The chanting started outside Keller Public Library just after 10 a.m. Feb. 7.
“One district, one voice, give us the choice!”
The small but vocal group of students shouted as cars passed by on Johnson Road, some honking in support, others slowing down to read the hand-painted signs that bobbed above the crowd.
With gold ribbons pinned to jackets and backpacks in a sign of unity, a group of 32 students walked out of Keller High School at 9:40 a.m. — when the second period bell rang — to protest any plan that would split Keller ISD into two separate districts.
Groups of students from five of the district’s high schools then met at a Chicken Express parking lot on Timberland Boulevard near Timber Creek High School at 10:30 a.m., rallying for their right to have a say in the district’s future. Around 100 students participated.
“We stand here unified against those that work to divide us,” Heath Shiflett, a sophomore at Keller High School who led the walkout, told his fellow students outside the fast food restaurant. “Residents spoke out, parents spoke out, teachers risked their jobs to speak out. Now, the final nail in the coffin, your students take this a step further, we walk out.”
After just a week of planning, the turnout was lower than some organizers hoped for, Heath said.
While some students remained in the classroom because they were hesitant to risk disciplinary action, others didn’t participate because they didn’t fully understand how the split could impact them, he said. The students who walked out were the ones who took the time to inform themselves, to watch board meetings, to dig into the details, Heath said. He emphasized those students are the ones the board should be paying attention to.
The protest stems from a weekslong controversy surrounding a proposal to divide Keller ISD into two separate districts. The plan, which surfaced in early January, has drawn opposition from various city and community leaders, including Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker, state representatives and outgoing Superintendent Tracy Johnson, who has been replaced with an interim leader and did not appear at the school board’s Jan. 30 meeting.
Proponents of the split, including board President Charles Randklev, argue that Keller ISD cannot be managed effectively as a single district and dividing the district would allow for more localized decision-making and long-term financial stability. The district faces a potential $10 million deficit for the 2025-26 school year.
“We must find a way to keep our tax dollars local, keep our schools open, support our excellent teachers and ensure all students receive the high-quality education they deserve,” Randklev said during the Jan. 30 meeting.
Why students are opposed to the split
The protesting students see the split as a move that will exacerbate inequalities. Many who participated believe the proposal prioritizes financial interests over student needs and will lead to further disparities in resources and opportunities.
“If you’re not angry, you just don’t know what’s happening,” Heath said. “We’re now paying for two superintendents! That’s not going to save us money.”
Jaiden Carney, also a sophomore at Keller High School, views the split as not just a financial issue but a moral one.
“I’ve always been taught to fight for what I believe in, and I believe in equality,” Jaiden said.
Jaiden pointed to the socioeconomic and demographic divide within Keller ISD. A Fort Worth Report analysis found that the split would disproportionately divide students between the west and east sides of Denton Highway, where the boundary for the two new districts would be drawn.
The western side would be home to 10,060, or 88%, of the current district’s low-income students. A majority of the current district’s minority students also reside on the west side of Denton Highway. Schools, generally, perform better on the east side.
“They’re not thinking about the students, they’re not thinking about the teachers,” Jaiden said. “They’re just thinking about how to get more money.”
Some students voiced concerns over the impact on extracurricular activities.
“We are one of the top fine arts districts in the state,” Timber Creek High School sophomore Elliott Mullaney said. “If we split, we’ll lose the shared resources that make our programs so great.”
Risking disciplinary action
All students risked disciplinary action for participating, according to the district.
In a message sent to parents and students Feb. 5, all district high school principals warned that participation in the walkout would count as an unexcused absence and could impact students’ eligibility for semester exam exemptions.
“While we respect the constitutional rights of our students to freedom of speech and expression, we encourage families to talk with their students and remind them that leaving a class and failing to return is considered skipping,” the statement said.
Organizers pushed forward despite those warnings, emphasizing discipline and nonviolence to minimize potential punishment, Heath told the Report. There was no police presence during the walkout.
Jaiden felt compelled to join despite possible consequences.
“I want to fight for something,” Jaiden said. “A lot of my friends are scared to be here, so I’m here for them.”
Walkout is ‘just the start’
Surrounded by his fellow students and flanked by television news cameras, Heath addressed Randklev.
“We refuse to be strangled by your noose of absolutism. We refuse to let your opaqueness stifle us,” he said. “You are not a king. You are a president. And by democracy, you shall govern.”
The speech was met with cheers from students who held signs reading “Let Us Vote” and “We Will Not Be Divided.” The goal was to not only keep the issue in the public eye, but also get their fellow students to engage in activism, students said.
“Even if it didn’t get every student to walk out, it got them talking. It got them thinking,” Elliott said. “And that’s just the start.”
The next Keller ISD board meeting is scheduled for Feb. 27. Organizers of the walkout say they plan to continue their efforts to bring more student voices into the conversation.
“It might not change anything today,” Elliott said. “But, we hope it will in the future.”
Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @matthewsgroi1.
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This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.