As a public relations/journalism major I am all for freedom of speech. At the same time, I am appalled by the actions taken by Des Moines School administration Wednesday morning.
Apparently, students planned a protest over social media to happen during the school day on the Wednesday after the election results were announced. The principals of a handful of Des Moines schools allowed students to be excused for 15 – 45 minutes during the school day to protest the results of the political election. At around 10:30 a.m. hundreds walked out of class shouting things like “Let’s Dump Donald Trump” and “F--- Donald Trump.”
At least 20 students walked out of Valley High School in West Des Moines and were chanting in the streets. All students who participated in the protests are receiving zero punishment for walking out of class.
I’m sorry, but we go to school to learn. My younger sister will get in trouble for wearing a tank top to school because it is distracting, but having students walk out of class to go scream obscenities about politics is fine?
A peaceful protest can be a great thing, but I don’t understand why it had to take place during the school day. Why wouldn’t the school administration make the protesters wait until after school? I really don’t understand how a principal of a school can condone students walking out of class.
According to the Des Moines Register, Des Moines Public Schools spokesman Phil Roeder said, “The school district will not stand in the way of our students peacefully expressing their concerns.”
Okay, so does that mean every time a student has a problem with something they can walk out of class? Absolutely not. Why is this any different? Maybe because the principals and other school administration were unhappy with the election outcome and had their own agenda by allowing the students to protest.
Roeder was also quoted as saying, “The rhetoric of this past election has caused many concerns and divisions.”
Great, so let’s divide the students up even more by separating them into two groups — students who hate Trump can protest during the school day, and students who support Trump can stay in the school building to do homework.
As a college student, I have seen many people shamed for being a Trump supporter. High school is a closer knit group of kids who are more prone to bullying and peer pressure. Encouraging high school students to be divided over the issues isn’t going to solve anything. It is only going to spread hateful words, thoughts and actions throughout the schools.
If students want to protest peacefully, let them protest. But keep it out of schools.
Children, teenagers and young adults are so easily influenced by what they see on social media and what they hear from their parents. Donald Trump, Barack Obama and even Hillary Clinton all spoke about unity. Parents and college students need to stop spreading hateful messages, whether for or against Trump, so we can start working toward being a unified nation. The hurtful actions of adults is spreading into our youth, and that is not something to be proud of.
