Morton West High School Expulsion

ZNet ^ | November 06, 2007 | Chicago SDS

[Baladas]

Over 70 students participated in a sit-in against the Iraq War on All Saint's Day, Thursday, November 1st. It began third hour when dozens of students gathered quietly in the lunchroom at Morton West High School and refused to leave. The administrators and police became involved immediately and locked down the school for a half hour after class ended. Students report that they were promised that there would be no charges besides cutting classes if they took their protest outside so as not to disturb the school day. The students complied, and were led to a corner outside the cafeteria where they sang songs and held signs while classes resumed.

Despite a police line set up between the protestors and the student body, many other students joined the demonstration. Organizers say they chose November first because it is the Christian holy day called the feast of All Saints and a national day of peace. They wrote a letter and delivered it to Superintendent, Dr. Ben Nowakowski who was present at the time, stating the reason for their protest.

Deans, counselors and even the Superintendent tried to change the minds of a few, mainly those students with higher GPA scores to abandon the protest. The school called the homes of many of the protestors. Those whose parents arrived before the end of school and took their students home, or left before the protest ended at the final bell, received 3-5 days suspension. All others, an estimated 37 received 10 days suspension and expulsion papers. Parents report that Nowakowski stated those who are seventeen will also face police charges.

Parents who are frantically trying to spare their child's expulsion flooded the school yesterday to file appeals on the matter. So far, Superintendent Nowakowski has held firm on the punishments.

[Baladas]

Well, here's a blast from the past, just that now they're using even younger students. Where's Code Pink, ACORN, et al? Call me paranoid, but the far left groups just may have had something to do with this.

[I still care]

School is not for protesting. There were plenty of places and times the students could have had a protest that the community was not paying for.

If you go to your place of work, refuse to work, and hold a protest, you will be fired. Kids need to understand school is not a free game others pay for.

[neodad]

So far, Superintendent Nowakowski has held firm on the punishments.

He needs our support.

[DB]

The kids being expelled refused to comply when ordered to leave. Actions have consequences. Perhaps it is about time they learn that.

[neodad]

Here’s his contact info:

http://www.jsmortonhs.com/administration/default.asp?c=4860

[peggybac]

If I had done that, my dad would have said, “Tough. You deserve to be punished.” Then, I would have probably been grounded for quite awhile.

[Baladas]

From another article:

But Ben Nowakowski, superintendent of Morton School District 201, says the protest was not peaceful and it disrupted the school day. He confirmed the district was “going through the suspension and expulsion process for 25 students.”

http://www.suntimes.com/news/education/636714,CST-NWS-protest06.article

[Popman]

Students report that they were promised that there would be no charges besides cutting classes if they took their protest outside so as not to disturb the school day. The students complied, and were led to a corner outside the cafeteria where they sang songs and held signs while classes resumed.

All others, an estimated 37 received 10 days suspension and expulsion papers.

To be fair, it seems like these kids were mislead to a certain point, but of course the reporting sucks, so we don't really know.

I wonder how many of these kids, if they knew 10 days suspension and expulsion papers was the punishment would have continued their protest.

My guess not many.

[pogo101]

I concur. (I say “concur” only because I could support protesting at school IF the school itself were the target of the protest, e.g., protesting vs. segregation in the 1950s.) The Iraq War ain’t to do with school.

[kitkat]

***Kids need to understand school is not a free game others pay for.***

AGREED!

[pfflier]

My experience has been that there are 2 or 3 real hardcore organizers and the rest are useless idiots ditching class. They don't believe in anything they just want out of class or want to do something "different".

Now their parents want to make this the school's fault. Next comes the ACLU.

[whipitgood]

“...promised that there would be no charges...”
Promised by whom? If it was the teachers, then the teachers need to feel some serious heat.

[Baladas]

I took it to mean there’d be no criminal charges filed against the kids if they went ahead with it.

[Chode]

teenagers... is there anything they DON'T know???

[mollynme]

Interesting - this is posted by the SDS. I didn't know the old lefty group was still around. They have a petition at the website. It might be fun to post some phony names.

One of the groups represented in the signatures is "Veterans for Peace - Rachel Corrie chapter 109". You gotta love this.

[notaliberal]

Deans, counselors and even the Superintendent tried to change the minds of a few, mainly those students with higher GPA scores to abandon the protest.

Maybe Jon Carry was right, the dumb ones will end up in Iraq!

HALP US JON CARY WE R STUCK HEAR IN IRAK

[Duck Fan]

I’m all over it.

[mollynme]

Phil McCracken NAMBLA

tsk tsk LOL!

[art_rocks]

Don’t do the crime if you don’t want to pay the time.

[Duck Fan]

I thought Rachel Corrie/IHOP was better. :-)