Some South Orange Students Snub Paul Ryan During DC Trip, Refuse To Take Photo: Report

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — A group of New Jersey middle school students visiting Washington, D.C., last week reportedly took the opportunity to publicly snub House Speaker Paul Ryan by refusing to take a photo with the political heavyweight.

The South Orange Middle School eighth-graders were on a school trip when they were offered the chance to take a photo with Ryan, The Village Green reported.

• See related article: President Trump Promotes Show Calling For Paul Ryan To Resign

More than half of the class chose not to take part in the photo with Ryan, parents told The Village Green.

One of the students said that they chose to refuse the photo because they don’t support Ryan’s political views. Another said that they participated because it was interesting to meet one of the nation’s most powerful lawmakers, even if their personal politics clashed with his.

Read the full report here.

Last week’s reported snub of Ryan isn’t the first time that South Orange students have participated in organized political dissent.

Following President Trump’s inauguration, a large group of South Orange Middle School students — joined by their peers at Columbia High School in Maplewood — conducted an organized, “anti-hate” walkout at the school.

• See related article: South Orange, Maplewood Students Hold Walkouts To Protest Trump Inauguration

The below YouTube videos of the January protest were taken by The Village Green.

Other recent student-led protests include a rally and a cafeteria sit-in against the denial of tenure to two local teachers in 2012.

• See related article: South Orange Middle School Students Protest, District Comments
• See related article: South Orange Middle School Saw Academics, Protest on Display
• See related article: South Orange Middle School Students Protest Non-Tenure Decision

Send feedback to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Paul Ryan

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