Florida Lawmaker Demands Probe into Student Anti-ICE Protest at Lennard High

Student Protest and Political Backlash

• 📣 Students at Lennard High organized an anti-ICE protest, expressing dissatisfaction with the tactics used by Immigration and Custom Enforcement agents.
• 📹 Witnesses described the protest involving students with signs moving around school grounds and nearby areas, with police presence.

Allegations Against School Principal

• 🏛️ State Representative Danny Alvarez called for an investigation into Lennard High principal Denise Savino, alleging she encouraged students to participate in the protest during school hours.
• ⚖️ Alvarez claimed Savino violated the law and called for her credentials to be stripped.
• 📰 As of the report, no evidence of Principal Savino planning the protest had been seen by Tampa Bay 28.

School District and Union Response

• 🔍 The Hillsborough County School District confirmed they are investigating the student-led protest.
• 🗣️ Lee Bryant, president of the Panella's Classroom Teachers Association, stated that while teachers should encourage critical thinking, faculty cannot lead protests and must remain professional.
• 🚫 The school district indicated they do not approve of such activities on school campus, despite students' rights.

Broader Implications for Educators

• 📜 Following Alvarez's letter, the commissioner warned that school or district leaders who keep children from learning would face disciplinary action.
• 🧑‍🏫 Bryant emphasized that while teachers should support students' First Amendment rights, the initiative must be student-led, with teachers remaining neutral on political matters during school hours.