Culver High Students Stage Walkout Protesting Trump Policies
Students organized a walkout Thursday along with other schools in the area to protest Trump's stance on immigration, deportation, and other issues.
Students carried signs as they paraded from Culver City High School to Veterans Memorial Park to Culver City's City Hall last Thursday to demonstrate their distaste for the federal government's direction. The signs commented on Trump's stance on gender, immigration, and other controversial policies.
A large crowd of students walked out of the High School following Thursday's lunch period, parading to Veterans Memorial Park and City Hall in Downtown Culver City as a group. One of the organizers of the walkouts, a Culver City High School senior, told Culver Crescent that this walkout was carried out in conjunction with Santa Monica High School, Venice High School, and others and that "this is a movement, not a moment."
Several speakers rallied the crowd at Veterans Memorial Park and in front of the Culver Current art fixture at City Hall. According to a memo sent to parents dated February 4, the original plan was to march to Veterans Park, but students decided to extend the demonstration.
The theme of the protest was empathy for neighbors, with signs and speakers professing the importance of education and solidarity and many criticizing the villainization of undocumented immigrants. While not in attendance Thursday, School Board President Triston Ezidore told Culver Crescent that Culver City Unified School District is "committed to being [a sanctuary] space, ensuring that students feel protected, supported, and valued."
While taking the backseat to Trump's stance on gender and immigrants, his views on the ongoing controversy and conflict in Gaza were criticized by students who walked out Thursday.
Chants of "Free Palestine," accompanied by "F*** Trump" and "Education, not Deportation," rang through the air as students made their displeasure with many of Trump's political stances known. While car honks responding to signs rang through the air Thursday, an older gentleman was confronted by school staff following attempted verbal confrontations with protesting students, a sign of the hidden dissent in the community.
An email obtained by Culver Crescent sent to the CCUSD School Board following the walkout accused the district of allowing "explicitly Anti-Semitic rhetoric to be promoted at a school-sanctioned event." Additionally, the email critiqued CCUSD Board of Education Vice President Stephanie Loredo for attending the event and sharing videos of the walkout on social media. Loredo and Board Member Brian Guerrero were among the staff in attendance, ensuring students traveled safely to each location during the walkout.
As of 4:30 p.m. Monday, Loredo has not responded to a request for comment.
Ezidore also expressed support for the students and their right to "courageously protest" and said he empathizes "with those who may feel uncertain or fearful in these challenging times as life-threatening policies come from the White House." He is hosting his own rally tomorrow at 4 p.m. in response to Trump's reduction of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies.
After reaching City Hall, the students gathered in front of the Culver Current art piece, where they remained until leaving for home or after-school programs. In compliance with SB 995 enacted on September 30, 2022, students whose parents notified the attendance office that their child would be participating in the protest received excused absences for the periods they missed while participating.
See more photos from the walkout on Instagram!
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