A group of over 300 woke Virginia students were handed suspensions after they staged a student-led anti-ICE walkout that ultimately spilled off campus grounds and resulted in police being called in to deal with the situation. Prince William County Public Schools spoke with the press and confirmed a total of 303 students were handed suspensions for their participation in the protest.
Woodbridge High School Principal Heather Abney stated that the student-led walkout was simply students’ way to “express their views on an issue that is important to them.” Abney crafted a letter sent to parents explaining that while walkouts are considered to be a form of expression, many of those who participated seemingly treated the event as a means of getting out of school for the day and bolted from campus. Some went home while a group of others were seen heading to a nearby shopping center. Others decided to go back to the campus, where there were a few disturbances.
School officials called the Prince William County Police Department to help manage the overflow of traffic and provide additional supervision to ensure the remaining students who hadn’t already slipped away stayed on campus. Abney then expressed her thanks to parents and others for helping to ensure the safety of student participants. “We appreciate your partnership as we continue to prioritize student safety while maintaining clear expectations for appropriate conduct during the school day,” Abney said in the letter.
According to a report from Fox News, after the students were handed their suspensions, an account on Instagram known as @pwcs_iceout, which is an abbreviation for Prince William County Schools ICE OUT, was created by students to promote a second walkout to be held the following day. “It’s time to take a stand and we are grateful to have the opportunity to exercise our constitutional rights,” organizers said in a post published on the account.
“As the walkout happening on Friday, February 20th will be countywide, it’s important to understand every campus has slightly different layouts and procedures, please stay alert for detailed instructions from us and your local student organizers regarding specific meetup spots. Rest assured that all school administrations have been informed of our plans, so participating will not get you in trouble,” it added.
A commenter burst that bubble pretty quickly by clarifying that the school’s administrators had not approved, nor endorsed the protest. The account also encouraged students to bring posters, flags, and speakers to the event. They also warned those who wanted to participate not to “fight, throw things, or cause conflict.”
“Peaceful protests are much more powerful as they show that your voice matters, that you stand together, and that the message is about the issue, not conflict,” they wrote in a separate post. “Staying calm and focused allows everyone to be heard safely and makes a bigger impact in the long run.” Makhi L. Phillips, a senior at the school and PWCS Student Senator representing the organization Unity Reed Students Against Fascism, said that the organizers were disappointed to hear some of the student body left campus.
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