Young North Texans continue to protest the federal government’s anti-immigration policies by walking out of class.
More than 200 students walked out of Grand Prairie High School just after 11 a.m. on Friday.
Students told KERA stronger U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement measures have affected not only their community, but communities nationwide.
“Everyone here knows or has some connection to someone affected [by] the discrimination, the injustice, the pain and the torture from the government of ICE that are trying to stop us, trying to rob our people, and we just won't stand for it,” one of the student organizers told KERA anonymously.
Students carried signs that read “We are skipping our lessons to teach you one” and “ICE Out.” A few carried Mexican flags as the line of students walked about a mile from the school to city hall. One student played his guitar, while others shouted “No justice! No peace! No ICE on the streets!”
A student leader carrying a bullhorn guided the students to walk until they stopped just past city hall at the intersection of Main and 4th Street. Cars and trucks passed by honking their horns in support.
Grand Prairie High School has about 3,000 students, most of whom are Latino.
Some told KERA they heard rumors of what might happen to them if they walked out, but said they felt they needed to do something.
“The system is corrupt, and we need to fight for the people,” said Angela, who is in her senior year. "And the people that work for this country deserve to be here. And nobody is illegal on stolen land.”
Grand Prairie ISD spokesperson Sam Buchmeyer told KERA "as a district, we complied to the guidance provided by the Texas Education Agency last week."
The Texas Education Agency earlier this month released guidance warning districts of serious consequences if they help facilitate walkouts. The guidance was released in response to Gov. Greg Abbott’s call for the state Education Commissioner to investigate “political indoctrination” in schools.
Students who participate in walkouts must be marked absent, the guidance said, and teachers who allow walkouts could face sanctions.
Though there was not any school staff with the students, Grand Prairie Police watched from across the street and urged them to stay on the sidewalk and the grass and to not go into the street. A helicopter could be heard from overhead.
Pita, who only shared her first name with KERA, said she has a daughter who attends Grand Prairie High School. She was taking videos on her phone from a business across the street and said she was proud of the students.
“I think they do it right,” she said. “It's amazing to see all these students raising their voice for their parents."
Maria Perez, who lives nearby, stopped by to see what was happening when she noticed the noise as she went for a walk.
“I told these kids you're the future, and a lot of us are behind you, 100 percent,"she said.“One child just told me they're deporting his mother and he doesn't want to go. I practically cried, it was so sad."
Uriel, who is in his last year at the school, told KERA he felt a responsibility to do his part and speak out.
“I feel like it's important to express our voices because it can really make a difference,” he said. “Like for example, MLK, he changed the world by just his voice and by protesting about what's right.”
The protest was one of several across North Texas in recent days, despite the state warning. On Friday about 100 students at the Dallas Environmental Science Academy, a middle school, walked to the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge nearly three miles away. Some parents walked along to make sure the students were safe and walked back to the school with them.
Priscilla Rice is KERA’s communities reporter. Got a tip? Email her at price@kera.org.
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