DAVIS, Calif. — Davis Senior High School students joined with other community members Jan. 30 in a coordinated walkout and protest against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, gathering at Central Park as part of a broader, nationwide shutdown.
The action began after students learned about the countrywide shutdown planned for Friday. A group of students, including Leela Davis, decided to do more than simply skip school.
Davis recognized that many high school students planned to miss class on Friday, but not with a clear purpose, and she decided to give students a way to actively support the shutdown.
Beginning Wednesday, Jan. 27, Davis and her friends circulated around campus telling students about their plan to hold an anti-ICE protest on Friday.
Shortly after, she began posting details on Instagram, which were widely reposted. She mapped out the route and prepared snacks and signs for participants.
Around 2 p.m., students left campus and headed to Central Park. Some students biked, some walked and others drove. Theodore Thayer, a junior at DHS, attended the protest and estimated that “one third of all the students that go to the high school and Da Vinci High” were present.
By 2:30 p.m., a large crowd had formed, including some college students and adults. DHS staff members were also present to help ensure student safety.
“District and site administrators were strategically positioned near students as they exited campus and as they walked toward the protest site at Central Park,” DHS Principal Dr. Bryce Geigle said.
Geigle attended the protest to monitor student safety. “Preserving student safety is always our highest priority,” Geigle said. “We also ensure that district policies and state law are followed so that students can express themselves in a way that is safe, respectful, and appropriate within a school context.”
Because the protest occurred during school hours, administrators remained responsible for student supervision. “Once we became aware of a potential student walkout related to immigration enforcement issues, administrators engaged in planning focused on safety, supervision, and clarity,” Geigle said.
Geigle said one takeaway from the protest was how “inspiring” it was to see students “exercising their civic voice with purpose and conviction.” He also noted that “California Senate Bill 955 reflects that value by allowing middle and high school students one excused absence per school year to participate in a civic or political event, provided the school is notified in advance.”
Thayer said he learned about the protest through classmates, adding that it “became very popular throughout Friday.” “I think it shows widespread support for the anti-ICE movement, and that it’s not really affecting just the adults in America, but it’s also affecting the youth,” Thayer said.
Mila Dera, also a junior at DHS, participated and said she was among the first students involved in organizing the protest. “I knew a lot of people were going to come because of how many people were posting, but I never would have imagined that this many people would have shown up. It’s incredible,” Dera said.
Dera credited Leela Davis for organizing the event. “I’m very, very proud of Leela and everybody who showed up today. She ensured we understand we have the right to protest,” Dera said.
During the demonstration, students chanted slogans such as, “We may be young, but this we know, ICE and King have got to go,” while marching around Central Park for about 30 minutes.
Afterward, the group walked to Community Park, where the protest concluded around 3:30 p.m. The event remained peaceful and orderly, with students using the walkout as a way to engage in civic action rather than simply leaving school for the day.
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all photos by Harlow Hamilton
