Photo by Warren Scott About 15 students left Steubenville High School on Thursday morning to hold a protest across the street against the departure of Scott Lane, a history teacher said to have voiced criticism of President Trump during a classroom session.

STEUBENVILLE — About 15 students left Steubenville High School on Thursday morning to stage a protest in support of a teacher who has resigned following spread of his criticism of President Trump during a classroom session.

Several bore signs referring to Scott Lane, the American history teacher, with such statements as “Bring Back Mr. Lane, Justice for Scottie Lane,” “We love you, Mr. Lane. You don’t deserve this,” and “He told the truth. That’s why we are here.”

Lane submitted his resignation to the school district after statements attributed to him surfaced on social media and were shared hundreds of times.

In the video, Lane is heard criticizing Trump for the bombing of an elementary school in Iran that resulted in the deaths of 170 people, including children, and calling the president a liar and a pedophile while alluding to mentions of him in FBI files on Jeffrey Epstein.

The posts have received a mix of supportive and opposing responses.

Kaden Cummings, a freshman who was among the students protesting, said, “Mr. Lane was spreading true information about what’s going on.”

“Politics are a part of American history. If we’re allowed to hear about the Holocaust, we should be able to hear what’s going on with President Trump,” she said.

Cummings and other students said they also were disturbed by “false allegations” about Lane by others on social media.

“I just feel they’re saying a lot of inappropriate things about him,” she said, adding, “We feel doing this is spreading true information about him.”

A parent of one of the students who asked not to be identified said most of the students were given permission to leave the school before their classes started, while some, who didn’t have such consent, were told by school staff to return to the building.

The parent said an adult accompanied them through the day.

The adult had gone for lunches for the students when they were approached for this story.

Aaron Newman, the school’s principal, said he couldn’t comment on the matter.

Attempts to reach Superintendent Melinda Young were unsuccessful.

Following Lane’s resignation, the school district released the following statement: “Steubenville City Schools received concerns regarding political statements made by a staff member. The staff member has submitted their resignation, which has been accepted by the district. Because this is a personnel matter, the district has no further comment.”

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)