In a letter sent to parents Thursday, North East ISD officials warned that if students in the district partake in planned student protests, they will face consequences.
NEISD say they wrote to parents in response to several planned student walkouts across the country in the wake of last week's mass shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla. that killed 17.
The district says that if students do walk out or skip any class during the school day, they will "treat it as an unexcused absence." Students will not receive credit for classes missed.
The district emphasized that this is "the same way it always has" handled protests by students.
The district also says that they will not "accept requests from parents to excuse a class absence" if their child decides to take part in walkouts.
In the letter, NEISD says they understand that the students are "passionate on all sides of the issues stemming from events in Florida," but they want to avoid any learning disruptions during school hours.
The district does say that if students want to take part in protests before or after school hours, they are welcome to "in a peaceful manner."
One NEISD student sent KENS 5 a response to the letter, pointing out the irony that the district has had numerous students bring guns to school - including an incident yesterday where a 17-year-old had a semiautomatic handgun on campus.
The student elaborated that they are having their "right to protest and freedom of speech stripped" from them. In the response, the student also said that those who would protest "only want safer school environments," and that protesting "could be used as a learning experience not just for the students, but for teachers, administrators, and the community we live in."
Read the full letter from NEISD as well as the student's response below:
"Dear NEISD Parents/Guardians,
North East ISD has learned that several planned student protests are scheduled across the county in the coming months in response to the horrific shooting in Florida. These protests include students walking out of or not going to class during the school day.
North East ISD will handle these possible protests the same way it always has. If a student either chooses not to attend or walks out of class, the District will treat it as an unexcused absence, and the student will not receive credit for any work expected to be completed during the class period. The District will not accept requests from parents to excuse a class absence under these circumstances.
While we understand people are passionate on all sides of the issues stemming from events in Florida, we cannot allow students to disrupt the learning environment during school hours. If students wish to protest, they may do so in a peaceful manner before or after the regular school day.
Thank you for your understanding on this matter."
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"Hi. I’m a student at a
NEISD high school. And I have something I would like to share in regards to NEISD putting out a statement saying we, the students aren’t allowed to protest in regards to the Florida school shooting. They claim it is “distracting” from classes. Which is very ironic because a
NEISD campus (ACE) in February had a gun brought to its campus. It could have ended like Florida. Four years ago, Madison had a kid bring a gun to school. It could have ended like Florida. We, the students, the ones who go to school to learn safely, the ones who are most effected by school shootings, the ones who haven’t truly even lived their lives, have to worry about getting hurt or dying before even graduating. As Americans we are having our right to protest and freedom of speech stripped from us. We are the future and we are the change. Schools are built for learning, to teach people, but we aren’t learning if we are already distracted but whether or not today is the day. We only want safer school environments, 17 minutes or one day of protesting isn’t hurting anyone. Rather it could be used as a learning experience not just for the students, but for teachers, administrators, and the community we live in.
We are one. Whether it is a school in Florida or Texas, we are Americans and this effects us all. This effects students and parents and teachers and families. If it’s not your school, it’s someone else’s. If it’s not your kid, it’s someone else’s. If it’s not your brother or sister it’s someone else’. If it’s not your teacher, coach, administrator, its someone else’s. If it’s not your mom or dad it’s someone else’s. If it’s not your uncle or aunt it’s someone’s else’s. If it’s not NOW, when?
So if you want a real story. Look to the school district that doesn’t care for safety. A district that cares for the most amount of attendance rather then safety of those in attendance. A district that wants to forget Florida, and all the close-calls and incidents it’s had over the past years.
This is a spark that will not die down this time. This spark is growing to be a full blown wildfire and no one can stop it."
