About 200 Gilroy High School students join in national protest
against illegal immigration bill
Gilroy – The lunch bell rang and a flood of students burst through the high school’s iron gate, past Principal James Maxwell and past a Gilroy police officer.
For a moment they converged on the front lawn of Gilroy High School and then began heading east, toward downtown. Some carried hand-made signs with red slashes drawn through HR 4437, legislation passed by the House that would criminalize illegal immigration, tighten border security and crack down on employers and individuals who aide illegal immigrants.
“We don’t agree with the fact that they’re trying to close the border and build a fence around it,” said Nynette Sicairos, the 17-year-old senior who helped spread the word about the protest with flyers and by word of mouth.
Sicairos said she read about the demonstration down south this weekend and decided to organize one in Gilroy.
More than 200 students, the vast majority Latino, marched in the Monday afternoon protest, joining the thousands of students who walked out of class throughout the state on Monday and the hundreds of thousands throughout the nation who have participated in similar demonstrations this past week.
Flanked by Gilroy police and Santa Clara County Sheriff’s department vehicles and the accompanying sirens, the mob of teens strode down Monterey Street, rounded the corner onto First Street in front of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, continued west to Wren Avenue, past City Hall and as far east as the D-Mart parking lot, before making their way back to GHS.
As they marched the teens shouted “Si se puede,” or “yes we can,” and said that they cut class to show their opposition to the bill that would turn their friends and family into criminals.
“I have relatives here,” Anabell Valez said. “I’m not going to turn them in.”
The 17-year-old senior said her parents are here legally but that she has friends at GHS and other relatives who are not and she walked to represent them. Also, Valez said field workers are mostly illegal immigrants and those jobs aren’t desired by the college educated.
Others joined the protest as the group moved through Gilroy neighborhoods. Locals stood in their driveways, peering inquisitively at the roaring sirens or rushed down the street to find out what all the commotion was about.
Most of the flags carried in the protest were Mexican, although a few students waved small American flags and one protester swung a large red, white and blue.
“We love this country,” the 21-year-old who only gave his name as Carlos A. said. “We’re not criminals.”
But two girls carrying medium-sized Mexican flags said although they live in the United States, it’s the country down south they call home.
Hortencia Lara, 17, emigrated here from Mexico because her parents brought her family here for a better life. The high school junior said she considers herself solely Mexican, not Mexican-American.
Sara Zuno, 16, was born in the U.S. but because she grew up in an Hispanic household, it’s that country and culture she embraces the most.
“I think of myself more Mexican than American,” she said.
And, she joined Monday’s protest to assert her stand on the illegal immigration issue.
“Not everyone comes here as a terrorist or criminal,” Zuno said. “(They) come here for a better life.”
Students canvassed Gilroy, ending the walk at about 2:30pm on the high school’s front lawn. They hung around GHS for a bit until they were shooed away by school officials, Maxwell said.
“My major concern was their safety out on the street,” he said, adding that they received ample help from local police. “The kids were very peaceful and very nice. They’ll be back in school tomorrow, that’s what I care about. We want them in class learning.”
Because they didn’t walk out until lunch, the district still receives average daily attendance funds for all the students who ditched.
The protest remained peaceful except for a minor scuffle at the beginning, with a student who decided to use the demonstration to push his own agenda to “legalize weed and the dudes coming into our country or something.”
A police officer frisked the student, who was carrying a cardboard sign that said “Legalize Marijuana,” and gave him a warning. Maxwell said administrators hadn’t decided if students would be disciplined for cutting class, but pointed out that punishing such a large group of students wouldn’t be very practical.
In Morgan Hill protests also remained nonviolent. In the morning more than 150 high school students from Ann Sobrato and Live Oak high schools walked out of class and headed downtown. The students flew Mexican and American flags, chanted and circled the city before ending up back at their schools peacefully later in the day.
During the march they were joined by recent graduates and a handful of other adults, swelling the ranks of the marchers to more than 200.
In San Benito County, at least 50 Anzar High School students walked out of class to rally against the legislation.
Senior Nallely Lopez said she took part in the demonstration in front of the school to raise her voice for immigrants, such as the hundreds of migrant farm workers who work in the fields of San Benito County each year. Immigrants, whether documented or not, do the work that sustains the state and the nation, she said.
The Rev. Dan Derry of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Gilroy, said he didn’t see students march by but he supports their cause.
“I admire them for what they have done,” he said. “I know it must cause havoc in running the school but at least they are aware of a basic human need. I am delighted that they have that sensitivity.”
The Catholic Church has been a vocal opponent of HR 4437 since it emerged, claiming that criminalizing those who help provide illegal immigrants with basic necessities is unconscionable. Senators backed down on that portion of the proposed bill.
On Monday, lawmakers amended the bill by removing the most highly contested portion of the bill, the section that would have barred charitable organizations or individuals from aiding illegal aliens.
