The Brief

Thousands of Southern California students have walked out of school to protest the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigrants since January after the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis.

Some students have told LAist their teachers and principals supported their participation in the walkouts, for example, by allowing them to make protest signs in class. Others said their administrators shared confusing messages about potential discipline for leaving campus.

Broadly speaking, California law requires minors to attend school, but it also protects students’ rights to speak out.

 ”The fact that some students may have a controversial point of view that might make others upset, that's not a basis to restrict the speech under the education code,” said Peter Eliasberg, chief council with ACLU of Southern California.

LAist cannot offer legal counsel but created this guide to help students, families and educators better understand these rights. It’s based on:

• Information from Eliasberg and the ACLU of Southern California. 
• A February webinar hosted by Compton nonprofit Community Lawyers Inc., with the Law Offices of Hirji, Chau and Rodriguez. 

Tl;dr of best practices for students at protests

When preparing to walk out, you might consider the following:

• Have a clear civic and political purpose. 
• Walk out peacefully. Do not create additional disruptions for other students, vandalize school property or physically harm others.  
• Document the purpose of the walkout in writing but be cautious about recording video of participants who may not want to be identified. 
• Ask your principal for school and district policies related to student walkouts and free speech and compare them to district policy and state laws. 
• Request an excused absence for civic and political event (more on how to do this below).  

An overview of the (many) rules

The rules at your school are likely shaped by a larger organization, such as a school district or a charter network. Beyond that is California’s education code, a part of state law that is dedicated to schools.

Apart from that, you have federal policy, like the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees the First Amendment right to freedom of speech.

Ideally, all of these sets of rules should agree with one another, but that’s not always the case, said Rosa Hirji, an educational, civil and disability rights attorney. Hirji said the information shared by school administrators also may not align with the policy of their school, district or California’s education law.

“You need to do your research and identify all of those things that you can do to protect yourself after the fact,” Hirji said. “Make sure that you disseminate that information amongst your peers and friends.”

California’s education code states students have the right to exercise freedom of speech and press, including by:

• Distributing printed materials
• Wearing buttons, badges or other symbols
• Expressing themselves in school publications

Hirji said schools cannot legally prevent students from expressing themselves, but they can make rules for when, how and where that free expression can occur. For example, a school may designate time at lunch for students to march and hold up signs with political messages.

But there are no protections for speech that incites students to create a “clear and present danger” of:

• Committing unlawful acts on campus
• Violating lawful school regulations 
• Disrupting the operation of the school

Does calling for a walkout constitute inciting students to break rules? Not necessarily, Hirji said.

“ The question is — is that advocacy or calling for the walkout so inflammatory that it provokes some kind of disturbance in the school environment?” Hirji said. What qualifies as a “disturbance” is must be defined in policy and is not simply the opinion of the administrator, she added.

Speech that is obscene, libelous or slanderous is not protected.

How can I get an excused absence for walking out?

There are limited circumstances when schools will grant a student an excused absence to participate in a walkout, even when parents are supportive of the action.

California allows middle and high school students one excused absence per school year for a civic or political event. Students must notify the school in advance of the absence. School administrators may grant more than one excused absence related to protests, but they are not required to do so.

Community Lawyers Inc. created a template for this notice that students can print and fill out.

Can I get suspended or expelled for walking out?

Students can't be suspended or expelled solely for walking out, but students can be marked tardy, truant or absent. Multiple incidents may lead to more severe discipline.

Let’s define these terms:

• Tardy means a student has arrived late to class. 
• Absent means a student is not present in class. 
• Truant means a student has missed more than 30 minutes of instruction without an excuse three or more times during the school year. 

Eliasberg said that missing class to attend a protest can’t be punished differently than any other kind of absence.

“The government can't say, 'Well, we think it's worse for you to go out and protest than it is for you to skip class,'” he said.

Truancy, tardiness or absence from school is not a basis for school suspension under California’s education code.

“So if a school district wants to engage in a disciplinary action against a student that walks out, they need to find another reason, another behavior that has occurred,” Hirji said.

For example:

• Causing, attempting or threatening physical injury or violence 
• Possessing weapons or drugs
• Stealing or damaging school property 
• Bullying, intimidating or sexual harassment 

California passed a law in 2023 that prohibits schools from suspending middle and high school students for “willful defiance,” which includes disrupting school activities or defying school personnel.

But there can be consequences for walking out

Once a student is considered truant, the school district is required to notify the student’s family, provide information about alternative educational programs, available mental health support and the right to meet with school staff to discuss the student's absences from school.

