Students Step Out for Palestine

On Wednesday, October 7th, students walked out of class and into the streets to protest the ongoing war in Gaza.

The walkout was organized by a non-CSArts sponsored student group, The Walkout for Palestine committee, which aims to educate and spark action regarding the war in Gaza. “The goal of the walkout is to involve youth and students from within the CSArts community to become part of the broader movement against imperialism,” explained an organizer of the walkout. They assert that the only way to stop the violence in Palestine is to raise a mass movement of everyday people, starting with the students of CSArts.

October 7th is the anniversary of the 2023 attack on southern Israel by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups, in which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage, as reported by AP News. Before the walkout, the school administration voiced concerns from Jewish students and families about the choice of October 7th and about some of the language and imagery surrounding the event. Administrators made a quiet space available to any student who felt affected by the day, and said that they can protect students’ right to express strongly held views while ensuring no student faces harassment, intimidation, or threats.

In response to those concerns, organizers cited that over 74,109 Palestinians have been killed since October 7th, 2023, and characterize the deaths as genocide. They affirm that the walkout is not aimed at Jewish people, and “unequivocally condemn antisemitism,” and that “​​It is not in any way, shape, or form an attack on the Jewish community when we say we support Palestine”. The organizers stated that a school email regarding the walkout focused on concerns of antisemitism without naming the cause of the protest. 

The administration said that students could still face consequences for conduct that independently violates school rules, such as harassment, threats, or substantial disruption. When asked if students will face disciplinary actions for participating, an administrator said “Students will not be disciplined simply because of the political viewpoint they express or because they peacefully participate in political activity”.

Both the school administration and student organizers oppose discrimination and want students to feel safe, though they disagreed on the choice of date and how the school communicated about the event.