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Los Fresnos Students Walk Out in Immigration Protest

Posted on: Thursday, 13 April 2006, 09:00 CDT

By Aaron Nelsen, The Brownsville Herald, Texas

Apr. 13--LOS FRESNOS -- Amid weeks of protests and demonstrations across the nation, a group of Los Fresnos High School students on Wednesday decided to make their voices heard by walking out of school.

Ignoring a threat to suspend them, about 80 students marched down Highway 100 against potential punitive immigration reforms, chanting and carrying signs with the message, "Viva Mexico."

"We're protesting because they treat us like crap," said Carla Arredondo, a 15-year-old student. "We're here to support Mexico."

A police escort followed close behind, as did mothers of several students honking car horns and watching over their children.

"I'm here supporting the illegals," said Maria J. Garcia, a mother of a Los Fresnos student. "I've been here from the beginning, giving water and sodas to all the protesters."

The walkout got its spark when anonymous flyers distributed among the student body advised that a walkout would take place during the lunch hour. Those same flyers, however, found their way into the hands of school administrators who tried to diffuse the walkout before it had a chance to gain momentum.

"We got some flyers, and it said that the kids were going to plan a walkout," said Dawn Hall, Los Fresnos High School principal. "So, we brought in kids that are leaders on campus and kids that are passionate about issues and talked to them and said we want to provide a positive forum for them to express their ideas."

Despite Hall's appeals to students to remain on campus, a walkout did take place when more than 200 students filed out of the high school at midday, but most didn't make it past the school gates.

School administrators made a last ditch effort to convince students that a different venue would be offered to them where they could voice their concerns. Hall said not only did she tell students that walking out of class would not be the most effective way of expressing their ideas, but it would also be dangerous to walk down Highway 100 unassisted.

"I told them, 'I can't stop you, but your safety is my concern,'" Hall said.

She said most students agreed with administrators and returned to their classrooms, but administrators held no sway over a group of some 80 students.

Hall said the students who left school grounds would receive a three-day suspension and five days of in-school suspension but added that a forum for students to speak about their concerns over immigration is still in the works.

"Whenever they want to put it together, we'll support what they want to do," Hall said.

anelsen@brownsvilleherald.com

TALKBACK:

Do you think students should be punished for exercising their right to freedom of speech?

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Brownsville Herald, Texas

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The Brownsville Herald

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