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Protests at School

What’s the real motivation?

By Emily Greenwell

March 20th, 2003. A day after the U.S. officially launched a war on the nation of Iraq, I came to school hoping for a distraction from the world’s problems.

I would focus on biology, Spanish, and American literature and could pretend that it was all ok. But the second I walked through Berkeley High’s gates, I knew this day was going to be one of a kind.

I was already late for my first period. And there were still tons of kids sitting in the lower courtyard. I remembered that there was supposed to be an all day protest on campus — a die-in.

The die-in took place in the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by the community theater, the main academic building, and the administration portable. Those who decided to die-in were lying on the ground with blindfolds on, representing the deaths that will ultimately come from this war.

Even if I agree with the cause, I have never participated in a Berkeley High protest. But does that make me part of the problem and not part of the solution?

I love the fact that my fellow students are involved with world affairs. However, I feel that they execute their beliefs in a very poor way. Most of the anti-war protests at my school have been walkouts, with the majority walking out not to support peace, but to cut class.

This die-in protest was the first of its kind at Berkeley High. And it was easy to tell how many kids were truly out there to support their beliefs — those on the ground — and those looking to escape the learning process. I had a slight amount of respect for those who were fully participating, but by the time lunch rolled around that number had decreased dramatically. Except for about ten students who were still “dead,” most of the students had pulled off their blindfolds and started talking with their friends.

I was disgusted. This is the reason why I will never be a part of Berkeley High protests. All of them end up as excuses for getting out of school, which significantly detracts from the real purpose. Can’t these protesters think of a different way to share their opinions?

— Emily Greenwell is a junior at Berkeley High.