A group of parents in Gahanna, Ohio, is claiming that children are being targeted and bullied after they refused to take part in school ICE protests across their school district.
Three different concerned fathers talked to Libs of TikTok. They all spoke out after witnessing how children were allegedly being treated across the Gahanna-Jefferson public school system.
The first father detailed that there was a walkout at his daughter’s school, a protest against ICE. The Ohio school, while stating that the walkout wasn’t a “school-sponsored activity,” said that they supported the children’s right to protest.
According to the father, it was a demonstration in which various students chanted and held out expletive signs, condemning ICE. What worried him the most, however, was how students were being bullied and harassed for not attending the walkout.
“What kind of message does the school send to them when they’re afraid to go to school?” the concerned Ohio father asked. “Are we telling them they should just be quiet? That their opinions, their beliefs, and their values don’t matter?“
The second parent, Jon Handler, detailed that a protest was held at one of his children’s schools. It was led by students and observed by teachers. Calling it “disappointing,” Jon believed that teachers were actually supporting the protest rather than just observing it.
Just like the first Ohio father, Jon pointed out the “vulgar” signs held during the protest. He called out the school system for “creating a divide amongst these students.” According to him, his daughter’s high school is akin to a “civil war.” Students refusing to participate were called names or labeled as racists or xenophobes, Jon added.
‘Division And Animosity’
The third parent, Todd Emoff, detailed how 200 high school students walked out of a school to protest ICE. He, along with other parents, was “shocked” that the school district would allow a demonstration like that to happen during school hours.
Todd, similarly to the previous parents, claimed that there was a clear division between students, with “kids being set against each other.” He added that the board allowed a political action to happen that led to “division and animosity being injected into the student body.” Now, he is considering taking his youngest child out of the public school system.
Users were shocked by the revelations, condemning students being bullied for their differences of opinion. “I graduated from there. Disgusting behavior from all involved,” one user said. Another commented, “Get your kids out of public schools.” A third added, “I’d bet half these kids don’t even know what ICE stands for.”
By the looks of it, these three parents appear to be open to discussing this further with the Ohio public school administration in Gahanna.
