Four High School Students Are Suspended After Staging a ‘Build the Wall’ Protest in Support of Trump’s Immigration Policies
Kaileen Gaul, Daily Mail, March 10, 2017
Four private school teens were suspended from their high school for two days after staging a pro-Trump demonstration and making disrespectful comments towards other students.
The unidentified teenage boys from Grand Rapids Christian High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan were asked to stop their demonstration in favor of President Trump’s immigration policies.
On March 3, they held signs that read ‘Build the Wall’ and ‘Trump’ in front of a banner that read ‘Immigrants are a Blessing Not a Burden’. A teacher stopped them after less than a minute in footage obtained by WZZM.
But the school is saying the students weren’t suspended for supporting Trump but for making disrespectful comments at their fellow students.
Superintendent Thomas DeJonge tolf WZZM in a statement: ‘To be clear, the students were not disciplined because of having expressed their political viewpoint.’
‘Rather, they were disciplined because of the disruption they caused and disrespect they demonstrated toward fellow students and staff.’
The four teenagers also said they weren’t trying to make a political statement but wanted to show both sides of a hot topic according to Fox 17. They also clarified they are not against legal immigration.
The teens appear to be posing for a picture before a teacher runs up to stop them. They then have a calm conversation as other students walk by, oblivious to what just happened.
The social justice group ‘Love Thy Neighbor’ put the banner in the common area. After the teacher left tensions were allegedly high which is why the students were suspended.
The school released a statement saying the four have apologized for their behavior.
Parents of the suspended students wondered why the school would put a banner supporting a controversial political issue up in the first place.
One parent asked: ‘Why are they bringing this political nonsense into the school?’
President Trump won the popular vote in Kent County on November 8. In the Republican primary, Ted Cruz won and John Kasich came in second according to Kent County data.
