WAUWATOSA, Wis. — Around 100 students at Wauwatosa East High School marched block by block Monday, making a statement against Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, including last week's death of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis.
The walkout occurred at approximately 11:45 a.m.
Senior Fallon Cortright said it's important to take a stand during what she sees as a pivotal moment in American history.
"This is going to be a really monumental time, and it's either going to take a turn into something really beautiful or something really scary. And it's up to the American citizen to decide that," Cortright said.
The students also pointed to chaos that occurred hours later at Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis, where students, agents and teachers clashed after a car chase.
Senior Charles Radcliffe emphasized the importance of young people showing they understand current events.
"I think it's really important for people our age to actually show that we know what's going on. We recognize that this is not a normal thing to be happening in our country," Radcliffe said.
Watch: Students walk out of Wauwatosa East High School to protest ICE
Following the walkout, about 25 students remained near Wauwatosa Avenue, hoping to spread their message to the community and beyond.
Senior Cora Anderson expressed the concerns many in her generation are feeling.
"Our generation right now, a lot of us are scared and afraid of what's going on, and many of us have no control over it other than speaking our voice," Anderson said.
In their Friday communication to families, district administrators said they had learned students were considering the walkout "to show our disdain toward the presence of ICE in our cities, streets, and even schools that are similar to our own."
The district said that students who participated would be marked absent unless excused by a parent or guardian, but emphasized its support for student expression.
"We value and encourage student self-expression and recognize the importance of civic engagement as part of a well-rounded education," the district statement read. "We view moments like this as opportunities for young people to explore their voices, deepen their understanding of social issues, and learn about the power of collective action in a safe and constructive way."
The district added: "It will remain our goal to respect student expression while not compromising our priority of maintaining a focused learning environment for all students."
For Cortright, this represents a pivotal time to demonstrate peacefully and understand current events.
"Figure out what's going on in our country, because it's important, and it's going to be in a history book one day," Cortright said.
There were no counterprotesters supporting ICE at this walkout. This marks the second walkout at Wauwatosa East this year — the first occurred in September as part of a national movement against school gun violence.
You can read the school's full statement below:
"It has come to the attention of District administrators that some students are considering participating in a student walkout on Monday, January 12 at approximately 11:45. Students have expressed that this demonstration is "to show our disdain toward the presence of ICE in our cities, streets, and even schools that are similar to our own." It seems prudent to communicate proactively so students can express themselves with a full understanding of the implications of their expression. At East, 4th period ends at 11:43 a.m., and we anticipate that the walkout may take place at this time. Students who choose to participate will miss 5th period and will be marked absent from class unless excused by a parent or guardian. We value and encourage student self-expression and recognize the importance of civic engagement as part of a well-rounded education. We view moments like this as opportunities for young people to explore their voices, deepen their understanding of social issues, and learn about the power of collective action in a safe and constructive way. Our request of students is simple: that they remain safe, respectful, and return to class once their demonstration concludes. We do not know how many, or if any students will take part, but we felt it important to share this information with families in advance. We encourage you to take this opportunity to speak with your student(s) about the significance of civic engagement, the responsibilities that come with exercising one’s voice, and the importance of balancing advocacy with their academic commitments. Understand that all attendance rules and reporting will continue in alignment with our daily processes. Students that are absent from instruction will be marked absent by their teachers and that absence will remain logged in Infinite Campus. It will remain our goal to respect student expression while not compromising our priority of maintaining a focused learning environment for all students. Thank you for your continued support as we work together to foster both academic growth and engaged citizenship in our students."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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