RACINE — Hundreds of Case High School students walked out Tuesday morning joining anti-ICE sentiments across the country.
Students chanted "Say it loud, say it clear. We do not have any fear," as they made their way from the school to the corner of Oakes Road and Washington Avenue.
Student organizers told TMJ4 they were surprised by the number of students who participated.
"It makes me really happy and proud that our school cares so much about what's going on," said Jaiden Hintz, a Case student and one of the organizers.
Students held signs that read "Abolish ICE for Renee Good," "I like my ice crushed," and "No human is illegal."
Organizer Payton Prostko said students were gathered to show the community they stand with the people of Minneapolis and those who are being wrongfully targeted by ICE.
Watch: Hundreds of Case High School students walk out Tuesday joining anti-ICE movement
"One of the things that I heard a teacher say to me is, 'What is walking out of school going to do about it?' It's going to show that we are here, and we are here for everybody in Minnesota, that we are here for everyone who gets unlawfully imprisoned," Prostko said.
For Ruben Marquez, the current cultural moment is a time to protest against discrimination and an opportunity for togetherness.
"We're trying to just bring peace to our school, to our country, to our county," Marquez said. "We're just trying to make this place a better place to live for future generations to come."
For participating students, Tuesday's walkout was an opportunity to show each other, their school and the greater Racine community that they are aware of events impacting our nation and have an opinion.
"As young adults, it's very important that we use our voice seeing as how we are the next group to be able to start voting," Hintz said. "I think it it very important that we use our voice to be able to share our opinion as we grow into adults."
Case High School's student walkout came after students at Park High School walked out of class on Friday.
Racine Unified School District was able to communicate with Case and Park families ahead of the walkouts, according to RUSD Stacy Tapp.
"While this walkout is not a school-sponsored activity, we recognize the importance of civic engagement as part of a well-rounded education," Case Principal Cassie Kuranz said in an email sent to families ahead of Tuesday. "Moments like this present opportunities for young people to deepen their understanding of social issues, explore their own voices and learn how to engage in collective action in a safe, constructive and respectful way. As always, we expect our students to respect the rights and opinions of others."
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