The penalties for truancy can escalate the more often a student is absent and may include:

• Attending makeup classes
• Referral to an attendance review board, a group of people whose goal it is to help get students back in school 
• Community service 

What should I do if I get in trouble for walking out?

Before a student can be suspended, they must be informed of the reason for the suspension and whether other means of correction were attempted, Hirji said. Examples of those other forms of correction include additional school, community service or communicating with a parent.

 ”School is not supposed to suspend you on your first offense,” Hirji said.

Hirji said the school should provide evidence of the offense allegedly committed and allow students to provide their version of events. This is due process.

Students may be able to appeal a suspension, which means asking the school to reconsider the punishment.

Where can I find my school district or charter network’s policy?

Here are examples of documents a school or district may have related to students' free speech and protest rights.

School board policies and administrative regulations

• What they are: rules approved by a school district’s elected board
• Where to find them: your local school board’s website

School safety plan

• What it is: a plan for each school and required by California law that addresses potential risks and emergencies.
• Where to find them: You may find it on a school’s website or request it directly from an administrator. 

However, schools and districts may have outdated policies that do not comply with existing law.

Hirji suggests comparing what a teacher, principal or other administrator says with the school, district and state’s rules.

Can the police get involved? 

In mid-February, the Los Angeles Police Department warned that protesting students may face legal consequences for violating a city law that bars minors from public places during school hours.

The city of L.A.’s daytime curfew law states it is unlawful for minors under 18 to be in public places when they would normally attend school. There are several exceptions, including for emergencies and minors accompanied by a parent or guardian.

At one point, LAPD was issuing thousands of tickets a year during curfew sweeps, but the agency agreed in 2011 to ease enforcement after pushback from civil rights attorneys, parents and community activists.

Hirji said students who have excused absences for civil and political reasons should not be subject to the daytime curfew law and suggests protesting students carry proof of their excused absence with them — for example, a copy of the letter or email provided to the school to excuse the absence.

Republican Sonja Shaw conceded the race for California Superintendent of Public Instruction to Democrat Richard Barrera late Wednesday evening.

“Last night voters made their choice. I would be lying if I said my heart wasn’t heavy,” Shaw said in a statement shared on social media. “As a mother and a protector of children, I feel deeply saddened for the kids. They are the ones who deserve so much better.”

In her social media post, which included a photo of Shaw locking hands with her husband and two daughters, Shaw said her kids had motivated her to run for state superintendent. Shaw won election to the Chino Valley Unified school board in 2022, fueled by support from conservative parents.

“The problem is that for decades, the same people have had their hands on our education system while our children have continued to fall behind,” Shaw said. “I believe we had an opportunity to change that.”

The office of California superintendent of public instruction is nonpartisan, with no party affiliation listed on the ballot. In past races, it was not unusual for two Democrats to advance to the November election. But this year, endorsements, campaign funding and campaigning broke largely along partisan lines.

Shaw, a Republican and board president of Chino Valley Unified, emerged as the top vote getter in a crowded June primary that featured several Democratic state lawmakers. But she contended in her statement that her race didn’t have the “money or machinery” that her opponent did in the November election.

Shaw trailed Barrera by nearly 15 percentage points, according to the latest election results Thursday morning. Shaw’s campaign raised about $595,000 compared to Barrera’s $812,000. However, the California Teachers Association, the state’s largest teachers union and a heavy spender in state superintendent races, also spent $8.4 million to support Barrera, the board president of San Diego Unified.

That pales in comparison to the combined $50 million raised in the 2018 state superintendent race Tony Thurmond won against Marshall Tuck in 2018. The 2026 state superintendent race had the distinction of featuring two local school board members.

Shaw said she’s not sure what her next steps will be.

“I don’t know exactly what God has next, but I know He isn’t finished,” she said.

Shaw will not be returning to the Chino Valley Unified school board where she began her political career. Her husband, Chris Shaw, ran for her open seat and is trailing his challenger by 11 points, according to the San Bernardino County Register of Voters.

This story was originally published by EdSource.

The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing over the 101 Freeway in Agoura Hills is set to officially open next month, but that hasn’t stopped some wildlife from already using it.

Cameras captured coyote footage twice — once last week and again on Thursday morning — making the mammal the first large animal species seen using the crossing.

“This is amazing — obviously, the wildlife are not waiting for our opening date,” said Beth Pratt, president of the Wildlife Crossing Fund. “The animals are already blessing this crossing and saying, ‘Yep, you got it right.’”

