No Discipline After All For Council Rock Students Who Walked Out

Council Rock students who left the building to participate in the National School Walkout will not in fact face discipline, the district announced after the 17-minute event Wednesday. The twist is the latest in a series of changes in the district's policy surrounding the nationwide event.

When Council Rock students first announced they'd be participating in a March 14 walkout, the district communicated to parents that the effort was supported. Students who chose to participate would not face consequences, the initial position from administrators said. In a letter to parents, Superintendent Robert Frasier said the district "respects the rights of our students to peacefully assemble, we will permit any student who wishes to participate in this organized event to do so."

"It is an educator's job at times to work with students to help them make meaning of the world in which they live," Frasier said in the late February email.

However, the day before the walkout, the stance was altered and the administration said students would need to remain inside the building. This was for security purposes, officials said. Students who left the building would be disciplined, school officials said.

"Tomorrow is a time for remembering lives lost on February 14 and/or non-political discussion around school safety. Today, both of our high school principals made all-school announcements, via the loudspeaker, clearly communicating that walking out of school is prohibited and will result in disciplinary action," Tuesday's letter said.

"I ask parents to please reiterate this evening and in the morning that the district is not permitting a school walkout," the superintendent's letter continued.

However, hundreds of student defied those orders and in fact left the building Wednesday. (You can see the video here.) They were expected to receive a detention.

But on Wednesday afternoon, school officials praised the students in an email to the school community after the walkout. "There were rumors that non-students would attempt to gain entry onto school property during these protests, and so the School Board was rightfully concerned about student safety. That said, after seeing just how incredibly well our students handled today's remembrance events, we feel that no discipline is warranted. This decision in no way should be viewed as precedent setting for any future event," Frasier said Wednesday in the email to parents.

There were also complaints from students that tables were set up in front of the doorways to prohibit free exit and entry during the planned walkout time. The district denies the tables were placed to stop students from leaving, but rather as a means for taking attendance upon return.

Photo by Kara Seymour