Hundreds of Canyon High School students walked out of campus in a demonstration to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Tuesday morning.
Students held posters with messages and multicolored flags representing Latin America, as they walked from the campus on Nadal Street to the intersection of Soledad Canyon Road and Whites Canyon Road following their exit from school.
A William S. Hart Union High School District spokeswoman said the protest was entirely student-organized.
“Today, a group of Canyon High School students participated in a demonstration to express their views on current national events. Although we encourage student expression, schools do not organize, promote, or endorse student-led protests. Staff works with students to maintain a safe, orderly environment for participants and non-participants,” wrote Debbie Dunn, director of communication and community engagement for the Hart district, in an email to The Signal. “This includes identifying a safe space on campus during non-instructional time for students to share their opinions. Students are reminded of behavioral expectations, including staying on campus.”
The demonstration was not a school-sanctioned event, and students who chose to leave campus without permission were considered truant, Dunn added in the email. She also stated that school staff remained on campus to supervise the majority of students who chose not to walk off campus.
According to students who participated in the walkout, it wasn’t organized by campus clubs or organizations and instead spread through word of mouth and social media.
But the walkout wasn’t just to protest against ICE and recent immigration enforcement. It was also aimed at showing solidarity for the members of the students’ community.
The goal for the couple hundred students who participated in the walkout was to gain visibility in an area of Canyon Country and let their presence be known, said Canyon High sophomore Alfredo Reveles. The exact number of students who participated was not immediately known as of the publication of this story, according to Dunn.
Before the students gathered at the intersection to wave their posters and flags, local resident Celia Gongora walked out of her home to cheer them on.
The Santa Clarita Valley resident of 30 years was in full support of the walkout because “they came here for a future,” she said emotionally as she took in the sight of the crowd walking past her.“Their parents work very hard, they do the gardening, the cooking in the kitchens … on this side of town, this is who we are.”
Gongora came to the United States at just 5 years old from Mexico, she said, all thanks to her mother. Now in her 60s, she and her siblings are all professionals.
“Some of us work at Disney, some of us work as police officers, detectives. This is the opportunity that this country gives us, and we all should be able to work and better our lives,” she said.
“This is our future,” she said. “We can educate these kids that we can do better and bring this country together than having us separated.”
Among the students who walked out was Dayanna Becerra, a junior at Canyon High. She chose to participate in the walkout to show support toward her family and others who have been impacted by recent immigration enforcement.
“America is nothing without immigrants. A lot of people came here to find new opportunities,” she said before taking a pause to gather her emotions.
She acknowledged that people may not agree with the students who walked out of school on Tuesday, but she hoped that people would “think twice before you judge people coming from another country, they come for opportunities and help the country grow.”
Canyon High senior Sophia Velasquez was pushing a grocery cart that carried a large speaker blaring Spanish music. On occasion she broke out in a dance with other students.
“I’m proud of my country and I’m proud of my people and everything that they came for,” she said. “We want to speak up for them, because they don’t have a voice. We’re here today to show them that we can speak up for them.”
She noted that with the immigration enforcement increase, “A lot of people don’t realize that it could be your everyday neighbors who get picked off the street,” she said, adding that there’s been an increase in fear among students, parents, and other community members.
“It’s not a joke. People make fun of us and say we’re doing this just to get out of class, but we’re not,” Velasquez said.
As Spanish-language music filled the air, students embraced their flags as they cheered. “It’s not just culture, but identity,” said Daniela Amador, a Canyon senior, as to why many students held other countries’ fabrics instead of the United States flag.
“Being Latino has a lot to do with where your identity comes from. I think it’s good that we have actual students here fighting for what we think is right,” added Reveles.
Amador, a member of the human rights club on campus, heard about the walkout and took the initiative to educate students on safety and effective protest practices, she said.
“I like how people are supporting, but I also do feel like people need to make sure that we stick to peaceful protesting and not escalating it. That’s how we make the biggest impact,” Amador said.
Many other students echoed the same remarks and the importance of raising awareness.
“I see my friends being worried, their parents not being able to go to work, and I want to fight for them and be able to do them justice,” said Canyon senior Jordan Lopez. “It worries me. I grew up with them. They’re the people who I care about.”
“Just because something doesn’t directly impact you doesn’t mean you shouldn’t care. Because at the end of the day, everything ties, everything connects,” Amador said.
And although students noted they may be too young to make civic change, they described the walkout as empowering.
“It feels freeing that I’m finally able to express what I’m thinking,” Lopez said. “And hopefully make some type of impact in my community.”
