On Tuesday, hundreds of students walked out of San Marcos and Santa Barbara high schools, spurred by the recent actions of ICE agents in their neighborhoods.
Fear has spread across school campuses, students reported. Some have personally witnessed the increasingly aggressive tactics used by ICE — others repeatedly hear about it. Some live with relatives who are afraid to leave their homes.
Students’ mental health and grades have suffered as a result, they said.
The walkouts were organized by the schools’ MEChA clubs, a national student organization “that strives for inclusivity and empowerment,” particularly for Chicano students, said senior Johanna Gomez Lopez, co-president of MEChA at San Marcos…