Teens heard, seen in peaceful march
by Multiple Authors on Mar. 30, 2006, under Education, LocalOnly the beginning?
Tucson students yesterday joined the movement across the country by thousands of teens who have walked out of class to protest legislation that would make illegal immigrants felons. Here, students from Pueblo and Cholla High Schools make their way toward City Hall.
It was just a matter of time.
While the national fervor over illegal immigration polarizes the country, the offspring of the debated are taking to the streets.
And so it was in Tucson yesterday when hundreds of students walked out of their high schools with a message of “hear me” or at least “see me.”
“They wanted to keep us silent,” said 15-year-old David Encinas, who scaled the 8-foot fence at Cholla High School after school officials locked the gates, hoping to avert the walkout. “We pushed through because we have a voice and we just wanted to be heard.”
More than 300 students from Cholla and Pueblo high schools marched toward Border Patrol headquarters at 1970 W. Ajo Way and then downtown in a seven-mile march that began during the noon hour.
At Sunnyside High School, administrators and student organizers were able to shepherd about 600 students into the auditorium to discuss the purpose of the protest and march.
Asked how the students organized so quickly, Ray Siqueiros, a Sunnyside social studies teacher, said, “It’s called technology. It’s called text messaging. It’s called myspace.com.”
Students at Cholla and Pueblo coordinated their march within a matter of minutes during lunch by calling and text messaging each other on their cell phones, they said.
Sunnyside Principal Raúl Nido said he wanted to work with the students, not contain them.
“If you know what the cause is and you’re passionate about it, then tell me why,” Nido said. “If you don’t know what you’re doing then you’re being led. This is a very hot issue.”
Students said they were appreciative.
“I expected them to try and stop us, but instead they’re encouraging us,” said Alex Gonzalez, 17, a junior and Sunnyside student body vice president. “They understand where we’re coming from.”
“This is our chance to show that Sunnyside is not a bunch of gangbangers, that we really care about what’s going on in this world,” David Caiz, a 19-year-old senior, told the protesters. “We’re all students of this world and we have to take care of each other. If I’m going to get arrested for giving water to my people, then I’m going to jail.”
Administrators at Tucson High Magnet School kept students on campus and talked about the protests.
“We feel that we should be organized if something like that should happen,” said Gabriela Robles, a 17-year-old junior. “I think we can reach out to the community in different ways instead of having to do it that way. I think that some people took advantage of it and just walked out to walk out, without really knowing what was going on.”
Eight students attempted to leave Santa Rita High School, but were talked into returning to class, said Karen Gallagher, a TUSD spokeswoman.
No schools were placed on lockdown, but Pueblo Magnet High School did lock its gates in an unsuccessful effort to keep students from leaving, she said. Students at Cholla also reported that the gates were locked.
As the Cholla and Pueblo students made their way down Ajo Way, some drivers honked their horns and shouted in support, occasionally slowing down to high-five the students. A handful of students carried Mexican flags.
The images of American schoolkids waving Mexican flags “disgusted” Chris Simcox of the Arizona Minuteman Project.
“If they are Americans they should be standing up for the rule,” Simcox said. “They show a total disrespect for the U.S. when they carry the flag of another country.”
The Tucson students joined a growing wave of protests of U.S. House Bill 4437, which would make felons of the country’s estimated 12 million illegal immigrants.
Most students could not name the piece of legislation they were protesting, but they knew what it would do.
“They want to imprison immigrants,” said Pueblo senior Victor Lopez, 17. “They’re the backbone of this county. They take care of the elderly. They pick the crops we eat.”
“We shouldn’t be arrested just for helping somebody,” said 16-year-old Adreina Gutierrez, referring to a provision in the bill that would criminalize churches and other groups that provide aid to anybody in the country illegally.
Many of the students who marched were U.S. citizens, but said they worried about family member who are not.
Some carried the U.S. flag and chanted “We are Americans.”
Jessica Vazquez, an 18-year-old junior from Pueblo, said she was marching for her aunts and uncles, who have been in the United States for years but have not been able to get green cards.
“I’m scared I would lose them all,” she said. “They should give them a pass to work. That’s what President Bush wants.”
The Sunnyside students circled the school’s neighborhood before returning to campus.
One motorist, 28-year-old construction worker Ricardo Soto, parked and joined the march.
“I did expect (a protest), but I didn’t expect it to come from kids,” he said. “That makes me feel proud.”
One student in the Cholla-Pueblo march nearly fainted from dehydration. Another sprained her ankle. Two more were arrested for obstructing traffic. A spokesperson for Tucson police said they were later released to their parents.
Tucson police cars and motorcycles met the students when they returned to Cholla, but the blaring sirens did little to deflate the elated students.
“This is amazing,” beamed Christina Ramirez, a 17-year-old senior from Pueblo High. “I feel like we’re actually going to make something happen. It’s the first time in my life I feel like I’m making an impact.”
Officials from Tucson Unified School District sent letters home to parents stating that they respect the students’ right to demonstrate, but do not approve of them leaving campus.
TUSD Superintendent Roger Pfeuffer said that in the next couple of days, he will provide forums in the schools, classroom discussions, letter-writing campaigns, petition activities – and whatever else the students want to do.
Tucson police Sgt. Mark Robinson said there were minor traffic snarls because of the protest. During the protest,TPD went on a citywide alert and only priority calls were taken as officers across the city were redirected to monitor the demonstrations.
Siqueiros, of Sí Se Puede, a group that organizes the annual Cesar Chavez rally, was pleased at the peaceful nature of the day and optimistic the community will rally behind the students.
“Leave it to our kids to show us how it’s done,” he said. “It’s in tradition with Cesar Chavez. His spirit is alive and well in Tucson. The community, the parents and the school should be very proud of the students.”
Citizen Staff Writers Mary Bustamante, Blake Morlock and Heidi Rowley contributed to this article.
Students from Pueblo High School scale a fence after school officials locked the gates, attempting to avert the walkout.
Sunnyside High School students perform for the camera as they parade around the Sunnyside neighborhood with flags and loudspeakers.
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Images: Students march against immigrant legislation
Students March Against Immigrant Legislation
Hundreds of students left Cholla, Pueblo and Sunnyside high schools to protest proposed federal legislation which could make felons of immigrants who have entered the U.S. illegally.
Producer: Gary Gaynor and Val Canez
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