Cherry Hill East Students Walk Out To Support Teacher

CHERRY HILL, NJ — One day after students at Cherry Hill High School East protested the suspension of a teacher who said he was concerned about his school’s safety, hundreds of students walked out at the high school Tuesday morning. A live video of the walkout was streaming on NBC10.

The students walked out Tuesday morning to show support for 59-year-old teacher Timothy Locke, who said he was suspended after a student became upset about comments the teacher made about school security last week, NBC 10 reports. Video of the walkout can be found here and videos made by students and posted on social media can be seen below. The walkout lasted about two hours.

After both Monday's protest in the school and Tuesday's walkout, the school administration met with the students to discuss their concerns, according to Cherry Hill Superintendent of Public Schools Dr. Joseph Meloche. Meloche also met with parents and students Monday night.

"I explained that as we work to guide students who seek to share their voices, our high school and middle school principals will meet with students, beginning with student leaders, to discuss how students and staff, as a whole, can work together in productive discussion," Meloche said in a statement on the school's website.

However, students told nj.com that during Monday's meeting in which the school's administration brought students into the auditorium to hear their concerns, students didn’t think they were being taken seriously.

"They're not doing anything except giving us mics and then cutting us off when we actually start to speak,” freshman Brynn Sheeler told the website.

Municipal officials have weighed in, as well, voicing a need for increased security in the district.

“This is an issue that requires immediate action,” Mayor Chuck Cahn said in a statement issued Tuesday afternoon. “We stand ready and willing to partner with the Board of Education to do whatever we can to help improve security at all of Cherry Hill’s schools.”

“I call on our Board of Education to take further action regarding school safety,” Council President David Fleisher said. “I look forward to working with the Mayor and the members of Council to make sure the Board of Education expeditiously continues to address this vital need. No issue is greater than the safety of our children.”

Senior Justin Prechodko had started a petition in support of his teacher, according to Fox 29. That petition had over 500 signatures as of Monday morning.

Locke said he was concerned about his school's safety after 17 people were killed during a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida earlier this month. He was suspended the next day, according to Philly.com. In the past, he has compared the school to Columbine and said he was concerned about the lack of armed cops at Cherry Hill East.

He isn't the only one concerned about safety. “There's doors everywhere and they're not locked. Anyone could walk in at any time," Cherry Hill East senior Emily Nilsen told the Courier Post.

Cherry Hill Police Chief William Monaghan has recommended that the board incorporate armed police officers as part of any plan that is implemented, but any final decision on that must be left up to the Board of Education.

“We are supportive of Chief Monaghan’s recommendation,” Cahn said. “While we cannot predict if and when our school’s security measures will be tested, as leaders, we must remain strong and united on this issue as we work together to develop ways to protect our children.”

The walkout came despite threats from Principal Dennis Perry that protests would result in suspensions and students not being allowed to go to the prom.

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Students at Eastern Regional High School, Southern Regional High School and Middletown High School also staged recent walkouts. In fact, high school students across the country have been planning walkouts to protest gun violence in the wake of the shootings in Florida that left 17 dead.

In his letter, Meloche voiced concerns for some upcoming walkouts, tentatively scheduled for March 14 and 24, and April 20.

“Walkouts are a deviation from our school’s standard supervision and safety procedures,” Meloche said, adding that walkouts can result in an unsafe situation for those who walk. “Planning and providing for a collective and structured voice while still maintaining a safe and structured learning environment will be a component of the upcoming conversations.”

He encouraged students to speak with guidance counselors and/or student assistance counselors, and assistance is also available on the school’s website at https://www.chclc.org/departments/student-assistance. There are links there for parents, as well as mental health and information resources.

"We will continue our dialog with our students, staff, parents and community members regarding safety, security and the student voice heard in our schools," Meloche said. "We are always striving to improve in all that we do. I ask that you (parents) work with us to support our children, as one community. Respectful, civil discourse will continue to be an essential part of that process."

Students posted videos from Tuesday's walkout on social media.

Here is video from Monday's protest:

YouTube photo from nj.com