A small group of Towson High School students, some holding signs, gathered in front of the school Friday morning while senior Ben Kasofsky spoke into a megaphone.
“We want our federal workers back,” he yelled against the wind.
The crowd, surrounded by school staff members who hung out on the perimeter, cheered in response.
Towson High was one of the Baltimore County Public Schools that followed through with a planned statewide student walkout to protest the actions of President Donald Trump’s administration. Thirty schools in five Maryland districts signed up to join the cause, including seven schools in Baltimore County. However, administrators in the district warned against it, threatening disciplinary action if students skipped class.
It was enough to keep some students indoors. There was no activity outside Patapsco High School, for instance, one of the schools that signed on to participate. But that wasn’t the case at Eastern Technical High School, where a dozen students braced the cold to send a message.
Around noon, classes were still happening. Their absences will be considered unexcused, they said. Too many unexcused absences can result in in-school suspension. However, the cause is bigger than the potential punishment, Ella Sohn said.
The 17-year old stood with the small group on the edge of campus and in front of Mace Avenue. She held a cardboard sign that said, “Hate won’t make us great.” She said she comes from a family of immigrants but is in a position of privilege because she doesn’t look like the people the Trump administration is targeting. It’s still her duty to speak out, she said.
“We are skipping a lesson to teach you,” the junior said as cars drove by. “By making a statement, by causing disruption, that is how we reform the system.”
Some cars honked in support of the crowd holding signs such as “silence = compliance,” “stand against violence” and “f-- Trump.” Other drivers and passengers loudly revved their engines, stuck a thumbs-down out the window and yelled “go back to school.”
Kamal Simon, 16, said he asked God what he should say during the walkout. The response he received was that showing up and showing that he cares for the people who died, people who are in pain and suffering because of the president’s actions, is enough.
“I think that it’s important, believing in God or not, that we stick to what’s right and what’s wrong,” he said. “And what is right is that we do not dehumanize people.”
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