Construction of the expansive bridge began in 2022, aimed at giving wildlife safe passage between the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills after years of research.

Pratt said it’s unclear whether the images of the coyote are of the same animal. The coyote in the most recent image from Thursday morning can be seen on the 101 structure holding a bone or a stick in its mouth.

“The coyote is validating that we got this designed right, and I think that there's something also about a coyote being first — kind of the L.A. mascot next to P-22,” Pratt said.

The National Park Service is installing more cameras along the crossing to document and study how animals use it. While images will be made publicly available, there will not be a livestream.

“We can't, for security reasons, because this is L.A., and if there's a mountain lion going across, somebody's gonna go try to pet it,” Pratt said.

Topline:

• How we got here: Roy held on to a strong lead over McKinney ever since polls closed and is currently ahead by more than twice as many votes. Roy will be a fresh face to the role after the incumbent city attorney, Hydee Feldstein Soto, was ousted in the June primary in a rare defeat of an elected city official. 

• What the candidates had to say: 
  
  • Roy said on social media Wednesday that election night was “a really good night for the people who believe that we should take care of one another, that we can stand up for our rights — even in what feels like an increasingly lawless world — and that we will achieve justice when we fight for it.”
  • McKinney posted on social media Thursday that he’s back in his old office at the Hall of Justice. “The run for City Attorney was an incredible journey, and I’m truly grateful for everyone who believed in me, supported me, and stood by my side,” McKinney wrote. "While I’m disappointed things didn’t turn out the way we hoped, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything." He acknowledged Roy in a social media video earlier this week, describing her as a “hard worker” who put together a strong coalition of support. McKinney added that he would be “rooting for her.”
  • Neither campaign immediately responded to LAist’s requests for additional comment.
• What’s at stake: The city attorney runs an office of more than 550 lawyers representing L.A. in all legal matters, including filing lawsuits and defending against them. Roy, backed by powerful progressives like U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, has vowed to take on the Trump administration in court.
• Go deeper: Read more about the city attorney's role and what's on the table for Roy's first term.

Construction of the green metal fence around MacArthur Park will begin Monday, Nov. 16, with work scheduled to continue through fall 2027.

The city announced the start date Nov. 4, saying crews will install an 8-foot fence around the park’s perimeter. Nearby residents and businesses can expect some noise, dust and vibration during construction, although the city said mitigation measures will be in place.

Crews will work Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and the park will remain open while crews are working. 

The fence is the city’s latest attempt to tackle longstanding problems at MacArthur Park, including drug use, homelessness and crime.

The city first approved plans for the fence in October 2025, and the proposal has since drawn both support and criticism from residents and community groups.

Some say they hope the fence will make the park safer, while others question whether it will actually improve conditions there. Police and city officials say the fence will give them more control over the space and make it easier to enforce the law.

Ana Luz Vazquez, a street vendor near MacArthur Park, said her main concern about the fence is what will happen to the unhoused people who stay in the park throughout the day and whether the city plans to address that issue directly.

She is also concerned that construction during the day could affect her ability to work because of traffic, less parking availability and loud noise.

Vazquez said she would prefer construction to take place at night so it would have less of an impact on street vendors.

“If they’re working in the day then how are we supposed to come here and who is going to help us survive,” Vazquez said.

Construction will happen in two phases

Phase 1

• Alvarado St. from W. 6th St. to Wilshire Blvd.
• S. Park View St. from Wilshire Blvd. to W. 6th St.
• Wilshire Blvd. from Alvarado St. to S. Park View St.

Phase 2

• Alvarado St. from Wilshire Blvd. to W. 7th St.
• S. Park View St. from W. 7th St. to Wilshire Blvd.
• Wilshire Blvd. from S. Park View St. to Alvarado St.
• W. 7th St. from Alvarado St. to S. Park View St.

Existing trees will be protected and monitored during the work, according to the Department of Recreation and Parks. Traffic control measures will be in place during work hours, and crews will post temporary “No Parking” signs near active work areas in advance.

Services at the park are expected to remain the same throughout construction. The schedule could change because of weather or other unforeseen circumstances, according to the city.

The city has allocated $2.3 million for the project, but officials have not said whether that will cover the full cost.

After the fence is installed, the city plans a second phase focused on adding decorative elements. Officials have said residents will have an opportunity to provide input on the design.

Residents with questions or concerns about the project can contact Recreation and Parks at RAP.PublicInfo@lacity.org or 213-202-2700.

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