Students stage protest: Hundreds walk off San Mateo campuses to promote unity and acceptance

Sell was one of a few hundred students from San Mateo’s three high schools who walked off campus Tuesday, Nov. 15, protesting Donald Trump winning the presidential election.

Though most of the sentiment from the long line of speakers who took turns sharing the microphone was fueled by opposition of the rhetoric expressed by the president-elect while on the campaign trail, protesters largely remained peaceful and respectful.

The tenor of the afternoon was apart from the violence that took place on the campus of Woodside High School in the immediate wake of the election, when a student attacked another classmate believed to be a Trump supporter.

The incident, captured in a cellphone video, has spread across local news outlets and social media as an example of the divisiveness that has plagued election season.

Following the fight, school officials and students held a rally to promote inclusiveness and a willingness to accept different perspectives. Woodside Principal Diane Burbank, in a prepared statement, said she hopes a spirit of cooperation will persevere at the school.

“Last Thursday, I communicated to [Woodside High School] students that I had a challenge for them: ‘pause, practice your big words, your academic vocabulary and consider different points of view. [Woodside High School] is a microcosm of differences, but we’re also a community; we can come together. My expectation is that you recognize and practice that with your classmates.’ That remains my expectation,” she said.

Roughly 40 students staged a walkout Monday, Nov. 14, from Woodside High School, according to Burbank, and others from Menlo-Atherton High School left their campuses as well.

“Students had the opportunity to express their thoughts regarding the election and their support for one another in a respectful manner,” said James Lianides, superintendent of the Sequoia Union High School District in an email. “At Woodside and [Menlo-Atherton], a large group of students marched off of each campus and walked down streets in a peaceful manner followed by school campus aides and administrators to ensure safety of students and community members.”

Some Menlo-Atherton High School students blocked traffic in Menlo Park and Palo Alto during their protest, but no such disturbances were caused during the San Mateo event, according to the San Mateo Police Department.

Rather than disrupt, many students who walked from San Mateo, Aragon and Hillsdale high schools said they preferred to focus on the value of all communities being accepted.

Oscar Carlos, a senior at Aragon High School, said the positive message was a necessary response to the factious statements expressed by Trump on his way to defeating Hillary Clinton in the presidential election last week.

“Trump was elected. We can’t fight that. But we need to unite as opposed to fight,” he said.

Taiye Martin, a middle college student at College of San Mateo, said he appreciated the peaceful nature of the rally but felt it was important to participate and show local students did not support the outcome of an election in which many high schoolers were too young to vote.

“A demonstration like this shows that we won’t take this lying down,” he said.

Students who participated in the demonstration faced receiving an unexcused absence for missing any afternoon classes.

“They made a decision to do something independently,” said Liz McManus, assistant superintendent of the San Mateo Union High School District. “It is their choice, but we are not supporting it.”

Marc Friedman, a member of the district Board of Trustees who attended the event, took a different approach.

“I came to support the students and their message,” he said. “I sympathize with their fears, which are substantiated by the president-elect’s comments on Sunday.”

In his first full interview following the election, Trump told a CBS reporter on “60 Minutes” he wanted to deport criminal immigrants, and Friedman expressed appreciation such a perspective was met with diplomacy by local students.

“I think their message is very positive,” he said. “They are talking about unity, love and getting rid of hate.”

Rainbow flags supporting the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community dotted the crowd, while other students wore clothing expressing advocating for the Black Lives Matter movement and chants of “people united! We will not be divided,” interspersed the protest.

Watching the crowd respectfully share their concerns regarding the forthcoming Trump presidency, Sell said the peaceful protest was heartening.

“We are showing the students of this community, particularly minority students, that they are accepted and loved,” he said. “This makes me so optimistic for the future of our country.”

austin@smdailyjournal.com

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