Students statewide plan walkout to protest police brutality

The numerous posters created by students proclaim they will walk out to protest police brutality, social injustice, systemic racism, white supremacy, and "the militarization of our state."

Anoka High School/Facebook

High school students around the state are planning to walk out of their classrooms Monday to protest police brutality following the killing of Daunte Wright, a man fatally shot by Brooklyn Center police last weekend.

The walkout is led by an organization called Minnesota Teen Activists, a nonprofit group.

At least 50 high schools and middle schools will be participating, according to Minnesota Teen Activists’ Instagram page.

The numerous posters created by students say they will walk out to protest police brutality, social injustice, systemic racism, white supremacy, and even “the militarization of our state.”

Anoka High School walkout promo

Anoka High School students say they will be rallying “in honor of Daunte Wright and other black lives lost to police brutality.”

“Please keep in mind this is a hard time for everyone and to be kind and attentive,” Anoka’s promotion of the walkout reads, under a large proclamation that “Black Lives Matter.”

Coon Rapids High School students are joining the walkout, saying they are participating to “fight against injustice and inequality.”

Centennial High School activists are asking for students to speak at their rally, but “only POC” students.

The private Catholic school Benilde-St. Margaret’s will join the walkout to “stand up against racial injustice.”

Andover High School’s walkout poster says in bold letters that “white silence is violence.”

Park Center’s promo of the walkout claims they will be rallying in honor of “all innocent lives lost due to police.”

Park Center High School’s walkout promo

Most schools’ promos of their walkouts ask that students participating dress in all black, wear masks, and social distance.

Many schools will have a “moment of silence” at some point throughout the walkout. Coon Rapids will do this at 1:47 p.m., according to the students’ ad, which calls for “#JusticeforDaunte.”

Some students claim they will walk out to protest their school’s response to racism and discrimination against those who are LGBTQ, BIPOC, female, or “neurodivergent,” according to a Becker High School advertisement of the walkout.

It says these students are “subjected to harassment and cruelty,” met by cowardice from school leaders. Becker students are “demanding” that the school address these issues so “no student ever has to experience this level of hatred again.”

Left: Coon Rapids High School walkout promo Right: Becker High School walkout promo

Even some preschool children will be involved in the statewide walkout. Farnsworth Aerospace’s pre-K-4 campus in St. Paul is planning “a voluntary peace and justice walk around the building on school grounds” on Monday.

“We strive to provide students a safe place to express their opinions and talk through their feelings without fear or judgment,” reads an email from the principal of Farnsworth Aerospace PreK-4, a copy of which was obtained by Alpha News.

Early last week, White Bear Lake students held a walkout to protest racism at their school seen in threats sent to black students via Instagram. The threats turned out to be a “hoax,” according to an FBI investigation, and were sent by a student who wanted to “raise awareness of social and racial injustice due to past incidents that occurred at school.”

Some of these students just recently began attending school in person again, only to leave their classrooms in the middle of the day Monday.

According to the ACLU, students who walk out and miss class could be disciplined by their schools.

 

Rose Williams

Rose Williams is an assistant editor for Alpha News.