The state is investigating Austin ISD after hundreds of students from more than a dozen schools across the district walked out of classrooms Friday to protest immigration enforcement in their communities and across the country.
Hours after students marched out of school, with some gathered outside the Capitol, Gov. Greg Abbott called for an investigation into the walkouts. After some on social media accused the district of allowing or even helping students leave campuses, Abbott said the district receives taxpayer dollars to teach, “not to help students skip school to protest.”
He then said, “schools are for educating our children, not political indoctrination.” Since then, Attorney General Ken Paxton on Monday accused district officials of knowingly allowing students to leave campus for the protests and demanded internal communications regarding the walkouts. He cited unnamed reports that indicated district employees were aware of the walkouts and in some cases, facilitated the students’ departures from campus.
The student protests come amid a nationwide rise in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations and violence that have led to thousands of arrests, frequent protests, and an increasing sense of unease. In the wake of the deadly shooting of Alex Pretti, a nurse who was protesting immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, Minn., tensions have intensified.
As more students walked out Monday in districts across Central Texas, questions remain about what will happen next. Here is what we know:
What happened?
Bree Rolfe, who works in Austin ISD’s special education department, said she heard of possible immigration enforcement operations near Crockett Early College High School on Friday. She used her lunch break to drive to the school to check on a friend and saw the protest beginning instead.
Hundreds of students streamed out of the school, holding signs protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operatives in the community bearing messages like “Jesus told us to love our neighbor, not to deport them.” Rolfe said the students looped around the school marching and chanting as adults stood nearby to ensure cars stopped.
“I was really proud and inspired by those students exercising their First Amendment rights,” Rolfe said. “Prior to working for the special education department, I worked supporting students experiencing homelessness and in foster care and we had a lot of students whose parents had been deported. It was inspiring to see students become actively involved in issues affecting them.”
Brandi Ramirez, whose son attends Crockett, said she learned about the protest through a letter the school sent to parents ahead of the event. The letter said school staff were aware of the planned action, did not endorse it, would work to keep students safe, and students absent from class would be marked as such.
Ramirez said she is supportive and proud of her son’s decision to protest.
“I don’t feel that my child was indoctrinated or anybody was pressured or encouraged by the school district to take part in the protest,” Ramirez said. “You know, we don’t give kids enough credit. They see what’s going on and they want to do what’s right.”
What would a TEA investigation mean for Austin ISD?
In Abbott’s Friday social media post on X, formerly known as Twitter, he also said the “political indoctrination” was “one of many reasons why AISD is losing so many students.”
Abbott’s office on Monday did not provide further comment on the investigation, but both TEA and Paxton’s office appear to be moving forward with investigations.
It remains unclear what the investigation will entail and what the consequences could be.
I have directed the Education Commissioner to investigate this.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) January 31, 2026
AISD gets taxpayer dollars to teach the subjects required by the state, not to help students skip school to protest.
Our schools are for educating our children, not political indoctrination.
This is one of many… https://t.co/lhymqT0d2B
Duncan Klussmann, clinical associate professor at the University of Houston, said the education commissioner is charged with making sure that the state’s education code is followed.
“I would think it would be within the commissioner’s purview to do an investigation if either the governor or the commissioner feels like those laws or policies are not being carried out,” Klussmann said.
The commissioner will likely look at whether the district followed their own guidelines and policies, which are based on state education law, he said. Financial implications, Klussmann said, could arise from school districts receiving funding based on average daily attendance. TEA will have to determine how attendance was affected and reported, which could lead to reduced funding, Klussmann said, and the commissioner may issue guidance to prevent decreased attendance.
The Texas Education Agency said in a statement it received “multiple complaints regarding student protests in Austin ISD and other districts.”
“State law requires educators to support student learning in ways that are objective and free from political bias. Schools also have an obligation to ensure students are safe and attend school, with consequences for students for unexcused absences,” the agency said in the statement.
TEA said it takes seriously allegations that schools have violated these requirements, is investigating the complaints thoroughly and would take appropriate action to ensure state law is upheld.
On Monday, Paxton said in a press release he demanded AISD provide information on “policies related to allowing students to leave campus, excused absence policies, security protocols of Austin ISD, and internal communications regarding the situation.”
His office will examine whether public funds were misused and whether any laws were violated, the statement said.
The Office of the Attorney General did not immediately reply to a request for comment about whether a formal investigation has been launched and whether other districts would be investigated.
What does Austin ISD have to say?
In a statement to parents, Superintendent Matias Segura said students at 14 campuses participated in the student-led protests on Friday, including walk-out demonstrations and leaving their schools to gather at the Texas Capitol.
The event was not sponsored or endorsed by Austin ISD, and leaving campus during school hours to protest is considered an unexcused absence, the statement said. He said Austin ISD communicates with families when they learn students may be planning to participate in an event not endorsed by the district, per district policy.
“During the school day, our students are our responsibility and we’re committed to the safety of our students in our community, regardless if they are on our campus,” Segura said. “That is why our administrators and Austin ISD Police remain with our students during protest activities during school hours.”
Segura urged families to talk with their children about expectations for off-campus events not endorsed by the district. He added staff can’t physically prevent a student from leaving campus, and can’t ensure their safety at such events, or a safe return home if they don’t come back by the end of the school day.
Austin ISD did not provide additional comment on the state-led investigations.
