Seattle Public Schools didn’t excuse students for Seahawks parade, but teachers canceled class for ICE protest

Photo Credit: Jack Ellis

Seattle Public Schools announced Monday that students will not be excused from class to attend the Seahawks’ Super Bowl victory parade, after the previous week they allowed classes to be canceled for students to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Seattle defeated the New England Patriots 29-13 on Sunday to secure the franchise’s second Super Bowl title. In past years, other cities have closed schools for championship parades, including multiple districts in Philadelphia and Kansas City.

In a statement from Chief Operating Officer Fred Podesta, the district said schools will remain open on Wednesday, Feb. 11, and that skipping class to attend the parade will be recorded as an unexcused absence. The message emphasized that keeping schools open is crucial for students’ “stability, safety, and continuity,” noting that schools provide not only learning but also meals, transportation, specialized services, and trusted routines. “As the city plans celebrations, including a victory parade planned for Wednesday at 10 a.m., we want families to know that Seattle Public Schools will remain open,” the district said. “We encourage families to celebrate this historic moment in ways that work best for your household, while also helping us keep learning strong across the district.” The announcement was called out by the NFL.

Critics pointed to a very different approach taken by schools in the district last week when students walked out to protest ICE. Hundreds of Seattle public and private school students staged walkouts Thursday, marching downtown from their campuses to City Hall and blocking traffic on 4th and 5th avenues as part of demonstrations against federal immigration enforcement. Some blocked traffic and vandalized property. One parent told The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI that students at their child’s school left class twice this week for the protests, with teachers cancelling class. Seattle officials, including Seattle Socialist Mayor Katie Wilson, joined the protests.

Last week, in response to the surge in student activism, Democratic state lawmakers introduced House Bill 2732, which would require school districts to grant students one excused absence per term for “civic engagement activities,” a category critics say could include protests and other political events.

Some anti-ICE activists walked the parade route, handing souvenir towels with anti-ICE messaging to kids during the Seahawks victory parade on Wednesday. Parents were spotted confiscating the towels and disposing of them.