Hundreds of my Burlingame High School classmates walked out of class to protest ICE Jan. 30 then marched from Washington Park in Burlingame to Central Park in San Mateo. We were joined with students from San Mateo High School, Hillsdale High School, Aragon High School and Abbott Middle School.Â
In the days leading up to the walkout, it was a huge topic of conversation. I heard people asking one another if they would attend, asking teachers how they could make up tests and assignments and, in my journalism class, we were thoroughly planning coverage. I was honestly very skeptical all the students participating were going for the right reasons but, after attending, I was proven wrong in the best way possible.
On the day of the walkout, a few of my friends and I stayed in our AP U.S. history class to finish a test before we left. The class was a quarter of its usual size. When we finally left, we drove behind the marching students, and the experience was extremely powerful.Â
As we drove, we saw hundreds of our classmates holding homemade posters, many highlighting the great diversity of the community and student body. I could not have anticipated this turnout. The walkout extended block after block, and my friends and I kept pointing out all the people we knew who were participating. When we arrived at Central Park, and the other schools started to pour in, I was shocked. There were so many more people, including middle schoolers, and so much passion for activism. At some point, I walked into a circle with the organizer from Abbot Middle School, who was encouraging her classmates to be louder. Seeing students so young but conscious of the importance of advocacy was unexpected but inspiring.Â
I saw people ranging from elementary school age to senior citizens handing out water, snacks and voter registration forms. I heard fellow students explaining what signs meant to one another and standing on their friends’ shoulders to face all the cars flying by on El Camino Real. Many honked in support of the cause. I saw my friends interviewed on the news, speaking so eloquently on why they were walking out.Â
Obviously, seeing everyone together and organizing was part of what made the experience powerful. But what really took me by surprise was how much it made me feel like my generation has a voice in what happens in this country. Seeing that we could mobilize, make a difference and be heard gave me a lot of hope for the future. Before the walkout, I heard people say that while they supported the cause, they did not feel like organizing would really do anything. But it does mean something that all these people care, and being able to come together as a community meant something to me.Â
At a time when speaking out feels scary, I feel even more grateful that I attend school in a district where participating in this protest was an excused absence. I feel so grateful I attend a school where teachers encourage students to use their First Amendment rights, instead of trying to suppress them. This experience helped to show me that my voice matters, and I hope other students recognize the power of their voice even when it does not feel like it matters.Â
Josie Wettan is a junior at Burlingame High School. Student News appears in the weekend edition. You can email Student News at news@smdailyjournal.com.
Beautifully put, Ms. Wettan. So proud of you and your fellow students for standing up for kindness, liberty, and what used to be our American values. Pay no attention to the nuts and bots attacking you and your ideals. Although they love to pound their chests with MAGA talking points about "illegal immigrants" and trans athletes, they are in the minority. Their attacks are more desperate than ever, and the country is waking up and fighting back. Keep up your values, and keep up the fight for justice, freedom, and accountability. You are our future and you give me hope. As to the inevitable responses to my comments from the usual suspects here, know in advance that your vitriol amuses me.
Well Josie - you just followed the crowd that was instructed by the the dark web operators and communicated via TikTok. Tell me, what did you accomplish other than feeling good and thinking that you may have influenced those of us who nurture you. Josie, we many not always agree with the ICE tactics but what you fail mention is that the ICE organization has already neutralized and deported thousands of undesirables. If your yelling peers had come up with a better solution to remove these criminal illegals, I would have had more respect for your inconsequent, useless walk out.
It is sad that Ms. Wettan conveniently forgets to mention that ICE is doing the jobs we voted for, securing the border and enforcing law and order and instead presents the walk out as a tailgate-type party. Not much of a party for victims, some of who are no longer with us, of those who’ve crossed the border illegally. Where’s the march to honor them? Are kids easily manipulated or bullied into supporting criminals and terrorists over the American people – their classmates, neighbors and friends.
Sad, also, because this is another reason California rates in the bottom 10 states in terms of K-12 academic performance even though they’re among the top 20 states in school funding. Silly antics taking away from education. Let’s hope prospective college admissions officers or employers screen social media posts to determine whether these students are worthy of placement in their college or place of business. Students may never know why they weren’t accepted to their dream college or work at their dream job. Did this lark affect their chances? They may never know.
