East Bay high school students stage walkout against federal immigration enforcement

Hundreds of students from several high schools in East Bay walked out of class Wednesday, protesting federal immigration enforcement operations.

The students, who attend four schools in the San Lorenzo Unified School District, began walking from their school sites around 9:45 a.m., gathering in the Walmart parking lot at Lewelling and Hesperian boulevards.

Additional students from Mt. Eden High School and Berkeley High School also planned to take part.

Students were seen lining up along both roadways, carrying signs condemning federal immigration enforcement, particularly in the wake of the deadly shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

"We chose this day for the children to walk out, for the children to do something, because on Friday, the blackout has been for adults, their workplaces. And not all these students can miss school for that," said student Jolia Bosette, referencing additional protests planned for later this week. "But we do know that we get one protest day a year, and so why not use it?"

The district's policy allows students one excused absence per school year to participate in free speech activity, as long as parents and guardians request in advance.

According to a spokesperson for the San Lorenzo Unified School District, while the protest is not a school-sanctioned activity, district and school staff were on hand to observe and ensure that students who choose to participate can do so safely.