Student leaders at Evanston Township High School coordinated a demonstration on December 16 to protest the non-indictment of police officers in Ferguson, MO, and Staten Island, NY, for the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner.
A majority of ETHS’s 3,000+ students as well as teachers and staff participated in the demonstration, which took place during a morning passing period. Students and staff sat in silence along the three miles of ETHS hallways for four and a half minutes to represent the four and a half hours that 18-year-old Michael Brown lay dead in the street in Ferguson, MO.
In an email describing the purpose behind the demonstration, student leader Jordan Rosen-Kaplan (’15) explained, “The silence during the passing period, a time of chaos and loud noises, will provide a space for students to feel their emotions and [be reflective]. These recent tragedies have made ongoing and underlying problems of racism in America highly visible.”
Following the demonstration, ETHS Assistant Superintendent/Principal Marcus Campbell said, “I couldn’t be more proud of our students. They were reflective, respectful and responsible as they showed solidarity with the protests that are happening all over this country.”
Source: ETHS.K12.IL.US