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Houston students take to streets again
Protests draw critics, supporters — and efforts from schools to stop them
March 29, 2006, 11:19AM
THE IMMIGRATION DEBATE
Hispanic students take to streets again
By JENNIFER RADCLIFFE
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
Student protests against proposed federal legislation restricting immigration continue today across the area with teenagers leaving classes at Alvin and Baytown high schools, as well as Marshall Middle School in Houston.
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The scattered protests come a day after more than 1,000 students from area high schools took to the streets as Congress considers making it a felony to be in the United States without proper documentation.
Shirley Brothers, spokeswoman for the Alvin school district, said about 100 students started marching from the high school about 7 a.m., a half-hour before school started.
They marched at least 2 miles north on Texas 35 and were demanding to meet with Alvin Mayor Andy Reyes.
In Baytown, about 50 students, some waving the green, white and red flag of Mexico, skipped class to march peacefully across the street from one the town's two high schools, Robert E. Lee, whose 2,511 students are 49 percent Hispanic.
School administrators met briefly with the students in the school auditorium at 8 a.m. to discuss alternate ways of fighting the proposed changes, including writing letters to government officials and contacting Hispanic news organizations, said Terri Cook, a district spokeswoman.
Student there missed first and second periods before deciding to go back to class, she said.
In the Houston Independent School District, a spokesman said about 50 students from Marshall Middle School went to City Hall this morning instead of class.
The protests today follow those held Tuesday at Houston City Hall, schools and suburban neighborhoods, stirring debate on talk shows and blogs about one of the most politically contentious issues facing Houston and the nation.
It also prompted HISD Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra to try to stave off continued protests today by threatening stricter discipline if protests continue.
"The consequence for students who violate the standards of conduct will be more severe. A repeat of today's demonstrations could cause students to be suspended for up to three days, or be removed," Saavedra said in a statement issued Tuesday evening.
Many who participated in Tuesday's activities face citations and detentions for cutting class. The Class C violation carries a fine of up to $500.
The move in Congress to make it a felony to be in the U.S. without proper documentation was included in a U.S. House immigration bill passed in December, but was rejected by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday.
Latino community leaders said they were amazed by the turnout.
"We are making history," said Nelson Reyes, executive director of the Gulfton Area Neighborhood Organization and the Central American Refugee Center. "In the history of the United States, a movement like this hasn't taken place. The community right now is willing. It's like a movement of alien rights."
Dozens of cities affected
The movement stirred anti-immigration proponents, who followed the student-led activities in Dallas, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and dozens of other cities.
In Dallas, more than 3,300 students walked out of class and gathered in front of City Hall.
Sgt. Gil Cerda, a Dallas police spokesman, said students briefly stormed into City Hall but complied when police ordered them to retreat.
In the adjacent plaza, students dressed mainly in white shirts carried Mexican flags and shouted, "Viva Latinos. Viva Mexico."
"They're trying to make it a felony if we help anyone illegal and that's not right," said 17-year-old Jazmin Carmona, who said she had never been politically active before. She took a train to the protest from her school in Irving and was planning to return for afternoon classes.
Chris Simcox, president of the Arizona-based Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, said his phones have been tied up with angry citizens who want to volunteer with his organization.
"It backfired on them," said Simcox, who added that more than 340 people have enlisted as volunteers in the last three days. "It's enraged millions of Americans."
The local protests captivated listeners of KSEV-AM (700), a conservative radio station.
"The perception is that these kids are not waving American flags and standing for a better America. These kids are denouncing America," said host Dan Patrick, a Republican nominee for state Senate. "They're demanding that America change their laws, give them free health care, give them free education — that it's their right."
The issue is not one of racism, Patrick said, but the strain on the country's resources. Both Hispanic and non-Hispanic listeners are worried that undocumented workers burden Texas' hospitals, schools and tax base, he said.
The Pew Hispanic Center estimated in a study earlier this month that about 12 million unauthorized migrants are living in the United States, up from about 8.4 million in 2000. They account for about 5 percent of the civilian labor force, the study found.
Students meet with mayor
Waitress Maria Santiago was one of several workers watching the line of students march along Main in Houston on Tuesday.
As students shouted chants like "Mexico! Mexico!," Santiago pumped her fist in the air in a show of support.
"We're also immigrants," she said. "We really do think it's a very good thing that (the students) should do."
When the march reached City Hall, two students met with City Councilwoman Carol Alvarado and Mayor Bill White for about five minutes.
HISD officials sent about a dozen school buses to take students who had skipped class back to Davis, Austin and Sam Houston high schools. Smaller protests were also held at Reagan and Waltrip high schools, officials said.
Police characterized the downtown rally as "peaceful, but loud."
Across the city, police issued between 30 and 50 citations Tuesday to protesters. Violations included hindering traffic and disorderly conduct. Houston Police Department spokesman Capt. Dwayne Ready said he was not aware of any arrests.
"We're trying to use discretion as much as we can — recognizing people's right to free speech," Ready said.
Suburban school districts also reported high numbers of students missing classes to protest.
