U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has captured national attention and stirred controversy among American citizens in recent months. ICE has been patrolling streets in major cities, including Chicago, as part of a massive deportation effort.
Individuals in the U.S. have increasingly expressed their resentment of ICE as those efforts escalated. These protestors are outraged by violence ICE has committed, especially after the killings of two Minnesotans as of this year.
In February, Lake Park high school students planned and conducted their own walkout on Friday, February 13th to protest against ICE.
In the days leading up to February 13th, Lake Park’s administration became aware of students’ plans and monitored the situation. According to an email from Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services Dr. Jessica Foster sent to parents and guardians, an estimate 50 students vacated their classrooms around 1:15 pm to participate in the walkout. An email sent the day before notified parents and guardians that the district was aware of a Snapchat post that a walkout was possible, and when and where this event would take place. According to the post, the walkout was planned to be led out of the West Campus building, down Bryn Mawr Ave, and leading toward Roselle Road.
While students do have a right to exercise their First Amendment freedom of expression, students must do so in compliance with the Lake Park Student handbook.
Walkouts from schools are not protected by the First Amendment as they create a disruption to the learning environment. Neither the school nor its staff endorse, coordinate, or help to organize such protests.
The Lake Park Student Handbook strictly states that leaving the school building without authorization is an unexcused absence.
“We don’t endorse it, but we do work to make sure it’s safe and that it is non-disruptive to the learning environment,” West Campus Principal Dr. Alexia Ellett said. “I prefer to always know what’s happening, so my preference would be to know so that we can make everything safe.”
Walkouts are marked as unexcused absences which result in some students receiving a first time offense, but students who have accumulated unexcused absences over time may have received detention(s) either in school, lunch, or before/after school, all in accordance with the student handbook.
While the severity of the consequences of an unexcused absence depend on how many unexcused absences the students already acquired, punishment of more than 2 unexcused absence compromise of detentions, loss of privileges, Dean meetings with Parents/Guardians, SRO contact with parents/Guardian, and meetings with social workers.
“That’s the whole reason it’s unexcused, because we are responsible for what happens on school grounds and property,” Dr. Ellett said. “That’s why they’re taking a consequence because they could be in harm’s way.”
Countless organizations and activist groups have exercised their Constitutional rights to express their disapproval of ICE and to protect innocent individuals from violence. Now students and teenagers are expressing their voice and opinions on how they feel about ICE.
