“The world just seems like it’s against them. So it’s really hard when the school does this on top of everything else they’re dealing with”

When David, the father of a student at Lassiter High School in Marietta, received an email Tuesday night from the Cobb County School Board, he became alarmed. The past couple weeks have been tumultuous ones in schools across the country, as students have staged walkouts in protest of the murders of Renee Good, and more recently Alex Pretti, by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis. More actions are planned on Friday of this week, with students responding to a national call for a strike to protest ongoing abuses by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 

Cobb County’s note to parents, though, was sent out to discourage such activity. Now widely circulated, it said those who participated could face “out-of-school suspension and the potential loss of parking privileges, sports, and extracurricular privileges.” The statement went on: “Each has long-lasting impacts that could be taken into account by college admission offices and future employers. “

David’s kid had been hoping to join Friday’s walkout. 

David called the school the next day, hoping for some clarity on what exactly would happen if his child participated. “It’s one thing what the school board puts out, it’s another thing what the school actually does,” he said. (David asked to use a pseudonym out of fear that his child would be retaliated against because David spoke out.) His call was transferred to principal Chris Richie. 

“I basically asked if Cobb County School Board was going to be mandating these punishments, or if he was choosing the punishments,” David told 285 South. Richie, David recalled, said it was his choice, and that punishment for participating in the walkout would be five days’ out-of-school suspension. 

285 South reached out to Principal Richie for comment. A Cobb County district spokesperson responded in an email, writing: “The district is narrowly focused on providing safe classrooms where children learn: no more and no less. We respect the rights of students to express their views in a non-disruptive manner. While at school, we expect students and staff to teach and to learn. Anyone who disrupts the school day, including unauthorized walkouts, will receive consequences in accordance with District policies.” (DeKalb County Schools, along with Fulton and Paulding counties, also sent notices to parents that students who participate in walkouts during school hours, on school grounds, will face consequences.)

Throughout the conversation, David said, the principal yelled, “This is a school!” At one point, David said, he said the phrase “five times in a row without another word.”

The 15-minute conversation left David shaken. 

“Everything that’s going on affects all of us,” David said. His kids, who are half Asian, are especially worried “that when they’re targeting people who are Hispanic and then targeting people of Asian heritage—what if they’re next, right?”

He’s not sure whether his kid will walk out of Lassiter High School tomorrow. 

Navigating this moment has been difficult for the family, he said. “Basically every day, we’re having to talk to them, because the world just seems like it’s against them. So it’s really hard when the school does this on top of everything else they’re dealing with. At the same time as telling them in some classes, You need to speak your mind, and then saying, If you speak your mind, we’re going to hurt you academically and in your career. It’s confusing for them.”