity to human life’s. I am sure if they feel that strongly they may not care about the punishment.