Pro-ICE shirts spark student protests around region
Multiple Northwest Arkansas high schools hold protests against ICE after two Har-Ber High School students were photographed wearing pro-ICE t-shirts during a school celebration. No corrective actions were taken.
Multiple Northwest Arkansas high schools hold protests against ICE after two Har-Ber High School students were photographed wearing pro-ICE t-shirts during a school celebration. No corrective actions were taken.
Editor’s Note: The names of students have been changed
SPRINGDALE, Ark. — Just weeks after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) killed Minnesota mother Renee Good, students at Springdale’s Har-Ber High School posed for a photo wearing “ICE ICE BABY” T-shirts in the school cafeteria during the 100th day school celebration.
The student who took the photo, Ember, is a Har-Ber High School senior. She said she was shocked that two students were allowed to wear the shirts because the shirts directly contradict the Springdale School District's mission statement to being welcoming, inclusive, and promoting safety.
Clothing that is likely to create disruption is banned at Har-Ber, according to its student handbook. This includes apparel that depicts or promotes illegal activities, racism, violence, suggestive or inflammatory slogans, etc.
"This policy is intended to assist schools in carrying out their educational mission in becoming healthier, safer places of learning," the dress code states. "We hope that students and parents understand not only the 'letter' of the dress code but also the 'spirit' in which the dress code is written, and choose clothing that is appropriate for a student attending Springdale Public Schools."
The school board was made aware of the students wearing the T-shirts and decided not to take corrective actions, Ember shared. Which is what caused students to want to speak out against the school district.
Multiple groups of students across region started reaching out to Ember through her Instagram account. “You have no idea what you did, you gave us so much confidence," one student told Ember via her Instagram account. Another account, HarBerAgainstICE, that shares anonymous stories of students who say they have experienced racist treatment, decided to plan a protest against ICE on campus.
"[The students wearing the pro-ICE shirts] came off as not only hateful, but very tone deaf in the sense that Renee Good was just murdered," Dallas, who manages the HarberAgainstICEaccount, said. "And these students were being very disrespectful to not only the victims, but the students at our school, since one of our major demographics [is] Hispanic students."
Springdale School District is the largest and most diverse school district in Arkansas.
Student protests within the largest districts in the region are occurring this week. Students from Fayetteville High School organized a school walkout Monday, Feb. 2. Multiple protests in Rogers, Springdale and Fayetteville are set for Tuesday, Feb. 3.
A Springdale school board meeting is set for Feb. 9.
A statement from Springdale Public Schools Director of Communications, Trent Jones, states:
Springdale Public Schools is committed to two unwavering principles: protecting our students’ First Amendment rights and upholding our mandate to provide a safe, non-discriminatory learning environment under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. While we respect the rights of all students to express diverse viewpoints, the district maintains a zero-tolerance policy for harassment, intimidation, or threats of violence, whether they occur in our hallways or on digital platforms. Our dress code is designed to prevent disruptions to the educational process, however we must carefully balance individual expression with our obligation to maintain a respectful campus for everyone.Our focus centers on the 'Springdale Family'—a community built on mutual respect. We aim to lead our students toward civil discourse and away from the divisiveness that hinders learning. In this spirit, we view student engagement as a teachable moment in civic responsibility.As a public school system, we must balance student expression with our legal obligations under Arkansas State Law. The Arkansas ACCESS Act prohibits excused absences for student protests or walkouts. Consequently, any student who leaves campus or misses instructional time will receive an unexcused absence in accordance with state law.Our primary commitment is the safety and security of our students. We encourage families to discuss these civic issues together, as we provide a safe and structured environment for every student to learn and grow.