With controversy around US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on the rise, high school students at various schools in the St. Louis area have held walkouts to protest the organization’s violent actions. Among these schools are Rockwood’s Lafayette and Marquette High Schools, which saw students leave school to protest on Feb. 6.
In addition, students from schools such as Nerinx Hall, Parkway South, Webster Groves, and Kirkwood High have participated in protests during recent weeks. These protests included signs created by students and chants, such as Lafayette’s, “Immigrants are welcome here. No hate. No fear.”
Protests have become more frequent as ICE has begun entering schools and increasing deportations, and as the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE agents have gained attention nationwide.
Kirkwood senior Truman Kim, who protested with other Kirkwood students on Jan. 30, said in an interview with KSDK that he protested because he believes ICE uses tactics that are too extreme, inhibiting the rights of the people to due process.
“I don’t like what ICE is doing because not only have they detained citizens, they’ve denied them due process as well. I can kind of see why people would support ICE because laws are laws for a reason, but most of me thinks that even if you are following the law, this is too far,” Kim said.
Many St. Louis school districts have expressed either their support or disdain for student walkouts, as well as the punishment that will be given for students who participate. Rockwood superintendent Dr. Curtis Cain sent a message to Marquette and Lafayette families to inform them of the policy on walkouts, stating that students would be given unexcused absences and would be unable to participate in athletics that day, per the student handbook’s policy on truancy.
“While we respect the First Amendment rights of our students, our primary duty is to maintain a safe, orderly and nurturing environment for learning. To maintain the proper learning environment, we must keep our focus on classroom instruction. We believe that opportunities for advocacy and activism are most effective when conducted outside of the school day. As such, the Rockwood School District does not sanction or authorize a walkout of any kind,” Cain said.
