Walkouts are illegal?

[SoulRiser]

I just read a random comment on the NYRA forums stating that walkouts are illegal due to truancy laws. If this is true, I could get in shit for hosting a "walkout guide" on the site. Or anything even remotely hinting at doing a walkout. (Yes, I'm paranoid).

Found a few related news articles:
http://www.nbc4.tv/education/8312992/detail.html
http://www.wiretapmag.org/stories/37652/

Post more if you know of any.

[Abandoning Ship]

Fuck, I was -almost- planing a walkout. Hopefully this'll just fuel the fire.

EDIT: Shit. This could be a precursor to more.
http://www.nbc4.tv/education/8312992/detail.html

[Gillian]

[Guest]

No government people have any right to do anything to this site if they dislike it having a walkout guide. They can get pissed off, but that's it.

[SoulRiser]

I don't know much about laws and such. Either way, I have put up a small notice on the top of the Student Revolution guide thing, and made the ones I wrote redirect to that one (they suck in comparison, so it was about time anyway) .. It just says that walkouts were not illegal at the time of writing and that you should read the disclaimer and some stuff like that.

[Dark Soul X]

SoulRiser Wrote:I just read a random comment on the NYRA forums stating that walkouts are illegal due to truancy laws. If this is true, I could get in shit for hosting a "walkout guide" on the site. Or anything even remotely hinting at doing a walkout. (Yes, I'm paranoid).

Bullshit! Another reason for me to hate the government.

[youvebeenthunderstruck]

you started wearing your tinfoil hat?

[Guest]

Tinfoil hats don't work very well. You need a mesh, not a solid piece, to make a good Faraday Cage.

[Mom]

SoulRiser Wrote:I don't know much about laws and such. Either way, I have put up a small notice on the top of the Student Revolution guide thing, and made the ones I wrote redirect to that one (they suck in comparison, so it was about time anyway) .. It just says that walkouts were not illegal at the time of writing and that you should read the disclaimer and some stuff like that.

Good idea, just direct individuals to check their state truancy laws because they do differ. For instance, a "walk out "where I live would not necessarily fall under the truancy statute.

[Coma Girl]

Sometimes im glad i live in Australia! Damn.

The authorities cant force someone to stay somewhere against their will, life doesnt work that way, you come to a certain age where you start thinking for yourself, i dont think the authority figures should be saying what we can and cannot do.

We should have the right to an education, not a stack of rules.

[Will]

I doubt this would help if people were crazy enough to prosecute you, but you could reword the page to make it like the OD Experiment Anti-Methods.

[SoulRiser]

wsgosset Wrote:I doubt this would help if people were crazy enough to prosecute you, but you could reword the page to make it like the OD Experiment Anti-Methods.

That would be fun

[Avenger]

walk outs are illegal.

THATS BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!!!

[youvebeenthunderstruck]

I don't think they can legally do that. It's the same with a strike, if you feel that a protest is needed, you can evacuate yourself peacefully from the building.

[.xstrike-anywherex.]

It's alright to be paranoid. As great of a cause as I think your site is, you shouldn't put yourself in deep shit. But to be honest I doubt they'd waste legal action on a discussion forum. I could be wrong.

A lot of things are "illegal", but still a good form of resistance. As long as student protestors remain peaceful and somewhat professional about their intentions, the legal reaction can be minimalized.

[.xstrike-anywherex.]

youvebeenthunderstruck Wrote:I don't think they can legally do that. It's the same with a strike, if you feel that a protest is needed, you can evacuate yourself peacefully from the building.

They'll get you on a technicality of some sort, such as how leaving the campus makes the school legally liable. If walkouts are staged, you may want to think of remaining on campus yet outside of class. That way the issue is less broad and more isolated. Not to mention on campus protests attract more attention, and may attract more support. The greater number of students you have behind you, the more success you will have.

[Evasion]

I could probably fight it if I did a walkout. I forgot what it said exactly in my school handbook, but it said nothing about police involvement. So I could walk out, if police became involved, I'd simply show them my school handbook.

[.xstrike-anywherex.]

Evasion Wrote:I could probably fight it if I did a walkout. I forgot what it said exactly in my school handbook, but it said nothing about police involvement. So I could walk out, if police became involved, I'd simply show them my school handbook.

Well unfortunately, the law is somewhat above a school handbook. Unless you are sure you've done nothing illegal, it's best to bullshit your way through any encounters with police, they'll be less harsh if you fake obediance. However, if you have nothing to be arrested for, then be as much of a dick to them as you want to.

[Evasion]

.xstrike-anywherex. Wrote:

Evasion Wrote:I could probably fight it if I did a walkout. I forgot what it said exactly in my school handbook, but it said nothing about police involvement. So I could walk out, if police became involved, I'd simply show them my school handbook.