Between 400 and 500 students walked out of Pasadena High School to the district's football stadium, nearly five miles away, officials said.
"We're treating today as any other truancy issue with students facing Saturday detention or an alternate of a two-page essay on the immigration bill and what it all means," said Kirk Lewis, acting superintendent of the Pasadena school district. "If it happens again (today), citations will be written."
Protest in Fort Bend
In Fort Bend County, about 150 Hightower High School students and 30 Lake Olympia Middle School students marched north on Highway 6 toward Sugar Land and then Stafford. Missouri City police — along with school and campus administrators — followed to ensure students' safety.
"I think this new law they are trying to come up with is wrong," said Felipe Sosa, a Hightower 10th-grader whose mother is from El Salvador and whose father is from Mexico.
Students repeatedly refused the school district's offers to take buses back to school.
Hightower Principal Patricia Paquin wrote a letter to parents that said, "We will not tolerate students disrupting the normal educational environment, and we will take the necessary disciplinary actions against any student who chooses to participate in student walkouts."
At least 100 students from MacArthur High School in Aldine walked up Jensen Drive, shouting and waving Mexican flags and signs.
Unlike some of the other groups, MacArthur students walked in the middle of the busy road and were followed by a dozen cars with students hanging out of the windows.
Seven police cars, their lights flashing, accompanied the crowd.
About 150 students from Eisenhower High School in Aldine skipped school to march in the rain to a flea market at Long Point and Bingle.
Students — many shivering in T-shirts and jeans soaked by rain — were escorted to their rally by police, slowing traffic in the area.
Police issued curfew violation tickets to 30 Eisenhower students for missing school and arrested one adult who was with those students for abusive language.
Despite the consequences, Hector Chavana of La Raza Justice Movement, encouraged the youngsters to stay involved in immigration issues.
"We want you all to think about what happens after this. Are y'all going to stop?" he said.
He also encouraged the students to return to school today.
THE IMMIGRATION DEBATE
Hispanic students take to streets again
By JENNIFER RADCLIFFE
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
Student protests against proposed federal legislation restricting immigration continue today across the area with teenagers leaving classes at Alvin and Baytown high schools, as well as Marshall Middle School in Houston.
ADVERTISEMENT
The scattered protests come a day after more than 1,000 students from area high schools took to the streets as Congress considers making it a felony to be in the United States without proper documentation.
Shirley Brothers, spokeswoman for the Alvin school district, said about 100 students started marching from the high school about 7 a.m., a half-hour before school started.
They marched at least 2 miles north on Texas 35 and were demanding to meet with Alvin Mayor Andy Reyes.
In Baytown, about 50 students, some waving the green, white and red flag of Mexico, skipped class to march peacefully across the street from one the town's two high schools, Robert E. Lee, whose 2,511 students are 49 percent Hispanic.
School administrators met briefly with the students in the school auditorium at 8 a.m. to discuss alternate ways of fighting the proposed changes, including writing letters to government officials and contacting Hispanic news organizations, said Terri Cook, a district spokeswoman.
Student there missed first and second periods before deciding to go back to class, she said.
In the Houston Independent School District, a spokesman said about 50 students from Marshall Middle School went to City Hall this morning instead of class.
The protests today follow those held Tuesday at Houston City Hall, schools and suburban neighborhoods, stirring debate on talk shows and blogs about one of the most politically contentious issues facing Houston and the nation.
It also prompted HISD Superintendent Abelardo Saavedra to try to stave off continued protests today by threatening stricter discipline if protests continue.
"The consequence for students who violate the standards of conduct will be more severe. A repeat of today's demonstrations could cause students to be suspended for up to three days, or be removed," Saavedra said in a statement issued Tuesday evening.
Many who participated in Tuesday's activities face citations and detentions for cutting class. The Class C violation carries a fine of up to $500.
The move in Congress to make it a felony to be in the U.S. without proper documentation was included in a U.S. House immigration bill passed in December, but was rejected by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday.
Latino community leaders said they were amazed by the turnout.
"We are making history," said Nelson Reyes, executive director of the Gulfton Area Neighborhood Organization and the Central American Refugee Center. "In the history of the United States, a movement like this hasn't taken place. The community right now is willing. It's like a movement of alien rights."
Dozens of cities affected
The movement stirred anti-immigration proponents, who followed the student-led activities in Dallas, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and dozens of other cities.
In Dallas, more than 3,300 students walked out of class and gathered in front of City Hall.
Sgt. Gil Cerda, a Dallas police spokesman, said students briefly stormed into City Hall but complied when police ordered them to retreat.
In the adjacent plaza, students dressed mainly in white shirts carried Mexican flags and shouted, "Viva Latinos. Viva Mexico."
"They're trying to make it a felony if we help anyone illegal and that's not right," said 17-year-old Jazmin Carmona, who said she had never been politically active before. She took a train to the protest from her school in Irving and was planning to return for afternoon classes.
Chris Simcox, president of the Arizona-based Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, said his phones have been tied up with angry citizens who want to volunteer with his organization.
"It backfired on them," said Simcox, who added that more than 340 people have enlisted as volunteers in the last three days. "It's enraged millions of Americans."
