Howell High School students plan walkout to protest ICE enforcement
Social media posts discussing Howell High School students' plans to walk out of school during the seventh hour period on Feb. 20 have gathered hundreds of comments, ranging from support to concerns over safety to whether or not the act itself is inappropriate.
In the days since a sign-up circulated online to gauge student interest in the walkout, plans have shifted. Now, instead of taking place during school hours, the walkout is planned for after school.
Parent Stacey Wagoner, whose son is a senior at Howell High School, said she's deeply frustrated by the plans to protest.
"I'm very worried about our kids, extremely worried about our kids. I'm tired of the political theater; it has no place in our school systems," she said.
Wagoner says her son won't be participating in the walkout.
"He's going to be in class where he should be," she said. "I'm glad my son's last day is May 20."
Wagoner isn't the only parent who is concerned about this protest.
"Yes, the First Amendment applies totally and completely to them, and they should do what they feel is that strongly about, right? But I feel like school is not the place for it," said Kelli Uphaus, who has a child in Howell Public Schools.
Uphaus said her main concern is safety.
"I have seen so many things on the news about violence happening in these. I mean, we've had two people killed; it's not comfortable to think that children are going to put themselves in a situation where somebody could step out of line, and it could end up harming one of them," said Uphaus.
Howell Public Schools declined an interview on Thursday, but district officials said the school's resource officers will be on campus. However, once the school day ends, the district says it "cannot guarantee supervision for non-school-sponsored activities."
Wagoner said she can't get behind protesting law enforcement.
"I'm not saying ICE's got clean hands either. I'm not saying that it's our law enforcement we're protesting; they better not have to call 911 in their lives," she said.
