Source: Instagram.com/abington.walkout
Students from Abington School District and Cheltenham School District are organizing walkouts on Wednesday, Feb. 11, to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
This latest protest comes after students from another Montgomery County School District, North Penn School District, performed their own walkout last week. The protests are planned for one hour, from 7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.
At Abington, students created a social media account, abington.walkout, in January and informed school officials in advance.
"We cannot sit idly by as injustice walks the streets of Minneapolis and America," The post reads. "We are choosing to take a stand and hope you will join us. No one is being forced to participate in this protest. This is a student led walkout that does not reflect the views of the staff, school, or district. Thank you for your continuous support!
"This is a student led protest that the school has given us permission to conduct," the post continued. "This in no way reflects the views of the school itself or the district."
Some parents and students have disagreed with the organizing of the protest. One commentor wrote: "Ice did nothing wrong they are doing their job right" while another parent chimed in, "Yea, no matter my political views, my kids are staying in school and I hope this does not disrupt their school day."
At Cheltenham, the walkout is being led by “several student Cheltenham High School groups” to protest ICE tactics and its presence. Superintendent Dr. Brian Scriven commented that the demonstration is not school-sanctioned: “While the administration respects our students’ right to free speech and values the expression of their diverse perspectives, we must also maintain our commitment to instructional integrity and student safety.”
Students who leave class will be marked with an unexcused absence.
“Our primary objective is to ensure the safety and well-being of all students and staff," Dr. Sriven said. "Leaving the classroom or school building without authorization creates significant safety concerns and is a violation of school rules,” he said.
Instruction will continue for students who do not participate, while staff will supervise those who walk out to maintain an orderly environment.
“These measures are not intended to discourage student expression, but rather to uphold our obligation to maintain a safe and productive learning environment,” the notice said.
