Indivisible Greenwich 'Troubled' By School District 'Rally'

The grassroots political group Indivisible Greenwich has released the following statement in response to Greenwich Public Schools' decision to allow a closed "unity rally" in support of the nationwide protests against gun violence, but not allow students to actually walk out:

On Wednesday, students across the country walked out of class for 17 minutes to honor the 17 students and teachers at Parkland who were murdered with an AR15. These students also walked out for another reason — they were pleading with adults to enact common sense gun safety measures to protect them from future mass shootings. What happened in Greenwich with respect to this nationwide “walk out” is deeply troubling.

We understand that many in both the high school and middle schools wanted to participate in a public walk out to show solidarity with the Parkland students. However, we further understand that the school administration attempted to keep any action by students behind closed doors, away from any media coverage, and to effectively prohibit the “walk out.” Indeed, as reported in the Greenwich Time, only three students from Greenwich High School actually walked out. (We do understand many more walked out from at least one middle school.) We have been advised that at least one middle school principal delivered the following
message to students: You cannot effect positive change if you “walk-out of our building in protest. By walking-out you unintentionally show that we are a school divided and not united. By walking-out you are not sending a message to anyone that needs to hear what you are trying to say.” If true, this Greenwich public school official does not comprehend the importance of the First Amendment, or understand its important role in US history. Compounding this error, in another middle school we understand that some students who walked-out were actually asked to explain in writing why they chose to exercise their First Amendment right to protest instead of participating in the Administration approved “walk-in.” If true, these students were singled out and subjected to anti-democratic action because they followed their conscience and that should be unacceptable to all.

As the facts come out, they raise serious questions. Why did Greenwich Public School administrators and teachers determine to make the decision not to assist students in joining nationwide walk outs and instead elect to hold a “walk in” shielded from the community and from the press? Why were students discouraged and/or told not to walk-out? Were they threatened with suspension if they walked out, as some students reported? Were some students actually forced to justify the exercise of their First Amendment rights in writing while others were not? Why was the press barred from covering the “walk in”? The stated “safety reasons” is on its face not credible. The police presence at the schools was unmistakable. Why were they there? Were they there to deter the students themselves from walking out? Were some students really told that peaceful protests of conscience are not acceptable in Greenwich public schools? The school administration and the Town owe the community, parents and students answers to these questions. Furthermore, they owe us assurances that any future events where students choose to exercise their First Amendment rights will be protected and supported.

What unfolded in Greenwich on Wednesday morning appears to have been shaped more by certain political views than any desire to support children who wanted to bring attention to these legitimate safety issues. The events held at the high school and middle schools were watered down, some focusing on an anti-bullying message having nothing to do with the issue of the day — gun safety and protecting our children. Rather they sent unmistakable messages: 1) We don’t like the message of the Parkland students in calling for a walk out; 2) We only approve of students joining with their peers across the country so long as it
is on the administration's terms; and 3) We don’t want the press covering certain events in Greenwich. All of this is counter to democratic norms. It sends the wrong messages to our young people about First Amendment rights of assembly and speech. Banning the press from covering the event and using positions of
power to prevent the exercise of First Amendment protest rights are repugnant and should outrage us all. This is what censorship looks like up close and personal. Indivisible Greenwich calls on its members and the public to speak out against what transpired and resist any further attempts to silence our children or
impede the media.

All students who participated in any form of protest should be applauded for taking a stand. We are proud of them and hope the next time they are moved to protest, the students can do so on their terms-that’s what freedom of speech is all about.

— Indivisible Greenwich