Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Monday announced investigations into three major school districts over student walkouts protesting immigration enforcement, escalating a growing clash between state leaders and demonstrators.
The probes target North East Independent School District, Dallas Independent School District, and Manor Independent School District, following a similar inquiry into Austin Independent School District.
Paxton, a Republican, said his office is investigating whether school officials failed to maintain safety and prevent classroom disruptions and whether employees helped organize the demonstrations.
"I will not allow Texas schools to become breeding grounds for the radical Left's open borders agenda," Paxton said in a statement.
"Let this serve as a warning to any public school official or employee who unlawfully facilitates student participation in protests targeting our heroic law enforcement officers: my office will use every legal tool available to hold you accountable," he continued.
Paxton's office said it is seeking records related to student-absence policies, campus-security protocols, communications about the protests, and any use of public funds tied to the walkouts.
The announcement follows a wave of student walkouts across Texas in late January and early February, including events connected to a broader national day of action opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity and cooperation with immigration authorities.
In North East ISD, the protests included a campus walkout in late January, according to local reporting, and Paxton's request seeks information on how the district handled student departures, supervision, and any staff involvement.
Dallas ISD, the state's second-largest district behind Houston ISD, and Manor ISD outside Austin were added to Paxton's inquiry as state officials widened their scrutiny beyond the capital area.
Republican leaders have responded sharply to the walkouts, arguing that districts must prevent disruptions and enforce attendance rules, while student organizers and allies have framed the protests as a response to heightened fears in immigrant communities.
Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has warned districts they could face funding consequences if they allow students to leave class for demonstrations, and state leaders have signaled that criminal conduct during protests could bring arrests.
The Texas Education Agency has also cautioned districts that encouraging or facilitating political walkouts can trigger consequences for students, educators, and districts, including possible state intervention. It has pointed districts to existing attendance, complaint, and educator-responsibility frameworks.
The investigations set up a new round of confrontation between Texas officials and school communities over where student speech ends and unlawful facilitation begins, as the state demands internal communications and policy records from districts that say they are balancing student safety with instructional continuity.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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