Boston Students Walk Out, Stage 'Die-In' At City Hall

BOSTON, MA — Parents and students walked out of public schools and hundreds marched up to the fifth floor of City Hall Monday afternoon. Students who couldn't make it to city hall demonstrated inside their own schools, in opposition to what they said were inequities of school closures and violence prevention measures in Boston.

"No Violence Prevention, proposed closing of city schools, broken meetings... it is clear that the administration is not listening to the communities it serves," according to a Facebook invitation supported by a coalition of activist groups including March Forward Mass, Black Lives Matter Boston, Teen Empowerment, Stuck On Replay and Violence in Boston Inc. "Activists need to be heard, and we will be there in support."

Students and community members filled the hall near the Boston mayor's office, sitting and holding signs.

Violence in Boston, founded by former House candidate Monica Cannon-Grant, is behind the citywide school walkout to protest, as well as proposals to close West Roxbury High School and McCormick Middle School, which community members and organizers say will adversely affect minority populations.

Cannon-Grant said 180 people have been shot in Boston so far this year, 43 of whom, were killed.

Those who walked out filed through security at City Hall and made their way up to the fifth floor where they particpated in a silent "die-in" protest, sitting and laying in silence outside the mayor's office for 43 minutes to represent the 43 homicides this year, and in an attempt to meet with Mayor Marty Walsh.

Cannon-Grant read off the names of those killed.

What do they want?

"Fully funded public education, a stop to the school closures, a comprehensive violence prevention plan, an allocation of funds in the budget to ensure youth employment year round and adequate trauma services for young students and communities of color," according to the Facebook invite.

As part of a 10-year Educational and Facilities Master Plan for the Boston Public Schools, the district announced in October it plans to close West Roxbury Academy and Urban Science Academy at the end of this school year. It said it planned to close John W. McCormack Middle School next year.

This also comes days after the DA dropped murder charges on a young black man whose lawyer and mother say was wrongfully ID'd.

Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch Staff