Students from the University of Chicago set up a protest encampment in the quad Monday to express support for people in Gaza and call on the university to divest from companies supporting Israel.
Jim Vondruska/For the Sun-Times file
Students at several Chicago high schools are protesting the war in Gaza on Wednesday by first demonstrating in their schools then marching to encampments at the University of Chicago and DePaul University.
Anti-war protests have swept college campuses in recent weeks as students support Palestinians in Israel’s attacks on Gaza, decry what they call censorship from their universities and call on institutions to divest from weapons manufacturers and companies supporting Israel.
Chicago Public Schools students are joining those efforts with “sit-in” demonstrations at several schools throughout the day before heading to local universities to support college students. Hundreds of CPS kids last held a walk-out and protest in January against the war in Gaza and in support of a City Council resolution calling for a cease-fire.
Students were expected to demonstrate at schools including Chicago High School for the Arts, Payton College Prep, Hancock College Prep, Jones College Prep and Kenwood Academy High School.
“DePaul Disclose Divest” is written in sidewalk chalk as students set up an encampment Tuesday in The Quad at DePaul University on the North Side, joining campuses across the country expressing support for the people of Gaza and demanding their schools cut financial ties with Israel.
Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times file
CPS officials said students have a “fundamental constitutional right to free expression, and Chicago Public Schools encourages students to take an active role in civic life.” The district allows students 30 minutes to participate in protests during school hours.
“Chicago Public Schools also has an obligation to ensure a safe school environment for all students and staff,” the district said in a statement.
CPS sent guidance to school administrators to ensure demonstrations are “carried out in the least disruptive manner possible.” The district said it will investigate any reports of discrimination or harassment against students — both those participating and not — and anyone found to have harassed a peer will face discipline.
“We know that this is a very emotional and difficult time for many of our students, families, and staff, especially those of Jewish and Muslim faiths, those who trace their national origin to Israel or Palestine, and those who have connections to communities there,” Jones College Prep Principal Kerry Dolan wrote in an email to parents. “We know that many families feel frustrated and hurt not just by the events happening overseas, but about how others are perceiving and reacting to these events.”
The school postponed a “Decision Day” celebration marking the deadline for seniors to commit to a college until Friday.
The CPS protests in January largely went on peacefully with a couple allegations of harassment.
Encampments at Chicago universities have also remained peaceful, and other than a short tense time at Northwestern University, administrators have so far not sent the same type of police response as universities across the country.
Tensions skyrocketed Tuesday when Columbia University ordered its campus to lock down and directed hundreds of New York police officers to raid a university building that student protesters had occupied. NYPD also showed a large late-night presence at the City College of New York. Officials said about 300 people were arrested between the two campuses.
And overnight, reports emerged of pro-Israel counterprotesters attacking the UCLA student encampment for hours, at times shooting fireworks into the camp and setting off confrontations between the groups. UCLA canceled classes Wednesday.