California High School Walkouts Continue

Despite rain and an ordered lockdown by the Superintedent of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) groups of students continued to protest proposed immigration reforms. The lockdowns probably contributed to many students seizing the opportunity to continue their protests and skip another day of school. Although for the most part the marches have been peaceful a few incidents of violence and arrests have been reported.

Gardena High School students (pictured) walked a mostly peaceful demonstration down Redondo Beach Blvd. Students from Carson High enmassed near the Harbor 110 Freeway and walking onto several lanes of the freeway. In San Pedro students walked onto the Vincent Thomas Bridge, but police stopped them, detained a few and turned most of the students around.

Local leaders such as the Mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa have begun to urge students to return to school and be mindful of their behaviour. The students are reminded not lose sight of demonstrating peacfully and taint the intended message to Congressional leaders.

The walkouts are a financial impact on LAUSD. The 728,000-student Los Angeles Unified School District which on Monday saw about 26,000 students walk out of 56 local schools, will sustain a loss of more than $500,000 in lost state attendance funds. The LAUSD receives state money for every student in class and those funds are withheld whenever a student is reported absent.