About 30 Oxford High School students who took part in a Monday morning protest against the district’s privatization of its custodial services were suspended for refusing to attend class, which is an insubordination violation of the student code of conduct.
All of the students were suspended for the remainder of the day and able to return to school on Tuesday, according to OHS Principal Mike Schweig.
‘Basically, what we’re trying to do is not disrupt the school day for everybody else who came for an education,? he said.
The protest took place inside the cafeteria. It began prior to the start of school with about 75 students and continued after classes began. ‘It was very peaceable,? Schweig said. ‘They weren’t disrespectful.?
‘I don’t believe in what they’re doing and I don’t like (Superintendent) Dr. (William) Skilling,? said OHS junior Elizabeth Eikenberry, who participated in the protest, but wasn’t suspended. ‘We have respect for all the janitors.?
‘We know all the janitors and we like them,? said OHS senior Jennifer Clinansmith, who protested, but wasn’t suspended. ‘They’re nice to us. We don’t want mean people coming in.?
‘My mom works for the schools (as a bus driver). She doesn’t want to lose her job,? Clinansmith continued. ‘If they start with janitors, they’re going to go through and (privatize) the entire school system. So, why let them start here? We need to stop it.?
Schweig noted about 20 students reported to their first hour class after the crowd was informed they could sign a petition in support of the custodians and attend that evening’s school board meeting to voice their opinions.
‘Of the 55 who remained, we informed them that they would need to report to class or risk being suspended for refusing to attend classes as requested,? he said.
That announcement resulted in 10 more students reporting to class. The custodians then met with the group. ‘They went down to tell the kids thanks for their support, but they need to go to class,? Schweig said.
One the student organizers of the custodian support movement met with the group and encouraged them to attend class.
‘Each time we did something like that, it dropped the number,? Schweig said.
Approximately 40 students remained in the cafeteria during the second hour of the school day. Again, they were informed that they if they didn’t go to class, their parents would be called and they would be suspended for insubordination, according to Schweig.
In the end, about 30 students refused to cooperate. They were asked to move to the gym while their parents were called to pick them up. The students complied.
There was another protest in support of the custodians over at Oxford Middle School that same morning.
‘We had like a minor one first thing this morning,? said OMS Principal Ken Weaver. ‘First hour, we had about 20 kids sitting in the gym. We went down and said, ‘Hey, you guys need to get to class? and they left.?
There were no suspensions at OMS. ‘We’ve had a couple of kids walk around with signs, but no disturbances,? Weaver noted.