Administrators at Palmdale Academy Charter School are telling parents Tuesday that if their children participate in off-campus demonstrations during school hours, they will be marked as unexcused absences.
The announcement comes a day after about 100 students from Palmdale Academy Charter School walked out of classes to protest President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
The walkout started shortly after noon Monday and was one of several student-led protests that have occurred across Los Angeles County and the country in recent days.
Palmdale Academy Charter School said it will send out absence notifications to parents and guardians of students who participated in the walkout.
“Our focus will remain on fostering open, respectful dialogue among students in a safe and welcoming environment,” school officials said.
The school wanted to communicate that leaving campus without supervision presents potential risks, and the school wants students to make informed, thoughtful decisions about their participation.
Demonstrations in downtown Los Angeles against Trump’s deportation policy have been occurring daily since Feb. 2, some involving high school students.
The Los Angeles Times reported Friday that an ICE enforcement action planned for Los Angeles is slated to take place before the end of February, with agents concentrating on immigrants who have pending orders of removal.
FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller declined to comment on any upcoming large-scale operation, but said the agency has been assisting in immigration operations since the end of January.
Hundreds of high school students marched through downtown Los Angeles Feb. 4 in protest of stepped up federal enforcement against illegal immigration, and marked the third straight day of demonstrations in the downtown area.
Students, from Marshall and Garfield high schools, and possibly other campuses, began marching late in the morning, with some eventually converging on the Main Street overpass of the 101 Freeway. The students rallied briefly over the freeway, then continued marching through downtown, eventually gathering briefly near Olvera Street then marching toward City Hall.
By early afternoon, the students were in the area of Hill and First streets, while a second group was marching on Spring Street near Temple Street. Police reported that the demonstration was peaceful, although students were marching in traffic lanes.
Palmdale Academy Charter School officials said they are committed to supporting students as they “find their voices and navigate these challenging times.”