Amid increasing student walkout protests across the U.S., school districts across Florida are reinforcing their guidelines on student activism, including Leon County Schools' message to students and parents following recent demo nstrations.WATCH FULL REPORT BELOW: LCS, FLDOE reinforce guidelines as student immigration protests spread to state, TallahasseeHundreds of students have been walking out of schools across the country in protest of federal immigration enforcement, prompting the Florida Department of Education and school districts to draw clear lines on student activism.Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas sent a memo to all school districts last Tuesday.While he recognizes students' constitutional right to peacefully protest, Kamoutsas said school districts have a responsibility to ensure protest activity does not disrupt instructional time, school operations, and campus safety.Posting the memo to X, he added that the state will not tolerate educators encouraging school protests and pushing their political views onto students.The memo came a day after a recent protest hit Tallahassee at Lincoln High School.Student Mara Stopyak was behind the walkout, which was organized during the school's lunch hour when eligible students are allowed to leave campus."I started with putting up posters to advocate for peace and equality. Genuinely just trying to educate people because there are people screaming at other students that they need to go back to their country, that they don't belong here, that they should be deported, Stopyak said.They [the posters] were getting ripped down, and a lot of people did not like the posters. So, we decided to do something bigger.She says she planned the protest within three to four days.We were really worried that no one was going to show up, but as we were walking out, I looked back and see a hundred people behind me, she said.Following the protest and memo from the state, Leon County Schools reinforced its own guidelines in an email to parents.The district recognizes students' right to free speech, but warned that students could face disciplinary action if protests interrupt daily school routines.Read the full statement below: Dear High School Parents and Students, Leon County Schools recognizes students constitutional rights to free speech as defined by School Board policy and applicable law. However, the districts primary responsibility is to maintain safe, orderly schools and to protect uninterrupted teaching and learning for all students. Actions that disrupt the instructional day, interfere with school operations, or compromise campus safety are not permitted and will be addressed in accordance with the Leon County Schools Code of Student Conduct and School Board policy. Disciplinary consequences will be applied when behavior infringes upon the learning environment or the rights of others. Leon County Schools will continue to enforce expectations that ensure schools remain focused on safety, order, and academic purpose. Interruptions to the daily school routine will not be accepted.While Stopyak said she feels the school's guidelines are reasonable, her actions on Feb. 2 and the response from her peers inspired her to take action in the broader community.Just seeing the response, negative and positive, shows that my voice has an impact, and I feel like that just, that inspires me to do more good and to advocate for change and equal rights, she said.This is very clear that one person can make a difference, and you can make a change.The district said no disciplinary action was taken against the students in the recent protest.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website. Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.Like us on FacebookFollow us on Instagram and X. ...read more read less