WATCH: Critics say political protests intefere with education

(The Center Square) – As student walkouts and protests tied to immigration enforcement increase nationwide, education experts are raising concerns about declining civics proficiency among K-12 students and the growing role of political activism in schools.

School walkouts and protests increased from 58 incidents nationally in 2022 to 401 in 2026, according to a protest tracker by Defending Education. At the same time, more than 70% of K-12 students remain below proficiency in math and reading.