ELYRIA, Ohio — Some students at Elyria High School say they’ve had enough, and they planned a student-led walkout that happened at 8:39 a.m. Wednesday.
The students protested what they describe as chronic underfunding in the Elyria City School District, along with concerns about ongoing immigration enforcement issues involving ICE.
Students say recent budget decisions are putting their education and their future at serious risk.
The protest comes just weeks after the district approved a $9 million budget reduction plan.
District leaders say the cuts are necessary due to rising operational costs, reduced state funding and the failure of two recent school levies.
Those reductions could mean larger class sizes, staff layoffs, cuts to transportation and fewer extracurricular and student support services.
Elyria High School senior Dekarion Wimberly says students feel a responsibility to speak up.
“It’s not only adults that care about issues or care about humanity as a whole. As students, we have the responsibility historically to push for change for the better of the world," Wimberly said.
Wimberly also expressed concern about teacher layoffs and the potential loss of sports and after-school programs.
“Statistically, the more money a school has, the higher their graduation rate is, the better their test scores are, and the better quality of life for students after high school," Wimberly said.
Students say the walkout will be peaceful and is meant to raise awareness and call for accountability from state lawmakers.
A spokesperson for the Elyria City School District says administrators respect the way students have approached school leaders about their plans.
In a statement, the district said:
"The walkout was entirely student-led; it has not been organized, directed or sponsored by school staff or the district. The student leaders involved have been thoughtful and respectful in their planning and have proactively communicated their intentions.
We respect the thoughtful, collaborative way the students have approached the school administration about their plans, and how they've worked to follow school rules.
The walkout took place during an extended homeroom period that is already part of the regular school schedule. It was brief, and students returned to class immediately afterward. Participation was voluntary, and extended homeroom continued as scheduled for students who chose to remain inside.
The staff of Elyria High School and the school resource officer supervised the walkout to ensure a safe, orderly environment. The students' time away from class was minimal.
We believe that a proactive stance from the administration was the appropriate response to ensure student safety, maintain order and protect instructional time."
The walkout was brief, with voluntary participation and continued instruction for students who remained in class.
Administrators supervised the event during an extended homeroom period.
