Calexico students and council member stage protest
CALEXICO – A group of Calexico High School students reportedly joined a City Council member Thursday in staging a walkout over the years-long contract stalemate between teachers and the Calexico Unified School District.
CUSD issued a release reporting that administrators received reports students were staging a “walkout” and had begun leaving campus to converge in front of Enrique “Kiki” Camarena Public Library. The walkout reported was led by Calexico City Council Member Raul Ureña.
“These students made a concerted effort to participate in an activity not sponsored by the District or School and missed valuable instructional time during the school day,” the school district said in the release.
The Calexico Police Department and Fire Department were notified immediately, according to district.
“We were disappointed to witness Calexico City Council member Raul Ureña appearing to lead the student ‘walkout’ to Andrade Avenue,” the release said.
The students marched to the front of the district office, where the administration heard Ureña instruct students to protest peacefully, the release continued.
“The group of students then sat down in the middle of the street on Andrade Avenue to demonstrate. While the students were sitting in the street, cars and semi-trucks passed them,” the release said. “Students then began to march again down Highway 98 and then to Encinas Avenue.”
District personnel, proctors and other staff members followed the students as they marched with the council member. The re
lease said they did so out of concern from student safety.
Urena and the students returned to the Public Library and continued demonstrating throughout the school day, the release said, adding that school staff continued to monitor the students during this time.
“We remind our community that students are subject to compulsory school attendance laws set forth in the Education Code and our District’s attendance policies,” the school district said. “Disciplinary measures may apply to students who do not adhere to attendance requirements and policies.
“Students are expected to stay on campus to attend their scheduled classes and engage in school-sponsored events. Students who engage in a ‘walkout’ are documented as having an unexcused absence and are considered ‘ Truant,’” the district concluded.
The Associated Calexico Teachers have been working without a contract for about five years.