SOUTH BURLINGTON—Holding placards and shouting slogans, scores of South Burlington High School students formed a line along Dorset Street during an organized walkout Friday afternoon to protest actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement across the nation.
“A lot of my aunts and uncles have immigrated from Chile and Peru,” said Clay Harris, 14, who discussed the anxiety and fears immigrant families are facing during what students said they see as the Trump administration’s continued violence towards people of color.
“I’m out here because I think it is unjust and unconstitutional,” said the Grade 8 student as he headed back into the building after an hour-long protest.
The walkout was a coordinated effort among the student justice groups of some Chittenden County area schools, including in South Burlington and Essex Junction.
Kamaria Morris, 18, co-leader of the high school’s Student Justice Union that organized the walkout, said students planned it in support of families in the community who are being directly impacted by the recent surge in ICE activity.
“We’ve just been seeing how ICE has been negatively impacting our community, especially families of people at our school, and it’s just really saddening,” said Morris, who discussed the recent federal detainment of a Somali taxi driver whose children go to school in South Burlington. “We want to say we’re here to support these families, and we don’t stand for this.”
Superintendent Joe Clark and other district leaders recently acknowledged the harm Hussien Noor Hussien’s detainment caused the community in a statement and reiterated that the district schools “are places of safety, care, and belonging for all students and families, regardless of immigration status.”
After the majority of students went back into the school building at 2 p.m., a smaller group of about a dozen students continued to protest at the entrance of the high school on Dorset Street.
They waved “Fuck ICE” and “Better crushed and melted” signs from the snow trodden sidewalk.
No one is illegal on stolen land, said Melon Goodell, 18, who said she has friends from Mexico who are too scared to go outside.
Everyone in America came from somewhere else, and all of a sudden that’s an issue, said Liam Kelley, 17, who made many of the cardboard signs he and his friends were holding.
“They are literally deporting people because of their skin color, and that’s insane,” he said, pausing to scream at a passing Tesla Cybertruck.
Dagny McKnight, 13, whose mother and aunt are from Canada, said the protest felt hopeful and inspirational.
“There’s so much hate in the world right now, and anything we can do makes a difference,” McKnight said.
“As a teacher, I’m really heartened to see the community response,” said Lars Gold, a science teacher who stood nearby. “Schools are places of acceptance … and they recognize that value should not cease to exist beyond the four walls of the school.”
About 3 p.m. in Essex Junction, a handful of middle school students waited in Five Corners with their teachers to join a larger protest planned.
Andre Redmond, 14, said he participated to “speak out against” acts of violence committed by ICE across the country and because he wants people treated “humanely and with dignity.”
A long line of students from Essex High School soon marched down Lincoln Street, chanting “ICE out” and “say their names” while waving signs.
When they reached the busy intersection, students formed groups around it, while some gathered for brief speeches at the snow-covered park outside the Firebird Cafe.
“No one should live in fear,” read Siham Ali, 16, into a megaphone. “No one should be targeted for where they were born or for speaking up. Every family deserves safety, dignity and the right to stay together.”
Kanchan Pradhan, one of the student organizers of the Essex High School walkout, addressed the crowd and introduced other speakers.
“I like my ICE crushed,” “Hot girls melt ICE,” “ICE = too stupid for a cop, too lazy for a soldier,” read some of the hand-drawn posters.
“This is an incredibly challenging time in our country,” wrote Essex Westford School District Superintendent Mark Holodick, who in a note earlier in the day had alerted families to the student-organized event. “We remain committed to keeping students safe while also respecting their engagement in the democratic process.”
At 3:30 p.m. in Essex Junction, scores of students continued to cheer, shout and protest.
“It takes courage to stand here today,” Ali said. “It takes power to raise our voice when others want to silence you. They may see you as just students, but students have always led change. Our voices are especially strong when we use them together.”
Correction: A previous version on this story misstated the name of the Firebird Cafe.
