Newspaper APPLAUDS School Chaos Over ICE

A major American newspaper praised students who walked out of class to protest lawful immigration enforcement, calling the disruption a “fantastic educational experience” and criticizing schools for maintaining basic discipline.

Story Snapshot

Houston Chronicle published op-ed in 2019 lauding anti-ICE walkouts as civic education despite classroom disruptions
Students received suspensions after protesting lawful ICE operations targeting undocumented immigrants in Houston suburbs
School district buckled to media and activist pressure, converting disciplinary actions to warnings
Episode exemplifies media bias framing illegal immigration enforcement as oppression rather than rule of law

Media Glorifies Classroom Disruption Over Immigration Enforcement

The Houston Chronicle published an opinion column on March 3, 2019, defending student walkouts protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations. Former ABC News correspondent Lynn Sherr authored the piece, comparing the protests to Vietnam War-era demonstrations and criticizing Houston Independent School District officials for issuing suspensions. The column framed lawful federal immigration enforcement as authoritarian overreach while portraying classroom disruptions as democracy in action. This represents a troubling pattern where mainstream media outlets prioritize progressive activism over educational order and respect for immigration law.

ICE Operations Spark Coordinated School Protests

Federal immigration authorities conducted enforcement operations in Houston suburbs during February 2019, arresting approximately 30 individuals in the country illegally. Students at multiple Houston-area high schools including Bellaire and Lamar organized walkouts between February 25-28, with participation ranging from 100 to 200 students per school. Houston ISD issued one to three-day suspensions to roughly 50 students for disrupting the educational environment. The American Civil Liberties Union and immigration advocacy groups immediately demanded reversal of these disciplinary measures, pressuring administrators to abandon consequences for rule violations.

School District Abandons Discipline Under Activist Pressure

Houston Independent School District administrators initially enforced existing conduct codes by suspending students who abandoned classes for political protests. Within days of the Chronicle’s op-ed publication and sustained pressure from the ACLU and activist organizations, district officials reversed course on March 4-5, 2019. The school system converted many suspensions to warnings, effectively rewarding students who violated attendance policies. This capitulation demonstrates how progressive media narratives and organized activism undermine administrative authority and basic educational standards. Schools exist to educate students, not serve as training grounds for political resistance against lawful federal operations.

Long-Term Impact on Educational Standards

The controversy had minimal effect on immigration enforcement, with ICE continuing operations in the Houston area through 2025 with approximately 500 arrests annually. Houston ISD implemented “restorative justice” policies following the incident, de-emphasizing traditional disciplinary consequences. The episode established precedent for tolerating classroom disruptions tied to progressive causes, influencing how schools handled subsequent Black Lives Matter activism in 2020. Heritage Foundation analyst Jessica Vaughan correctly identified the core problem: these walkouts “disrupted education and politicized classrooms” rather than enhancing civic engagement. Parents entrust schools to maintain learning environments, not facilitate protests against legitimate government functions enforcing immigration law.

Houston Chronicle: Anti-ICE Student Walkouts Were a ‘Fantastic Educational Experience’https://t.co/ppPWeIJNFx pic.twitter.com/d6c8744WVY

— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) February 19, 2026

The incident reveals ongoing tensions between educational institutions and progressive activists who view schools as political organizing spaces. Houston’s immigrant-heavy demographics—29 percent foreign-born according to 2018 Census data—made the district particularly vulnerable to pressure campaigns framing immigration enforcement as community persecution. While the First Amendment protects student speech under Tinker v. Des Moines standards, that protection does not extend to abandoning classes and disrupting education. The Chronicle’s editorial stance elevated political activism above educational mission, exemplifying media bias that treats illegal immigration as a civil rights issue rather than a law enforcement matter requiring balanced policy debate.