High schools throughout California stage walkouts over ICE

• By Chris Woodward | The Center Square contributor

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(The Center Square) - Hundreds of students at high schools throughout California held walkouts Friday over immigration raids and the law enforcement-involved deaths of two people in Minneapolis.

Schools said they prefer students to stay on campus, but staff were not standing in their way. Students successfully walked out from high schools in cities varying from Los Angeles and Riverside in Southern California to San Francisco and Sacramento up north. They headed to off-campus marches and protests.

"We support the rights of students to safely exercise their First Amendment rights," Brian Heap, chief communications officer for Sacramento Unified School District, told The Center Square Friday. “We don’t encourage students to leave campus, but we also don’t impede them from doing so.”

Heap added, “Students who participate will receive unexcused absences.”

Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation's second largest school district, sent messages to families before the walkouts. The district said while it supports the rights of students to advocate for causes that are important to them, LAUSD is concerned for their safety at off-campus demonstrations.

“The safest place for students is at school,” said LAUSD Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho.

Similar messages were posted on LAUSD’s social media.

“Schools are open and providing students with opportunities on campus for student expression, offering additional district resources and guidance for students to engage in meaningful, age-appropriate discussions in a safe and welcoming environment,” said Carvalho. “They are also allowed to participate in peaceful demonstrations on campus during non-instructional times, within parameters set by administrators.”

The Center Square reached out to Riverside Unified School District and the California Department of Education for comment, but did not receive a response.

LAUSD declined an interview because, a spokesperson said, “No one is available as they are focused on supporting students and ensuring student safety and wellbeing.”

The Trump administration stands by its actions to locate and remove people living in the U.S. illegally. The administration has also defended the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol officers in the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

Good died on Jan. 7; Pretti, Jan. 24.