Peaceful ICE walkouts spark debate over student rights in Georgia schools

Across the nation, students are responding to ICE actions through walkouts at their schools.

In Georgia, over 100 schools participated in ICE walkouts in late January and early February 2026. All protests have been peaceful, however, some students have faced backlash across several Fulton County schools regarding the logistics of in-school walkouts.

With pushback from school boards across Georgia, the prevalence of students’ First Amendment rights within Fulton County policy has been called into question.

When Rako Morrisey, Principal of Roswell High School, was asked how the First Amendment plays into Fulton County’s policy for walkouts, she reinforced Fulton County’s support for students to engage in their constitutional rights of free expression.

Morrisey also noted that “it’s important that instructional time and school operations are not disrupted when an event occurs”.

Morrisey further explained that students who participated in walkouts not scheduled by the school could face disciplinary action, such as after-school detentions or in-school suspension. This sentiment has been shared across several other schools.

Chattahoochee High School students received the same message; however, when the students participated in an ICE walkout not scheduled with the school, no students faced any repercussions. At Roswell, two students received warnings for an attempt at an ICE walkout, which was not scheduled through the school.

Fulton County District 1 School Board member Sara Gillespie did not respond to requests for comment on this article despite repeated attempts.