JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Dozens of high schoolers at Paxon School for Advanced Studies in Jacksonville walked out of their lunch periods Thursday to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), gathering on the school’s football field with signs and chanting “ICE out.”
The demonstration, which was organized through flyers circulated online, drew students during both lunch periods.
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“We’re doing a demonstration against ICE and what they have been doing to the people of this nation,” said Catherine Leake, an 18-year-old Paxon student. “This nation is built on immigrants; immigrants make this nation great.”
RELATED: Florida schools warned: Encouraging student protests could lead to disciplinary action for teachers
School staff were present during the protest, guiding students and maintaining safety protocols while allowing them to exercise their right to peaceful protest. The demonstration comes in the wake of a memo from the Florida Department of Education to schools across the state regarding student protests.
Florida’s Commissioner of Education acknowledged students’ constitutional rights while emphasizing school district responsibilities: “Students retain constitutional rights to free expression, including the ability to engage in peaceful protest,” the commissioner stated. “Districts have a responsibility to ensure that any protest activity does not interrupt instructional time, school operations, and campus safety.”
Paxon’s protests were allowed to happen because they were done outside of instructional time.
News4JAX has reached out to all seven Duval County school board members and the school district administration for comment on the student demonstration.
The Duval County School District sent News4JAX this statement:
“As requested of all Florida school districts, we shared the Florida Department of Education communication with both staff and families. For reference, Board Policy 5.27 outlines district guidelines related to student assembly: https://www.duvalschools.org/o/dcps/page/chapter-5-students."
“Regarding Paxon, we are aware of a peaceful, pre-organized student-led gathering that took place this morning during students’ lunch periods. While the activity was not school-sponsored or staff-led, student leaders worked with school administrators in advance to help ensure the gathering remained safe, orderly, and aligned with Board Policy.”
Members of the school board have not yet reached back out with comments.