No students participated in anticipated walk-out Friday
Gilroy – Flags weren’t waved. Chants of “Mexico,” weren’t shouted. Traffic wasn’t diverted to accommodate the masses.
The unsought, but highly anticipated third day of student protests , never materialized. The front gates of Gilroy High School were shut, a police officer and administrators stood guard throughout the day but all remained quiet.
After reading postings on MySpace.com and hearing rumors from both students and a local Spanish radio station that high schoolers were planning yet another protest on Friday, district officials decided to take a firm stand.
However, several hundred students protested in Hollister, leaving school about 11am. They marched through downtown and returned to the school about 2pm where one student was arrested on suspicion of brandishing a knife.
When about 200 students walked off campus Monday afternoon to protest proposed federal legislation that would crack down on illegal immigration, school officials allowed them to whiz by without question. Police officers escorted the students through the streets of Gilroy to ensure their safety.
But Tuesday, when a large mass of students cut class and again marched through the city, five protesters were arrested for blocking traffic. After discovering postings on the Web site MySpace about a planned Friday morning protest, administrators laid down the law.
Students were told that anyone who ditched class would receive Saturday school and other disciplinary measures, potentially suspension. Parents received calls warning them of the consequences of walking out.
The threat worked. A small group of what appeared to be about five or six middle school students showed up at lunch time with Mexican flags and tried to lure the high schoolers off campus, but no one took the bait.
