The Washoe County and Carson City School Districts are responding to reports of possible upcoming student walkouts in protest of ICE operations and shootings in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In a statement sent to 2 News Nevada, the WCSD said that any student deciding to participate in a walkout will be marked tardy or absent, depending on the length of time they are out of class.
These tardies or absences will *not be excused.
Any students participating must not disturb other students or classes or be disruptive, the school district said.
Unsafe actions or behaviors that risk the security of the school and fellow students will also not be tolerated, the district said.
"As a district, WCSD has always placed a high value on student voice and encouraged our students to express their thoughts, feelings, and opinions about local, national, and international issues. We strive to teach our students to respect others, value free speech, discuss controversial topics productively, and consider the ideas and viewpoints of others in a peaceful and constructive way," said the district in its statement.
"And while WCSD understands and respects the purpose of these events, its first priority is educating our students without disruption to instruction. In order for WCSD to carry out this mission, students must attend school," the district also said.
As for Carson City School District, this statement was sent to parents on Wednesday:
"Political protests involving students walking out of school are being observed throughout northern Nevada and on a national level across the country. The Carson City School District is aware of several student-initiated “walkouts” planned at Carson High in the coming days, including Jan. 29 and Feb. 2. Additionally, Friday, Jan. 30, is the national walkout day. These are not the first of their kind to be organized, and there will likely be others. These protests are not school-sanctioned activities, and the district’s top priority remains on the safety and supervision of students.
"We regularly coordinate with law enforcement to enhance security for events we have knowledge of, but we are unable to supervise activities that occur off school property. We invite parents to discuss with their students the risks involved with leaving campus and encourage them to stay at school. Our schools are places where students learn not only academics, but also civic engagement, respectful dialogue and the importance of peaceful expression. Finally, students who leave school during the school day are marked as an unexcused absence unless their parent or guardian excuses them."
2 News Nevada has been contacted by parents, staff, and students from other districts in the region, saying similar walkouts in those districts could also be possible.
