Bonneville students hold walkout against ICE
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AMMON — In a second walkout by students in eastern Idaho this week, more than 100 students from Bonneville Joint School District 93 walked out of classes Friday afternoon to protest actions by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement across the United States.
EastIdahoNews.com spoke with a couple of students who participated in the walkout. Two students from Bonneville High School, senior Grisel Gonzalez and sophomore Alyza Alvarez, organized the walkout.
Alvarez said she was inspired by other schools in the area that hosted their own walkouts, like those at Idaho Falls School District 91 in early February. This is the second walkout this week, as students in Blackfoot walked out of classes Thursday.
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Gonzalez said that for her, this walkout was a way to bring to light what she believes are issues within ICE and for younger generations like hers to speak out about abuse of power.
“It makes a bigger impact, especially … walking out of school, it means that we really do care, and we’re speaking up for those who can’t,” Gonzalez said.
The students were walking on the island in the roundabout at the beginning of the protest, with many of them coming and going. Some motorists making their way through the intersection honked in support of the students.
One vehicle that drove through multiple times sprayed something at the students inside the roundabout, which Gonzalez said was Silly String. Also, some people who drove past yelled at the other students and gave them the middle finger.
“Some people just have hate in their hearts,” Alvarez said. “We don’t let it get to us.”
At one point during the walkout, deputies with the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office drove around the students, telling them to get out of the roundabout for safety reasons, Alvarez said.
“(A deputy who spoke to the students) was very nice, very respectful,” Gonzalez said. “He was saying that the pedestrians have the right of way when they’re on a legal crosswalk, and technically, that roundabout is not a legal crosswalk.”
Overall, Gonzalez said, while there are students whose parents were not born in United States, for those like her who were born in the country, opportunities like these are ways to connect with their cultures and speak out for their families.
“I feel very passionate about my culture, my heritage. I will always speak up when I can,” Gonzalez said.
