Student-Led Walkout Planned At Pennsbury High School

Students at Pennsbury High School are set to join a nationwide movement Friday by walking out of classes to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.

The demonstration was originally slated for earlier in the week, but it was moved to Friday morning.

The walkout will happen the same day as a previously scheduled early dismissal for a staff in-service.

Organized by a group of students, the event involves a planned 20-minute gathering outside the campus before students return to their classrooms.

Falls Township police and school security are expected to be present Friday.

Police were not immediately available for comment on the planned walkout.

In a joint message sent to parents Monday night, Principal Reggie Meadows and Superintendent Dr. Thomas Smith said the administration has reviewed the student-led plans.

“This is a student-centered event, and we ask that parents and community members not visit the school grounds during the walkout,” the administrators stated.

Scott Pressler, a conservative activist and popular online personality who has frequented Bucks County in recent elections, has posted about the walkout several times, calling it an “anti-police protest.”

Social media has been filled with posts for and against the protest. It also featured people saying they called the school officials to voice their opinions against it, requests for authorities to see if there are undocumented students in the district, a suggestion that law enforcement should charge school officials, and commenters asking if the district can be sued by upset community members. Other posters have commended the students for making their voices heard and stated the students have First Amendment rights.

Pressler posted on X, formerly Twitter, that he was talking to high school students, including at Pennsbury, and wanted their parents to reach out to him. He said one student told him they planned to wear pro-ICE shirts during a walkout.

One student supporter, who spoke to LevittownNow.com on the condition of anonymity and with a parent present, said the online criticism has encouraged more students to participate.

The discourse has left some parents uneasy. Several expressed concerns regarding student safety and the disruption of the school day.

One parent, who disagreed with the walkout’s message, said they would leave it to their child to decide whether to attend school on Friday.

Smith, the district’s superintendent, addressed the tension in a follow-up letter Tuesday.

Smith noted Pennsbury’s “long history of students exercising their constitutional rights.”

“To be clear, the District neither promotes nor organizes any student protest event, and we work to ensure that no one is ever forced or coerced into participating in these events,” Smith said. “Our goal is to maintain a safe and orderly school day.”

Pennsbury is one of the largest high schools in the state and has seen other student-led walkouts, including over gun violence at schools and internal strife involving past district leadership.

While the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) said in general guidance that students retain First Amendment rights in school, it noted that districts may still discipline students for missing class.

After past walkouts, Pennsbury has not punished students for taking part.

The protest comes amid a wave of similar walkouts at high schools across the country, including a recent demonstration at the North Penn School District in Montgomery County.

An administrator in another Lower Bucks County school district said they were not aware of any other walkouts at local schools in recent weeks, but they suspected more would happen after the backlash online to the one organized by Pennsbury students.

The walkouts and other protests come over concerns and upsetment over tactics and actions, including arrests of citizens and shootings, by immigration officials deployed to crackdown on people in the country illegally. President Donald Trump vowed to deport millions of noncitizens in the country illegally.

Bucks County school districts, including Pennsbury, have received national attention in the past for being hotbeds for culture war issues and debates. The county is considered a bellwether due to its split between Democrats and Republicans.

Superintedent Smith’s full letter to the community from Tuesday afternoon:

“Over the past 24 hours, Principal Meadows and I have received a number of emails regarding a planned student walkout. In response, I would like to provide the following context. 

“Pennsbury High School has a long history of students exercising their constitutional rights. From student activism during the Vietnam War to challenging school rules against female students wearing pants, our students have consistently used their voices to engage with important social Issues. 

“In more recent years, PHS students have organized protests related to larger societal concerns. These actions reflect matters that are deeply important to them. We also know that similar events are happening in schools across the region and country. 

“To be clear, the District neither promotes nor organizes any student protest event, and we work to ensure that no one is ever forced or coerced into participating in these events. Our goal is to maintain a safe and orderly school day, even when students choose to express themselves through peaceful protest. Teachers will remain in their classrooms, and education will continue as planned. 

“Local police will monitor access to the campus, and district security will be present to supervise and maintain student safety. Likewise, non-students will not be permitted onto the property during this time. These steps are being taken to ensure student safety, and not to encourage or discourage any form of expression. 

“We appreciate when students demonstrate thoughtful engagement with issues affecting their lives and communities, no matter the issue or opinion. We will continue to balance their desire to engage in peaceful protest with our responsibility to maintain a safe and orderly school environment.”