Well unfortunately, the law is somewhat above a school handbook. Unless you are sure you've done nothing illegal, it's best to bullshit your way through any encounters with police, they'll be less harsh if you fake obediance. However, if you have nothing to be arrested for, then be as much of a dick to them as you want to.

That's what I meant by showing them the handbook, I would say, "I read this to know the rules. This is the punishment for walking out, and I had no idea that it was against the law. Won't happen again officer...."

[OmegaWolf747]

The WireTap article quotes numerous rulings saying that walkouts are not illegal. I believe that as long as you are actively exercising your First Amendment rights during the walkout, they have no legal grounds to arrest you. Of course, they might anyway. But then you can sue.

[monkey]

that's bullshit!


truancy laws is some crap the government made up to keep people from protesting or trying to
get out of something unfair like school.

those ers!

[amizon]

This may not be official law, but it does set precedent:


"In our system, state-operated schools may not be enclaves of totalitarianism. School officials do not possess absolute authority over their students. Students in school as well as out of school are "persons" under our Constitution.

— U.S. Supreme Court Justice Abe Fortas, Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)"

This basically says schools CANNOT take away your constitutional rights. If you ever get in trouble at school by exercising your rights, if you are in the U.S. Google "ACLU of *your state here*". If they have a chapter in Idaho, they ought to in the rest of the states! They have a little section to file a complaint. It's great ..Keep in mind though that obscenity (swearing or being crude) is one of those general cases where you don't really have a right to say it in public, let alone school, when it boils down to it. The ruling also said "A prohibition against expression of opinion, without any evidence that the rule is necessary to avoid substantial interference with school discipline or the rights of others, is not permissible under the First and Fourteenth Amendments". Spells it out pretty clearly.

Btw, all the walk-out tickets were later dismissed by the LAPD. Bliss.

[SoulRiser]

Quote:"A prohibition against expression of opinion, without any evidence that the rule is necessary to avoid substantial interference with school discipline or the rights of others, is not permissible under the First and Fourteenth Amendments". Spells it out pretty clearly.

Btw, all the walk-out tickets were later dismissed by the LAPD. Bliss.

Cool. That law thing doesn't really specify how much is "substantial interference with school discipline or the rights of others" though. Some people can probably use that as a loophole. Guess it depends on the judge... or something. But it's cool that the LAPD dismissed those tickets

[amizon]

Yeah, I'd guess the judge has a lot to do with that part of it--interpreting the individual wording. But anything that's silent should be in the clear, that ruling was in a case of Des Moines schools vs. a bunch of kids that wore black armbands to school to protest the Vietnam War. Of course the county judge around here apparently hates teenagers, so I'm sure we have no rights in his eyes.

[cryptevah72]

that sucks, i really hate how teenagers are so steryotyped....grrrr

i dont get how anyone could get in BIG trouble for a walkout. its really just like....synchronized ditching! the most anyone should be able to do is give everyone a detention for ditching class, cuz thats technically all they'd do!
they (meaning the school and govt and all those ppl.) should be relieved that its just a freekin walkout, its a very non-violent way of protest that means alot, and if they dont think that students have a problem with the system, then thats really sad, ignorant, and overall stupid. do they really expect us not to do anything??? walkouts arent harmful, violent, or immature in any way, its a great way to protest! the only problem would be trying to get all the kids to do one (which in my school would be close to impossible)

so why shouldn't we try?

[amizon]

you know what I am REALLY looking forward to? This is a wee bit off topic, but Senior Sluff Day! Woo-hoo! All the Seniors sluff (skip) on such and such a day in May and the administration mostly just turns their collective heads! (That "collective" was SO there for a reason, what do you think those mysterious murky glass jars in their offices are for!?!)

EDIT: Wow I can't believe I said that! I think I have multiple personalities. (j/k)

[55555]

Quote:"Our first priority is to keep our kids safe, that they need to be back in school," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said after meeting with Romer, Bratton and Sheriff Lee Baca this afternoon. "And it's important for parents to understand that beginning today we will be strictly applying our truancy laws."

Bullshit. That is NOT there main priority. There main priority is to get them back in school so that the schools can get there hands on the government funding and keeping power over us students.

[Double]

O rly? But yeah that has got to be the most obvious lie I've seen in a while. And why shouldn't people be allowed to walk out? It's a way of protesting and I think we still have the right to do that.. eh?

[himank]

Holy crap, if this site closes omg. This site HELPS me relieve my stress and all. I dont give a shit about that this site isnt closing man.

[SoulRiser]

This site isn't closing as long as I can help it...