Students across the country are participating in demonstrations protesting ICE, and the Tri-State is no exception as hundreds of Evansville students walk out of class to march across the city.
“We heard ICE was coming to Evansville and we don’t support that over here,” says Bosse High School Junior Denise Morgan. “We don’t want ICE anywhere as a matter of fact. Get them out. Ice out.”
Hundreds of students from Bosse, Central and Harrison High Schools and even Washington Middle School joined together to protest against Federal Immigration Enforcement. Students like Denise Morgan and Jonathan Malvaes Lopez say they are fighting for immigrant families across the country as well as each other.
“Some kids aren’t able to get an education like us,” says Morgan. “We’re privileged because they’re getting taken away from their schools, their homes, their lives. It’s just a lot.”
“We’re fighting for a cause and for my people,” says Malvaes Lopez. “I’ve suffered. My mom got deported before, so I feel the love and appreciate everything out here and how they’re supporting us. She’s a legal resident now but thank God she’s right here with us.”
Resident Dan Macke was enjoying an afternoon walk when he heard the loud chants of students marching down main street. He says he’s happy to see local youth stand up for issues they believe in.
“This is their future,” says Macke. “I’m going out. They’re coming in. They need to stand up and voice their opinion, and this is something that people should definitely voice their opinion on.”
The protest comes after EVSC officials issued a warning to any student that left school without permission, a warning many students chose to ignore.
“We know our high school students are starting to form their opinions as they’re teenagers and entering adulthood, but again if a student did choose to leave the building, then they were going to be marked absent and their families will be notified,” says EVSC Chief Communication Officer Jason Woebkenberg.
“What is that going to do to me graduating or going to college? If I’m doing what I believe in and what I love and support, then I don’t mind,” says Bosse High School Junior Rayne Wilkerson.
EVSC officials say at least three hundred students participated in the entire school district. Over a hundred of those students came from Bosse High School.