Critics say political protests interfere 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. In 2022, the average civics score for eighth-grade students was 2 points lower than in 2018. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 22% of eighth-grade students nationwide scored at or above the proficient level in civics. The NAEP civics assessment measures students’ understanding of democratic citizenship, government and American constitutional democracy. “If they're not proficient in civ