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Protesting While Class Is in Session

One wonders what would happen if high school students throughout the country decided to walk out of class to stage a protest against abortion — or against restrictions on it.

My guess is that not a single such demonstration would occur. High school principals throughout the nation would tell the students that if they dared to leave their classrooms while school was in session, they’d face disciplinary action.

Yet last Wednesday, students at high schools throughout the nation, including at least one in our area, walked out of class in a demand for new laws to make them safer against school violence. The idea was for them to demonstrate for 17 minutes, in recognition of the 17 people killed in a school shooting in Parkland, Fla.

Among schools where some students — but not all who were asked — participated was Wheeling Park High School. An administrator said no disciplinary action was envisioned.

Students at another area high school planned to join the nationwide protest, but reportedly never got outside of their building. They were met at the doors by police officers who told them they had to stay inside.

My guess is that school administrators and police worried that, should some evildoer get ideas about Wednesday’s protest, students in a group outside the school would be targets.

What about students where administrators chose to allow the demonstrations to occur, however?

As one thoughtful educator told me, teenagers have First Amendment rights, too. Often, they have thoughtful opinions on the issues. As long as the Wednesday protest was planned in advance, in consultation with school officials — and providing lost classroom time was made up — what’s the harm?

But the catch is that many teenagers have strong opinions on lots of things.

What about a pro-life or a pro-choice walkout? More germane to the current concern, what about a group of students leaving class to demand the school board arm some teachers, to keep the kids safe?

Not going to happen.

Why? You know the answer. Some causes are politically correct and others are just too controversial.

So do we tell the kids that if their protest is politically motivated but not politically incorrect, they can hold it — but if it doesn’t meet that criteria, they can’t?

That isn’t how the First Amendment is supposed to work.

No one can say how much good George Smoulder did for the less fortunate. They have lost one of the most dedicated champions they ever had.

Smoulder has retired after 10 years as executive director of the United Way of the Upper Ohio Valley. Before that, he spent 29 years as executive director of Catholic Community Services, now known as Catholic Charities West Virginia.

In those posts, he was a tireless, persistent, effective advocate for truly worthy causes.

I’ll miss him, for the simple reason that Smoulder measures up to the highest accolade I know:

He’s a good man.

Myer can be reached at: mmyer@theintelligencer.net.

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