Student Protests Of Teacher Layoffs And Limited Rights Yield Harsh Punishments

More protests against school budget cuts and limitations on teachers' rights are taking place across the country -- except at these rallies, attendants have backpacks and braces.

High school students nationwide are standing up for their teachers by protesting or walking out of class. And some schools are threatening hardcore punishments.

After teachers in Katy, Texas were pulled out of class last week to be told they'd been laid off, students decided to protest. They took to the streets with signs that read "Save our Teachers" and "Honk for Teachers," KUOH reports.

WATCH:

Morton Ranch High School in Katy was put on lockdown on the second day of protests Friday morning. The students who were protesting were told to either return to class or leave the campus entirely, according to the Houston Chronicle.

"They're just the greatest teachers, and they're just getting fired. And it's not right. It's not right," one Morton Ranch student said.

Katy District spokesman Steve Sanford said the school took precautions after things got chaotic.

"Basically the situation got out of hand," Stanford said. "In order to keep order, the kids were kept inside."

District officials originally said they wouldn't punish students for walking out, calling it a "learning process," according to KHOU. But starting Monday, administrators attempted to put a halt to protests by telling students they'd receive tickets for school disruption if the walkouts continued.

And it's not just happening in Texas. In Aurora, Colo., 100 students staged a walkout earlier this month to protest layoffs.

One mother who supports her daughter walking out of class told the Denver Channel that a school clerk said to her:

"Ma'am, your daughter loses her civil liberties when (she) walks into Hinkley High School."

Aurora school officials had originally told students they could be suspended and barred from prom for participating in demonstrations, but then they retracted the statement after learning teachers may have urged the kids to demonstrate. But students were still upset.

"We shouldn't be treated wrong for what we think is right," said junior Mayra Miramontes.

In Wisconsin, LaCrosse schools planned a walkout over union rights last month at three high schools. But the protest didn't pan out after school officials told students they could receive detention or be banned from activities, the LaCrosse Tribune reports.

While he realized "the kids are just trying to show support," Principal Tom Barth said the school already had tolerated one walkout, according to the Tribune.

LaCrosse students chose to cheer teachers after school as they left instead.

Comments

[Justin Teague]

11:57 PM on 04/24/2011

For those who keep saying the students should protest after school, I think you're missing the entire point of a protest. It has to be as inconvenient and hard to ignore as possible to the intended audience. It's the American way.

[Angie Sullivan]

11:14 PM on 04/24/2011

Democracy is a scary scary thing for the unfair to watch. I would venture that the students will learn more by participating in a rally about how to speak up than they could an entire year in a government class - reading about one in a book.

I'm sure there are some that want to punish them - those that don't believe they have the right to speak up. Probably the same people who are cutting the funds to their quality education. It's much easier to kill schools if no one protests.

[KJLSanDiego]

03:32 PM on 04/24/2011

Of all things to get kids in trouble over, you'd think being active citizens wouldn't be one of them.
Of course, they could do it after school.

[George McCasland]

03:24 PM on 04/24/2011

It is the job of the parents to do this, not for the students to ditch class. If they want to protest, do it before or after school. The District office is open long after the student get out of class for the day, so do it then instead of disrupting the school day. Not all of these ones ditch class are doing it for protesting. They also do it to get out of class. Another day they can protest is the days they get off for teacher in school training. Also, how many of them have written editorial letters on this?

[Jasmine Peterson]

05:31 PM on 04/23/2011

We did this at my high school a few years back. The district couldn't get the tax increase it desperately needed for funding and it was coming to layoffs and canceling all extracurriculars (unless 100% self-funded). We walked out and after about 10 minutes the Principal was on a megaphone telling us we'd all be suspended. We (the high schoolers) left anyway, later found out that only about 30 of 2000 students stayed and because we all went through with it they couldn't punish us all. We followed up with other stunts and rallies. The district ended up getting its funding (well most of it, the state screwed us out of money we were promised). We all learned a lot because of this and I mean all of us did: the students, teachers, administrators, parents, and the community in general. These students doing the same now shouldn't be punished, more of them need to speak up and they need to stick together. I wish them luck!

[TartuffeSlayer]

01:32 PM on 04/23/2011

This is exactly the direction our educational system wants. Stifle all creativity and involvement and pass standardized tests. This is one reason why we have become the world joke in education. Good luck America.

[El Chingaso]

01:31 PM on 04/21/2011

Don't punish students for exercising their rights to assemble and participate in free speech. A little time outside of the stale and reasonably ineffective public education classroom won't hurt them one iota. In fact, a little sun and some outdoor exercise is a good thing.

