At a February 2026 press conference hosted by the Florida Education Association (FEA), Zander Moricz, Executive Director and Founder of the Social Equity and Education (SEE) Alliance, made headlines by framing student walkouts against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids as not just acceptable, but obligatory.

Moricz, a rising voice in progressive education circles, pushed back against critics labeling the protests as disruptive or extreme. "While framed by some politicians as radical, [student protesting against ICE] is rather reasonable. It's rational. And in a moment like this, it is required," he stated, urging schools to support such activism as a core expression of First Amendment rights.

The remarks have ignited a firestorm, with absenteeism reports from Florida districts showing coordinated walkouts pulling hundreds of students from classrooms. For families already navigating tight schedules and academic pressures, this is a form of exploitation, turning kids into foot soldiers for a union-fueled agenda.

Florida's education leaders didn't hold back. Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas issued a scathing rebuke, highlighting the unions' pattern of prioritizing politics over pupils: "Teacher unions are again using children as pawns to carry out their radical political agenda. Their actions could result in lasting consequences for a student’s educational record—yet they are willing to put politics above what is best for students. It’s baffling how such a nefarious organization that commits fraud, files frivolous lawsuits and encourages chaos in schools, still remains in existence."

State Representative Jenna Persons-Mulicka, a staunch defender of classroom focus, called out the inherent conflict: "Encouraging students to miss class for political protests is inconsistent with a union’s responsibility to strengthen education and support the professionals who deliver it. Accountability and a clear commitment to student learning must come first!"

State Senator Jonathan Martin tied the controversy to broader union failures: "Teacher’s unions have intentionally delayed providing salary increases to teachers, engaged in questionable financial practices, and are now encouraging students to walk out of class in protest. This situation underscores exactly why Senate Bill 1296 is so important. The legislation I am sponsoring is about ensuring transparency, restoring accountability, and making sure unions put teachers and students first."

State Board of Education member Ryan Petty quipped on social media: "Is anyone surprised that teachers unions want to activate your children as political pawns? When was the last time these unions focused on improving education?"

This Florida episode is part of a national pattern. Last summer, at the National Education Association's (NEA) 2025 annual convention in Portland, Oregon, the nation's largest teachers' union—representing over 3 million members—passed New Business Item 63.

The anti-ICE resolution pledges to "help students organize against ICE raids and deportations" and resist "Trump’s policies," allocating resources for training and mobilization that bleed ideology into instruction.

Solutions like expanded school choice and bills such as SB 1296 remove power from the partisans and hand it back to parents and educators who actually prioritize pencils over protests. It's past time to hold these groups accountable before another generation pays the price.