Students At 3 East Bay High Schools Walk Out, Denounce President-Elect Trump

EAST BAY, CA – Hundreds of students at three high schools in the East Bay staged walkouts this morning to denounce the outcome of Tuesday's presidential election.

About 1,500 hundred Berkeley High School students staged a walkout at the beginning of class, around 8:20 a.m., according to Berkeley Unified School District spokesman Charles Burress.

The students then gathered outside the school, taking turns to speak on microphone. Afterward, the group marched to the University of California at Berkeley, where a much larger protest was reportedly happening.
Some of the school's staff accompanied the students during the march to make sure they were safe, Burress said.

"Donald Trump may be president, but we are gong to make sure that this man, that he is going to prioritize the well being of the people, so please join us in this fight," an unidentified student said to the crowd.

"He wants us to turn against each other," another female student said as she held back tears. "I just want to emphasize that as young people it's our job to continue to fight like our parents fought for us."

"The district prefers that its students are in class and participating," Burress said. "However, we do understand their concern and we take it very seriously when they feel passionate about political issues."

"We're doing everything we can to make sure that they feel safe and supported," Burress said.

High school students in Oakland also staged walkouts in opposition of President-elect Donald Trump.

Hundreds of students at Oakland Technical High School briefly left their classes around 10 a.m. and gathered on campus to hold a rally. The rally was short-lived as students then decided to return to class and regroup
around lunchtime, according to Oakland Unified School District spokeswoman Valerie Goode.

"We encourage our students to be informed critical thinkers and encourage our staff to help students share their views," Goode said. "We want to give them the opportunity to understand and be a part of the democracy."

Students at Oakland's Bishop O'Dowd High School also held a walkout this morning, according to social media posts.

The students then held a rally on campus, in which they raised their fists in the air and held a moment of silence.

A spokesperson from the private high school, which is run by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oakland, was not immediately available for comment.

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--Bay City News/Photo courtesy Berkeley Unified School District