Clarke Central High School students participate in ICE Out of Everywhere, a national movement to protest against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, on Jan. 30 in Billy Henderson Stadium. CCHS Associate Principal Dr. Summer Smith, one of many teachers and administrators present, witnessed students voicing their opinions peacefully. “I’m very pleased and excited to see students exercising their rights to have a voice in a productive and unified way,” Smith said. “It’s heartwarming to see how many signs and how many people are supporting each other.” Photo by Cooper Jones
CCHS students participated in a walkout to protest recent events involving the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Jan. 30 at 12:30 p.m.
In the wake of two civilian deaths in Minneapolis, both at the hands of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, activists across the country called for a “national shutdown” on Jan. 30: ICE Out of Everywhere.
Initially planned by national grassroots organization 50501 and student groups across the United States, the movement inspired strikes and protests, with the goal that “a sweeping show of resistance will convince the Trump administration to stop sending immigration agents to cities nationwide,” according to the New York Times.
Clarke Central High School students who chose to take part in ICE Out of Everywhere walked out of school and congregated in Billy Henderson Stadium at 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 30. The protest was coordinated by CCHS seniors Yaritza Hernandez and Nico Hernandez.
“(Immigrants) don’t have a voice. They could go to a protest, but they could get arrested. Their citizenship could be affected, scholarships, anything could be affected from their lives.”
— Nico Hernandez,
CCHS senior
Both Nico and Yaritza were surprised by the volume of students in attendance, who swarmed the turf holding signs with messages like “Melt the ICE” and “Without immigrants there is no America.” Students on sight chanted “We want change” and “No more ICE,” among other statements, and others, like CCHS junior Macie Richardson, spoke to the crowd through a megaphone.
Listen to the chants here.
“I was overjoyed. Not only did we get such a good turnout, but the majority of the people who showed up were participating,” Richardson said. “I remember getting down to the field and thinking, ‘I’m so proud to be a Clarke Central student.’”
Clarke Central High School senior Nico Hernandez speaks at a walkout for ICE Out of Everywhere on Jan. 30 in Billy Henderson Stadium. Nico, who organized the walkout alongside fellow CCHS senior Yaritza Hernandez, appreciated that the CCHS Administrative Team helped coordinate by providing a location and time frame for students to protest. “We have a really great community, and (the administration) didn’t stop us. They supported us. They tried every single way to keep us secure,” Nico said. “If we were (off school grounds) in public, most likely we would get shut down, or something bad would happen to us. So thankfully, we have this platform.” Photo by Cooper Jones
CCHS Associate Principal Dr. Summer Smith, along with other members of the CCHS Administrative Team, helped to regulate the walkout, enforcing that participating students remain within Billy Henderson Stadium before directing them to return to class at 1:30 p.m. Per announcements made before the walkout, any student who left campus would receive an automatic 10-day suspension.
“This is the safest way to allow students the space, but to also make sure that we can still monitor and keep everybody safe,” Smith said. “Everybody has the right to use their voice in the ways that they see fit. Learning that in a safe, controlled space is a good thing for everybody.”
A slider shows various signs and posters brought by Clarke Central High School students to a walkout for ICE Out of Everywhere in Billy Henderson Stadium on Jan. 30. CCHS freshman Luis Jimenez attended and spoke at the protest. “I want to make a change,” Jimenez said. “I want all of us to live safely, without having to worry that we’re going to leave our families one day.” Photos by Cooper Jones
As high school students, the majority of the CCHS population is not eligible to vote on government policy or the election of political leaders, which Yaritza felt made the walkout all the more important.
“Though we are not able to vote, we have our opinions, and) our opinions matter. We have things that we need to say,” Yaritza said. “It’s just something that’s so important for high school students. People under the age of 18 need to speak out.”
