Scores of students at Senn High School in Chicago staged a schoolwide walkout on Friday, protesting immigration policies and ICE tactics nationwide. The students gathered at the intersection of Clark Street and Ridge Avenue after 1 pm, holding signs and flags calling for an end to federal immigration enforcement activity.
In support, cars passing by honked their horns, showing solidarity with the protesters. The students, led by junior Julia McGuire, had planned the walkout weeks in advance, hoping that most teachers would be on board. While not all teachers were supportive, many were understanding and supportive of the students' efforts.
This protest is part of a larger wave of student activism across Chicago Public Schools, with hundreds of students walking out at other schools earlier in the week. The demonstrations aim to raise awareness about immigration policies and ICE operations, which have been criticized for their impact on immigrant communities.
To ensure student safety during the walkout, faculty members coordinated with administrators to keep students off the streets. Claudia Ovalle, Chicago Public Schools' network safety manager for the North Side, said that her team typically asks organizers questions about their plans before approving them.
"We want to make sure that our students are safe," she explained. "We'll ask where they're going to gather, how many people will be there, and if we need Chicago police to be present." These measures are taken to prevent potential conflicts or disruptions.
For Julia McGuire, seeing so many students coming together to protest was a heartening experience. "It's making me happy to see this many people coming out to do this," she said. "It's good knowing that there's a lot of people who also agree with us."
In support, cars passing by honked their horns, showing solidarity with the protesters. The students, led by junior Julia McGuire, had planned the walkout weeks in advance, hoping that most teachers would be on board. While not all teachers were supportive, many were understanding and supportive of the students' efforts.
This protest is part of a larger wave of student activism across Chicago Public Schools, with hundreds of students walking out at other schools earlier in the week. The demonstrations aim to raise awareness about immigration policies and ICE operations, which have been criticized for their impact on immigrant communities.
To ensure student safety during the walkout, faculty members coordinated with administrators to keep students off the streets. Claudia Ovalle, Chicago Public Schools' network safety manager for the North Side, said that her team typically asks organizers questions about their plans before approving them.
"We want to make sure that our students are safe," she explained. "We'll ask where they're going to gather, how many people will be there, and if we need Chicago police to be present." These measures are taken to prevent potential conflicts or disruptions.
For Julia McGuire, seeing so many students coming together to protest was a heartening experience. "It's making me happy to see this many people coming out to do this," she said. "It's good knowing that there's a lot of people who also agree with us."
I'm kinda worried about the reaction from some teachers tho... like, what if they didn't support the cause? It's still their job to make sure students are safe, but at the same time, these kids have every right to express themselves. 
I mean, I saw cars honking in support of the protesters which was really cool! 
But it's also interesting that some teachers were like "yeah, let them protest" while others were more cautious. What do you guys think? Should schools be super strict about student protests or give them some leeway? 
I was just talking to my friend about how she has an aunt who's from Mexico and stuff, so I guess it's hitting close to home for some people. The teachers were supportive or whatever, but I wonder if some of them didn't know what was going on at first? My little sis is in school now and I'd be worried if she had a protest planned without me knowing... 
. And I gotta say, it's super heartwarming to see so many teachers being supportive of the students too 
. I mean, not everyone showed up with open arms, but that's a given when you're dealing with sensitive topics like this.
.
. Like, these kids are not just speaking out for themselves, but for their peers too. That takes a lot of guts and solidarity, you know?
Did you know that 75% of CPS students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch? 
It's clear that many young minds are thinking critically about social justice and wanting to make a difference. The walkout at Senn High School had around 200+ students participating, which is impressive considering the school has over 2,500 students! 
Those students must be super organized – they've been planning this for weeks! 
Claudia Ovalle's team did a great job ensuring student safety while still supporting their right to protest. It's heartwarming to see Julia McGuire's enthusiasm and sense of community among the protesters. The fact that 87% of American teens support immigration reform is proof that there's a generation ready for change! 
. It takes courage to speak out against policies that affect your community, and I love that they had teachers on their side 
. It's amazing how these students are using their collective voice to bring attention to important issues 
. The school administration taking steps to ensure student safety shows they're listening and trying to do better 
. I'm rooting for Julia and her crew – keep speaking truth to power 
!
. It's amazing how organized and calm they were despite being so passionate about the issue 
. I'm glad the teachers who weren't supportive at least gave them a listen 
. Can't wait to see what other positive change these students will bring about! 
it's crazy how they're still dealing with all that drama in the US... schools should be about learning not stressin' about immigration policies lol what's next is America gonna start makin' students pick a nationality to study? 