A Day Without Immigrants: How Houston ISD’s Latino Students Were Affected
Several of Houston ISD’s schools with the largest Latino enrollments saw drastic drops in attendance on Feb. 3 while the “A Day Without Immigrants” protest was observed nationwide — with one high school having more students absent than present.
A High School with a High Absentee Rate
That Monday, 51% of students at Sam Houston Math, Science, and Technology Center High School were absent, according to attendance data obtained by Houston Public Media through an open records request. That means 1,186 students out of the school’s total enrollment of 2,316 missed school.
More than 92% of Sam Houston students are Hispanic, according to U.S. News World & Report.
A Protest Against Immigration Policies
The “A Day Without Immigrants” demonstration was a protest against President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration. The day before, thousands rallied in West Houston to speak out against the new administration’s immigration policies.
A District-Wide Impact
Other schools also saw sharp declines in attendance. At Chavez High School, 812 students didn’t show up to class that day, meaning 44% of its students were absent. At Steven F. Austin High School, 469 students were absent, which is 41% of the student body.
Sharpstown International School, which has 6th through 12th grades, saw a 37% absentee rate on Feb. 3, meaning 491 students were not at school that day.
District-wide, about 23% of HISD students were absent on Feb. 3. That comes out to about 40,500 students. Around 62% of students across HISD are Latino, according to U.S. News World & Report.
A Fear of Immigration Enforcement
Some elementary and middle schools in HISD also saw drops in attendance that day.
Bonner Elementary had 185 students absent on Feb. 3, which is 33% of its enrollment. Meanwhile, Barrick Elementary had 32% of its students, or 138. Rucker Elementary had 28%, or 122 students, absent.
As for middle schools, Stevenson Middle School had 336 of its students absent, which is 31% of its enrollment. Deady Middle School had 189 students absent, or 45% of its students.
Jessica Campos, an HISD parent and member of a local education activist group, said Trump’s recent slate of executive orders ramping up immigration enforcement has stoked fear among parents and students.
“A lot of moms are not sending their kids to school, a lot of husbands are not going to work,” Campos said. “School is not a priority right now.”
Conclusion
The “A Day Without Immigrants” protest had a significant impact on Houston ISD’s schools with the largest Latino enrollments. The widespread absences at several schools highlight the fear and uncertainty that many families and students are experiencing due to the current immigration policies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What was the purpose of the “A Day Without Immigrants” protest?
A: The protest was a nationwide demonstration against President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration.
Q: How many students were absent from school on Feb. 3?
A: About 40,500 students, or 23% of the total enrollment, were absent from school that day.
Q: What percentage of students in Houston ISD are Latino?
A: Around 62% of students across HISD are Latino, according to U.S. News World & Report.
Q: How many students were absent from Sam Houston Math, Science, and Technology Center High School?
A: 51% of students, or 1,186 students, were absent from school that day.
Q: What percentage of students at Chavez High School were absent?
A: 44% of students, or 812 students, were absent from school that day.