The local protests captivated listeners of KSEV-AM (700), a conservative radio station.
"The perception is that these kids are not waving American flags and standing for a better America. These kids are denouncing America," said host Dan Patrick, a Republican nominee for state Senate. "They're demanding that America change their laws, give them free health care, give them free education — that it's their right."
The issue is not one of racism, Patrick said, but the strain on the country's resources. Both Hispanic and non-Hispanic listeners are worried that undocumented workers burden Texas' hospitals, schools and tax base, he said.
The Pew Hispanic Center estimated in a study earlier this month that about 12 million unauthorized migrants are living in the United States, up from about 8.4 million in 2000. They account for about 5 percent of the civilian labor force, the study found.
Students meet with mayor
Waitress Maria Santiago was one of several workers watching the line of students march along Main in Houston on Tuesday.
As students shouted chants like "Mexico! Mexico!," Santiago pumped her fist in the air in a show of support.
"We're also immigrants," she said. "We really do think it's a very good thing that (the students) should do."
When the march reached City Hall, two students met with City Councilwoman Carol Alvarado and Mayor Bill White for about five minutes.
HISD officials sent about a dozen school buses to take students who had skipped class back to Davis, Austin and Sam Houston high schools. Smaller protests were also held at Reagan and Waltrip high schools, officials said.
Police characterized the downtown rally as "peaceful, but loud."
Across the city, police issued between 30 and 50 citations Tuesday to protesters. Violations included hindering traffic and disorderly conduct. Houston Police Department spokesman Capt. Dwayne Ready said he was not aware of any arrests.
"We're trying to use discretion as much as we can — recognizing people's right to free speech," Ready said.
Suburban school districts also reported high numbers of students missing classes to protest.
Between 400 and 500 students walked out of Pasadena High School to the district's football stadium, nearly five miles away, officials said.
"We're treating today as any other truancy issue with students facing Saturday detention or an alternate of a two-page essay on the immigration bill and what it all means," said Kirk Lewis, acting superintendent of the Pasadena school district. "If it happens again (today), citations will be written."
Protest in Fort Bend
In Fort Bend County, about 150 Hightower High School students and 30 Lake Olympia Middle School students marched north on Highway 6 toward Sugar Land and then Stafford. Missouri City police — along with school and campus administrators — followed to ensure students' safety.
"I think this new law they are trying to come up with is wrong," said Felipe Sosa, a Hightower 10th-grader whose mother is from El Salvador and whose father is from Mexico.
Students repeatedly refused the school district's offers to take buses back to school.
Hightower Principal Patricia Paquin wrote a letter to parents that said, "We will not tolerate students disrupting the normal educational environment, and we will take the necessary disciplinary actions against any student who chooses to participate in student walkouts."
At least 100 students from MacArthur High School in Aldine walked up Jensen Drive, shouting and waving Mexican flags and signs.
Unlike some of the other groups, MacArthur students walked in the middle of the busy road and were followed by a dozen cars with students hanging out of the windows.
Seven police cars, their lights flashing, accompanied the crowd.
About 150 students from Eisenhower High School in Aldine skipped school to march in the rain to a flea market at Long Point and Bingle.
Students — many shivering in T-shirts and jeans soaked by rain — were escorted to their rally by police, slowing traffic in the area.
Police issued curfew violation tickets to 30 Eisenhower students for missing school and arrested one adult who was with those students for abusive language.
Despite the consequences, Hector Chavana of La Raza Justice Movement, encouraged the youngsters to stay involved in immigration issues.
"We want you all to think about what happens after this. Are y'all going to stop?" he said.
He also encouraged the students to return to school today.
For more information:
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/printstory.mpl...
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HISD superintendent's statement on walkouts
Statement from Dr. Abelardo Saavedra, HISD Superintendent
Regarding student walkouts
March 28, 2006
It is critically important that our children are in school and learning every day. While we respect and encourage students to express their opinions and to involve themselves in civic and government affairs, our students must follow the rules of conduct that require them to be in school and learning during the school hours.
All the students who participated in today’s walkouts will be disciplined. The parents of each student who participated will be contacted and informed of the student’s actions. Each student action associated with today’s events will be reviewed by school officials, and students may, at the discretion of the principal, be placed in detention or in-school suspension, and may also be subject to other sanctions.
If these demonstrations continue on Wednesday or another time in the future, the consequence for students who violate the standards of conduct will be more severe. A repeat of today’s demonstrations could cause students to be suspended for up to three days, or be removed.
Our schools are working closely with our young people to encourage them to find the right ways to express their feelings on these issues. Some schools are assigning students to write papers about the proposed legislation. Others are holding group meetings with students to talk about the issue. We want our students voices on these issues to be heard. But it is vitally important, for their own safety and their academic standing, that students be in school and learning during the school day, and that they follow the standards of conduct. Failure to follow these standards could result in a student not being able to graduate on time, or having difficulty getting into college and succeeding there.
We urge the parents of HISD’s students to talk with their children about these issues and to make sure their children stay in school every day.