Hi Josie, though you feel your walkout experience was meaningful and you and your classmates did it for "the right reasons" there was nothing describing those reasons or exactly what you are protesting for. Did you talk to those students (I know at least one in your APUSH class) who did not walk out to hear their views? Or was it just memes, slogans and shouting? I would suggest you start with answering the following questions (which I posted on an another thread):
What (Democrat passed) immigration laws do you think we should or should not enforce? If ICE is abolished, what replaces it? Should we have open borders? Why is the US different from every other country that enforces its borders? Should anyone who gets into the country be allowed to take advantage of our welfare programs such as SNAP and Medicaid? (And if so how is this financially sustainable for the US?) Why was it OK for Obama to deport millions of illegal immigrants but not OK for Trump to deport far fewer? Should even those who come here illegally and commit other crimes be allowed to stay? Why was Tom Homan a hero under Obama and a "Nazi" now? If "No one is illegal on stolen land" (A sign seen at the protests), what have you done to give land back to the Ohlone people (or whoever they "stole" it from?)
Why would speaking out feel "scary" to you when the vast majority of those in your school and our county believe (or parrot) the same things? What's scary is being in the minority and speaking out for more conservative viewpoints (I myself have been cyber harassed for my views to the point of filing a police report, my son has been called "racist" for not wanting to defund the police or his views on DEI.)
As far as teachers and administrators encouraging free speech, this doesn't always go both ways. A few years ago at BHS some students organized a walkout to protest the continuing mask mandate (in 2022, long after we knew such mandates were useless.) Then Principal Belzer threatened the students with loss of prom and graduation, and they were treated differently at school after that.
In college, I hope you have the chance to get out of your bubble and expose yourself to different ideas and viewpoints.
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(4) comments
Beautifully put, Ms. Wettan. So proud of you and your fellow students for standing up for kindness, liberty, and what used to be our American values. Pay no attention to the nuts and bots attacking you and your ideals. Although they love to pound their chests with MAGA talking points about "illegal immigrants" and trans athletes, they are in the minority. Their attacks are more desperate than ever, and the country is waking up and fighting back. Keep up your values, and keep up the fight for justice, freedom, and accountability. You are our future and you give me hope. As to the inevitable responses to my comments from the usual suspects here, know in advance that your vitriol amuses me.
Well Josie - you just followed the crowd that was instructed by the the dark web operators and communicated via TikTok. Tell me, what did you accomplish other than feeling good and thinking that you may have influenced those of us who nurture you. Josie, we many not always agree with the ICE tactics but what you fail mention is that the ICE organization has already neutralized and deported thousands of undesirables. If your yelling peers had come up with a better solution to remove these criminal illegals, I would have had more respect for your inconsequent, useless walk out.
It is sad that Ms. Wettan conveniently forgets to mention that ICE is doing the jobs we voted for, securing the border and enforcing law and order and instead presents the walk out as a tailgate-type party. Not much of a party for victims, some of who are no longer with us, of those who’ve crossed the border illegally. Where’s the march to honor them? Are kids easily manipulated or bullied into supporting criminals and terrorists over the American people – their classmates, neighbors and friends.
Sad, also, because this is another reason California rates in the bottom 10 states in terms of K-12 academic performance even though they’re among the top 20 states in school funding. Silly antics taking away from education. Let’s hope prospective college admissions officers or employers screen social media posts to determine whether these students are worthy of placement in their college or place of business. Students may never know why they weren’t accepted to their dream college or work at their dream job. Did this lark affect their chances? They may never know.
Hi Josie, though you feel your walkout experience was meaningful and you and your classmates did it for "the right reasons" there was nothing describing those reasons or exactly what you are protesting for. Did you talk to those students (I know at least one in your APUSH class) who did not walk out to hear their views? Or was it just memes, slogans and shouting? I would suggest you start with answering the following questions (which I posted on an another thread):
What (Democrat passed) immigration laws do you think we should or should not enforce? If ICE is abolished, what replaces it? Should we have open borders? Why is the US different from every other country that enforces its borders? Should anyone who gets into the country be allowed to take advantage of our welfare programs such as SNAP and Medicaid? (And if so how is this financially sustainable for the US?) Why was it OK for Obama to deport millions of illegal immigrants but not OK for Trump to deport far fewer? Should even those who come here illegally and commit other crimes be allowed to stay? Why was Tom Homan a hero under Obama and a "Nazi" now? If "No one is illegal on stolen land" (A sign seen at the protests), what have you done to give land back to the Ohlone people (or whoever they "stole" it from?)
Why would speaking out feel "scary" to you when the vast majority of those in your school and our county believe (or parrot) the same things? What's scary is being in the minority and speaking out for more conservative viewpoints (I myself have been cyber harassed for my views to the point of filing a police report, my son has been called "racist" for not wanting to defund the police or his views on DEI.)
As far as teachers and administrators encouraging free speech, this doesn't always go both ways. A few years ago at BHS some students organized a walkout to protest the continuing mask mandate (in 2022, long after we knew such mandates were useless.) Then Principal Belzer threatened the students with loss of prom and graduation, and they were treated differently at school after that.
In college, I hope you have the chance to get out of your bubble and expose yourself to different ideas and viewpoints.
Welcome to the discussion.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
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