Critics Say Political Protests Interfere With Education

For The Center Square Daily host Esther Wickham discusses student walkouts and protests tied to immigration enforcement increasing nationwide, and education experts 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. In 2022, the average civics score for eighth-grade students was 2 points lower than in 2018.