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Published on February 10, 2025
Houston Parents Challenge HISD After Suspension of 45 Northside High Students Amid Immigration Policy ProtestSource: Google Street View

The fallout from a student-led protest at Northside High School continues. On Monday, parents and students protested outside the school after 45 students were suspended for a disruptive event during last Friday’s demonstration. Houston Independent School District officials issued three-day suspensions, stating that "A small group of students became very disruptive to the learning environment," according to KHOU.

Around 100 Northside students walked out to protest federal immigration enforcement, with most participating peacefully. However, Houston Independent School District claimed that some students began running through hallways and causing disruptions, despite efforts to calm the situation. As a result, "the school had to be placed in secure mode to return order to the campus," as stated by CW39. These events led to disciplinary actions now being challenged by the school community. "Now we're trying to figure out where they're even coming up with this," said Regena Zamora, co-chair of the Southeast Brown Berets, who are advocating for the students, as reported by KHOU.

Parents of suspended students are requesting that Houston Independent School District revoke the suspensions, citing First Amendment rights. Concerns were also raised about a possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid. After initially being denied, parents were later allowed to meet with administrators, presenting three demands: lifting the suspensions, declaring no Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence on campuses, and ensuring students' freedom of speech. Houston Independent School District stated, "HISD has a long history of respecting our students’ right to free speech," and explained that the suspensions were issued because "the students were running through the hallways and persisted with disruptive activities despite requests to return order," in line with the district’s Code of Student Conduct, as obtained by CW39.