Around 100 Northwood students participated in a non-school-affiliated walkout on Friday as part of a nationwide protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The protest began around 11:30 a.m.—during fourth period—in the parking lot and grew as participants went door to door and off campus. Most students who left class without being signed out will receive a detention in accordance with Northwood’s attendance policy and may not be allowed to make up any missed assessments based on teacher discretion. Administration and campus security monitored the walkout to ensure student safety until a majority of students returned to campus during lunch.
“We recognize and appreciate the students’ right to free speech and First Amendment rights,” principal Eric Keith said. “At the same time, our priority is making sure that they are safe on campus.”
Other IUSD high schoolers, including those from Portola and Irvine High School, also joined in the nationwide protest but did not plan their events alongside Northwood’s, which was promoted Friday morning on @iceout.nhs on Instagram. The national walkout was in response to recent actions in Minnesota by ICE.
“I think that we need to show that what the government is doing in our name is not okay, and standing by at this point is not just staying neutral,” protester and senior Meiwen Zajtmann said. “Being silent is being complacent. We need to show that we won’t stand for what is going on in our country, in our name.”
Northwood administration sent an email to parents and staff on Thursday about the possibility of the walkout and safety guidelines, including directions that students cannot leave campus. As this was not a pre-planned event, the protest does not fall under Senate Bill 955, which allows students one excused absence for participation in civic activities, according to Keith.
Reactions from staff members were also mixed, with some concerned with it disrupting class time, while others saw it as a learning opportunity.
“It warms my heart to see that [students] care about things beyond themselves and their grades. I think there’s a degree of generosity or selflessness, which I think is nice to see empathy for other people,” history teacher Bryan Hoang said. “I think it builds student efficacy [and] more specifically, they learn how to be responsible for things.”
Many students also said it was worth risking punishment to take a stand.
“If somebody got shot because of ICE, I’m willing to get a detention to fight,” protester and freshman Amelia Zbib said. “We are citizens. We are Americans. We deserve to be here.”
Keith said that the tardy sweep after lunch was not intended as a punishment for protestors, as it was planned weeks in advance.
In the future, the administration also encourages student organizers to communicate and work with them in order to not disrupt classroom education, while making sure the protesters are safe. To see a timeline of the protest, visit @nhs.howler on Instagram.
