High school students in Chesterfield County Public Schools are planning to conduct a walkout during the school day on Feb. 6 to protest the presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the area.

“Chesterfield County and the Greater (Richmond) area are home to a large and diverse immigrant population,” reads an anonymous petition to support the protest. “And many students, families, and community members are impacted by immigration enforcement policies.”

The petition suggests that students walk out of classes from 2:15 p.m. to 2:55 p.m. 

“The action is intended to be peaceful, organized and respectful,” it says. 

In a Feb. 1 email obtained by The Richmonder, Monacan High School’s principal wrote to families that the division “does not encourage nor enforce school walkouts or protests for any reason, particularly due to the potential for safety risks and disruptions to the learning environment.”

“I recognize the desire for our students to share their voices and perspective concerning current events; however, as a school leader, I must encourage other nondisruptive civic processes that do not impact the school environment,” wrote Principal Ben Shindler. 

He continued: “Students have a right to free speech and may express a political viewpoint if it does not disrupt learning. However, anytime a student leaves class without permission or does not return to class when redirected, their behavior is managed per the school division’s Standards for Student Conduct (School Board policy 4010-R). Please talk with your student tonight about school rules and consequences.”

The Richmonder reached out to Chesterfield County Public Schools to ask if the division is discouraging all high school students from protesting and if students will face consequences for doing so. The division has not responded as of Thursday evening.

ICE officers were stationed at the county’s courthouse last summer, where they detained at least 14 people who were identified by agents “as being in this country illegally.” 

At least two other online petitions are also circulating, offering school-specific support to walkouts at Cosby High and Manchester High.

A protest was held last month at Huguenot High School, which is part of Richmond Public Schools, where organizers said about 1,200 of the school’s nearly 1,500 students walked out to protest immigration enforcement.

Across the country, students have held walkouts to vocalize their objection to the ongoing federal crackdown on immigration. Walkouts have specifically intensified in light of ongoing tensions in Minneapolis.  

“I feel like us students shouldn’t be punished for using our voices,” wrote one commenter on the Chesterfield petition. 

The petition also points to a proposal to build an ICE processing facility in Hanover as another reason for the walkout, which county officials recently expressed opposition to late last month. The company owning the building stepped back from selling the building to the federal agency.

Contact Reporter Victoria A. Ifatusin at vifatusin@richmonder.org