Amid a wave of student walkouts opposing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, an Oklahoma school district has suspended more than 100 youths who protested during school hours, Gov. Kevin Stitt said.
The governor, writing on X on Feb. 18, commended Charles Bradley, superintendent of the Mustang Public Schools in Yukon, Oklahoma, “for suspending 122 students who walked out of class to protest.”Stitt also issued a cautionary message, saying, “Young Oklahomans: Free speech is sacred, but truancy robs your future. Stay in school, build skills, and make your voice heard responsibly.”
The large-scale suspensions in Oklahoma follow walkouts of schoolchildren across the nation, sometimes erupting in vandalism and physical attacks, and risking student safety.Districts are trying to balance those concerns with students’ free-speech rights as well as parental rights. They also must navigate liability concerns and school policies, as plans for additional protests take shape.
