Students at an Indiana high school were upset that their school refused to allow them to have a moment of silence for a former student who had committed suicide, so they staged a sit-in to request one.
More than 200 students gathered at around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 2 in the Wedge and Main Street to protest the school’s refusal to allow the loss of one of their own to be recognized. Tenth Grader Natalia Kuzbel told Lake Central News, “I went not to rebel or get out of class…I went for Mike. No, I didn’t know him. [I’ve] seen him a few times, but he is one of us and to not stand up for one just like myself would be cowardly of me.”
What should have been a simple matter of the school listening to the assembled students’ voices and recognizing the person that they cared about, it turned out, was not that simple. After Principal Robin Tobias and other administrators arrived on the scene, the school called in the local police to help supervise the students–because it was absolutely necessary to handle a crowd of peaceful students standing up for what they believed…by sitting.
When Tobias entered, he was greeted with “oh’s.” Students, who only wanted the school to recognize the death of someone they felt deserved recognition, were threatened with consequences, including suspensions. One student stood up and declared, “One moment of silence…is all we are asking for from the school!”
The Principal responded, unconcerned, “OK, can we sit down now? You’re not in charge here. I am, number one. Number two: everybody get your IDs out. right now.” His lack of concern was met with an angry response from the students, who remained peacefully sitting. He demanded students’ attention, but received none until a student asked everyone to “shut up.” Tobias then told the students, “Alright I’m disappointed.”
One student bravely voiced the overall feelings of the assembled crowd: “We’re disappointed in you too,” earning raucous cheers from the crowd and greatly irritating the principal. Tobias expressed his disapproval with students having a voice by asking a police officer to remove the student who spoke up.
As an officer obediently physically removed the still-peaceful student, Tobias continued, “I understand you’re sitting here for what you think is a good cause. I think a lot of you are here because it’s a joke in your own head. I understand a lot of you think this is not a joke. I understand that,” before he was interrupted by supportive cheers as the police officer dragged the student who had the audacity to express disapproval with the school’s–and its principal’s–uncaring attitude and lack of concern for how they felt away and turned him over to cuff him.
Tobias went on to explain that, if necessary, he would have police remove the students “one by one if that’s what it took” or that students could go to the LGI room to reflect. He did not agree to recognizing their lost friend over the intercom, but did mention that a signature banner had been approved in the Guidance office.
Whether the principal was right or wrong, what sort of person refers to a young person’s death, or students standing up for something in which they believe, as a “joke?”
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