Speak Up: Surprise students take to streets to protest ICE actions

About 200 students from both Shadow Ridge High School and Paradise Honors High School walked out of classes Jan. 28 to caravan by foot to the Safeway shopping center at Cotton Lane and Peoria Avenue in Surprise to express their anger over recent ICE-related killings of two protesters in Minnesota. Jason Stone’s story on the peaceful protest lit up NextDoor with comments both pro and con.

• “Ridiculous and shameful.” — Renee Neufeld
• “You go, Surprise students! You’ve got my support!” — John O.
• “They are brainwashed. They are for the criminals, not law-abiding people. They should all be expelled.” — Pam Erickson
• “I have high school students in my life right now, and there is not a single teacher in school who is promoting walkouts. They’ve made communications very clear that walking out, though an expression of their First Amendment right, does not absolve them from being subject to school policy consequences. Students learn about the Constitution and the government in the world … and in real life, they’re learning about their role in the world. By stepping outside of their own little bubble and practicing one of those Constitutional rights they have been educated about.” — Cynthia M.
• “Problem is they are not taught cause and effect. This is a problem with a segment of the population that has been taught the wrong things. They prioritize on defending those who interfere with ICE versus how many criminals ICE has taken off the streets, which makes our communities safer.” — William Hanlon
• “What’s next, uniforms and hats?” — Don Hennerberg
• “Students should be in school learning, not protesting.” — Michael Schmidt
• “In my opinion, this is a constitutional right they don’t have yet, unless they are 18. Kinda like our 2A right in which it is not a right they have yet as children. If you can’t vote yet, you shouldn’t be allowed to protest, period.” — Steven Hillburn
• “All part of learning and participating in government. Tom Horne and other state leaders (John Kavanagh and Warren Petersen) don’t want civics taught is schools.” — Mike Mako
• “Why aren’t these kids protesting on their own time? If it’s so important, why isn’t this coordinated after school or in the weekends? My boys are in high school and their friends who walk out laugh since they’re getting away with not being in class and admit they don’t care about the subject happening. They think it’s fun to walk through the streets, obstruct traffic, yell insults and do it with anonymity. However, they tell the teachers they’re really into it and then don’t have consequences. That’s been my experience with the high school boys I’ve talked to. They do this and avoid consequences and accountability.” — Brian W.
• “Get back into the classroom and learn about true history and laws ... only in America are we allowed to do this.” — Doris Gipson
• “They are exercising their rights.” — Adriana R.
• “These children are failing … they belong in school! They’ve lost two years of learning with the COVID mandates. They can’t afford to lose more time!” — Helen T.
• “I went to school where the nuns ran the show. If I didn’t mind my own business and keep my mouth shut, they kicked my a--. I’m OK now!” — Gerald Gauthier
• “We need pre-social justice warrior majors. If you want a future engineer, call 1-800-new-deli.” — Nick Stokes
• “These young adults will be voting soon, some even this year, and certainly in 2028. I’m glad to see that they are involved in what is going on in our country. It’s an important civics lesson. Not everything has to be taught in school. I’m proud of them for standing up and speaking out.” — Sonya M.