Officials need to stop resorting to the "P" word -- "punishment." No crime is being committed here. It's America, and "dissension is truly the essence of democracy." Ben Franklin (we all remember who he was, right?) once declared, "It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority." These students are doing a good thing -- it's called liberty.

[George McCasland]

03:27 PM on 04/24/2011

They are not exercising their rights, they are ditching classes. They can protest after school lets out.

[Andman0121]

12:59 PM on 05/08/2011

When it's more convenient for everyone, right? Do you understand the point of protesting is to do it when it can get the most attention and is INconvenient to those protesting against? Lord.

[fredvh]

12:11 PM on 04/21/2011

I do applaud the kids for using their 1st amendment right.
but the courts have ruled against students in many aspects of civil liberties in the past.
their lockers can be searched at any time, their newspapers can be edited by teachers and the admins.
i truly hope these civic minded students won't be targeted for the rest of their educational careers.

[George McCasland]

03:29 PM on 04/24/2011

They are not using their 1st amendment right, they are ditching classes. They can protest after the school day. The district office is open for a few more hours beyond that. And, what about the student who do not wish to cut classes?

[fredvh]

05:51 PM on 04/24/2011

so it's illegal for kids to cut classes?
in my state, there isn't mandatory classes above the 8th grade.

[veteran teacher]

06:46 PM on 04/20/2011

Thank you, kids! Now just organize a weekend protest in front of your school board and invite the media. Write intelligent speeches and paint signs. Contact your congressmen. Work around the rules and gain a civics lesson. Good luck!

[Taz2212]

03:14 PM on 04/20/2011

When the babes smell the rot...it is time to change the diaper! I hope this generation doesn't get bought off by mindless greed and realize the world is a place for interconnectedness and is not just for the pleasure of the elite.

[CapriRS302]

04:18 PM on 04/22/2011

says who?

[himaui]

02:21 PM on 04/20/2011

so proud of our youth! they are our futures and deserve every bit of a great, quality education as we all did. has there been any time in our lifetimes where students were protesting nationwide? these kids have fire and passion in their belly adn will be full-fledged voters - some now, but all high school kids within 3-4 years will be voting - and they won't forget.

someone paid for our public education, our parent's education, and our grandparent's education. public education was never questioned, it was a given. america's excellence in education was a given and what the world envied and strived for. education makes us a world leader, not celebrity praise or stardom.

right now there are countries nipping at our heels and passing us up, china and south korea are pouring massive funds into education because they know the payoff. we are slowly slipping away, and its something that will take decades to recoup.

union what?

[CapriRS302]

04:20 PM on 04/22/2011

And someday, these kids will all grow up, get jobs, learn real world lessons, find out how wrong their liberal childhood views were and become good little conservatives.

[himaui]

07:05 PM on 04/22/2011

where are those jobs, btw?

they are learning real world lessons about conservative issues right now and clearly they do not like it one bit.

[Godheard SentU]

11:32 PM on 04/19/2011

You can stop the protest. I think it's over?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/randi-weingarten/the-taxing-issue-of-share_b_849906.html#comments

The students in Texas and Colorado are brave!
What do these States have in common?
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming.

In these 20 states a student can be paddled in school for being late to class, acting out, going to the bathroom without permission, or even failing a test. Any reason, from Kindergarten-12!
An average of 100 – 150 students per day will seek Emergency Medical Treatment because a teacher used to much force!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/09/marc-ecko-corporal-punishment_n_833623.html
http://unlimitedjustice.com Watch the video! (no violence, just parents and children pleading for help.)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/01/alye-pollacks-bullying-video_n_843649.html
http://www.bullyonline.org/schoolbully/

There's a direct relationship from poor performance, violence, drug addiction, self mutilation, suicide and school shootings to Corporal Punishment and Bullying. They are in an environment that doesn't protect them from violence! (pain)

Good teachers never terrorize their students. To terrorize is to attack, and this results in rejection of what the teacher offers. The result is learning failure.

[FearlessFreep]

11:08 PM on 04/19/2011

"Ma'am, your daughter loses her civil liberties when (she) walks into Hinkley High School."

A "learning process" indeed!

[Auldskul]

10:19 PM on 04/19/2011

Bullies are remembered forever regressives....children may grow into adults but they will still never forget their teachers............ and children become voters.

[pjbyrd63]

09:26 PM on 04/19/2011

How many of us had a teacher in high school who inspired to graduate or even pass to the next grade. What if one of those fired teachers was that special teacher for these students? Hopefully, when the new school year begins, these teachers will be rehired.

I also agree with the comment that while these students are on school property, the school is responsible for them and if they want to protest, it should be after school hours.