New Roads School's Students Stage Walkout to Support DACA and the Dreamers

In response to the Trump administration’s recent announcement that it will rescind the executive order that established Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), students at Santa Monica’s New Roads School organized a walkout on Wednesday, September 27 in support of the Dreamers and DACA. At 2:30, over 200 high school students respectfully and peacefully left their classrooms to march along Santa Monica’s Olympic Boulevard, chanting in unison messages of empowerment and support for the Dreamers.

The walkout was planned by Latinos Unidos student club, whose mission is to provide an inclusive forum for New Roads students to create awareness about global and local issues, celebrate the rich culture of Latin and Central America, and to empower students to voice their opinions. One Latinos Unidos club member, 12th grader Valeria Garcia, says, “Our Walkout for DACA was a great mechanism to unify the community here at New Roads. We are here to support the Dreamers and want to join the fight towards justice for DACA recipients and their families. The Dreamers should not live in fear. No one should live in fear.”

Head of School Luthern Williams says, “I am incredibly proud of our students for organizing this walkout and taking action to show public support for the Dreamers. New Roads always has known that sustaining a learning community of students and adults that mirrors the rich diversity of Los Angeles – one that is socially, economically, ethnically and racially diverse – is not only a moral but academic imperative, the path to a prosperous, innovative, and just America and global community. We stand firmly and wholeheartedly with dreamers.”