Students across Colorado are organizing a walkout Friday in protest of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence in their schools.
A student-led group known as the Colorado Youth Coalition, along with 50501 Colorado, is encouraging Colorado students to add their school to a growing list of participants. An Instagram post on Wednesday indicated that over 180 schools intend to participate.
“Students across Colorado are standing together and walking out to demand that our communities are treated with dignity, safety, and respect,” the post’s caption read. “This isn’t just one school. It’s students from across the state coming together and saying ENOUGH.”
The walkouts will take place at noon, with Denver students gathering at La Alma-Lincoln Park for an organized rally.
High schools in El Paso County listed as participants include Harrison District 2, Academy District 20, Colorado Springs District 11, School District 49, Cheyenne Mountain District 12, Widefield District 3 and Manitou Springs District 14.
“None of the schools in D11 authorize, sanction or support this type of student action,” District 11 Superintendent Michael Gaal said. “Outside agencies drive these walkouts. They use students for their own causes and it only further decays the efforts of all school districts to educate children to the state learning standards. ”
Although some of their schools are listed, no classes will be held in D-49 and D-8 on Friday. D-20 will have a two-hour late start for the district’s professional learning committees.
On Jan. 29, over 100 Palmer High School students walked and marched to Colorado Springs City Hall to show support for Alex Pretti, who was shot and killed in Minneapolis by federal immigration enforcement officers on Jan. 24.
The following day, multiple Denver-area school districts changed their schedules or closed school for the day in response to a student and teacher walkout against ICE.
The following El Paso County high schools were named as participants in an Instagram post:
Banning Lewis Preparatory Academy
Cheyenne Mountain High School
Doherty High School
Falcon High School
Fountain-Fort Carson High School
Manitou Springs High School
Mesa Ridge High School
Palmer High School
Pikes Peak Early College
Pine Creek High School
Rampart High School
Sand Creek High School
Sierra High School
Widefield High School