Park City High School and Ecker Hill Middle School students joined a nationwide strike taking place on Friday, speaking out against the current administration’s immigration enforcement practices and recent events resulting in the injuries and deaths of U.S. citizens.
“Me and a couple of Park City High School students wanted to organize a walkout in addition to the national strike that is being planned,” said senior Sam Kirschner, who helped organize the walkout. “Just to give Park City a little bit of local impact.”
Kirschner was unsure of how many students would join. But he said it felt important to speak out.
“My desire is just standing up for my community,” he said. “I care about everybody. I don’t believe that anybody is illegal on stolen land, and I’m also seeing a variety of constitutional violations by ICE agents, and I’m not OK with that. I’m just making my voice heard about that in a peaceful way.”
At 8:30 a.m., students began filing out of the high school’s front doors. The crowd quickly grew to hundreds as signs and flags appeared, filling the common area in front of the school.
“We had first period, and then we’re out here for second and third, and go back for fourth. A lot of people are coming out as they can, depending on tests and stuff,” said a student. “The teachers have to be neutral. But like, everyone knows how most people feel. It’s great.”
The Park City School District was aware that protests would be occurring. In order to ensure the safety of the students, school administrators and law enforcement were present.
In a letter sent to students and families, the district emphasized the protest was not a school-sponsored or school-sanctioned event.
“While the District respects students’ rights to peaceful expression, because the activity is expected to occur on school property, all school rules remain in effect,” the letter said, referring to absences and the use of derogatory, threatening or inappropriate language. “Students will not be prevented from engaging in peaceful protest; however, maintaining a safe, respectful learning environment remains our priority.”
Around 20 students led chants, standing atop a low concrete sign wall bearing the words “Park City High School,” a decorative barrier set near the roadway at the school’s entrance. Using the wall as an impromptu platform, students passed around a megaphone, inviting anyone who wished to speak to step forward and share their thoughts.
“This is for all of the families here, all of the families in Salt Lake, all over the country. This is for my father,” said one student. “This is for all of our friends here. We need to keep all of us safe and this is how we do it.”
“When we come together, we can have our voices heard,” said another teen over the megaphone. “We all matter here.”
Calls for “unity over hate,” supporting immigrants, denouncing the actions of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, and opposing the Trump administration echoed from the group. Students chanted “choose love not hate, that’s what makes America great” and “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here.”
The crowd roared louder as cars, trucks, semis and buses passing by honked in support.
“I want the community to know that the continuation of funding ICE will just keep separating families, tearing them apart and just create more problems for the future instead of fixing the immigration problem in the U.S.,” said high school senior Victoria Rosales. “That’s what I want Park City to know.”
She added that, especially as a child of immigrants and seeing how immigrants are mistreated in the United States, she is passionate about the issue and showing her support.
“I think it’s very fun,” she said about her classmates’ participation. “Especially coming from a red state, you don’t expect all this type of support, but then, it’s really just gratefulness coming from what I see today.”
Friday’s national strike also called for an economic blackout, or a consumer spending freeze. Several Wasatch Back businesses, including Folklore Bookshop, The Pizza Yard, and Paper and Felt in Midway and Hawk and Sparrow Artisan Bread in Heber City, participated by closing for the day or showing support in other ways, such as donating proceeds to local and national organizations.
“Things on the federal level do impact us here in Park City, and it’s still important that we make ourselves heard,” Kirschner said. “No matter how small of an impact we might seem to have, it still is an impact, and it’s still as important to show our support to our community.”
