Cobb Immigrant Alliance issues statement about discipline after school walkouts

The Cobb Immigrant Alliance issued the following statement, under the header “Support for High School Student Protestors Against Injustice”, in response to the Cobb and Marietta school districts’ disciplinary actions directed at students who participated in the recent high school walkouts:

National, state, and local civil and human rights organizations representing a broad cross section of the community, including parents and students, are concerned about the recent decisions by Marietta and Cobb County school administrators’ use of threats of suspension and other disciplinary measures against students who choose to peacefully protest the campaign of terror being carried out by ICE across the country  against students and their families.

Some of the reasons given by these school leaders for their attempts to suppress such protests include:

1) Protests during school days are disruptive. The irony of that reason is that the students are protesting the extreme disruption of their schools and lives caused by out-of-control federal ICE agents who invade their schools, homes, and neighborhoods targeting children, legal citizens,  and families based on their skin-color and alleged immigration status.

2) The school leaders are concerned about and responsible for the safety of their students. If this is the case, we challenge school leaders to work with students and organizations who are concerned about students’ personal safety and students’ emotional well-being to ensure they have a safe space to peacefully protest and be heard.   Use this time as a learning opportunity to engage in civics education and political science discussions referencing the importance of free speech when it’s applicable and when it may pose threats or dangers as it relates to our country’s history and development.

3) School leaders have voiced concern that the protests are politically motivated by outside agitators. This allegation is not new, but it does downplay the activism role young people have played throughout our country’s history. Students have moral compasses and most know about fairness as they have been engaged in sporting and related activities; students know about right and wrong as these are lessons most have learned in kindergarten and through religious or spiritual involvement.  The students understand bullying when they see it, and have been encouraged by educators and parents, throughout their upbringing, to stop and call out bullies. The ideas of policing with masks, arresting without warrants, bring back memories which make most adults uncomfortable. It should be no surprise to find these tactics make students anxious and uncomfortable.

4) Last but not least, School officials have voiced concern and feel the protests are against school policy. That may very well be true under current board policy,however, many archaic school board policies have been amended, changed, and abolished. All policies and processes require review on a regular basis based upon input from an informed and involved constituency. The schools’ constituency looks different and has different expectations today than it did five (5) years ago, i.e. pre-covid. In other words, change is the only constant; it is inevitable.

We therefore encourage students to use their voices to speak out against perceived injustices using every platform available to them. When the students have exhausted the available platforms, we challenge them to create more to make sure their voices will resound as loud as the rolling sea.