On Thursday, Feb. 13, approximately 100 students participated in a walkout protest at Ferris High School. The protest was in defiance of the treatment of marginalized students within Ferris by staff, and students. It was fueled by outright harassment and the overt racism that some students have been facing in the past several months.
What became evident that it wasn’t just Black students who were being targeted – other minority students were also facing continuous hate and disrespect. This serious issue deeply affected those targeted but also has an indirect effect on the student body. Jetaime Thomas, the president of the Black Student Union (BSU), and Heavyn Williams, the vice president, took the initiative to plan, organize, and facilitate the march. The entire planning process took place within 24 hours.
Starting from Regal Street and circling the perimeter of Ferris, students marched, filling the streets and halls – not with the usual hostility that had become all too familiar, but with love and acceptance for people of all backgrounds. This peaceful protest lasted approximately three hours. Throughout the demonstration, students were taunted, laughed at, pointed at, and filmed. Protesters, however, responded with kindness, love, and patience – qualities they themselves have not always been afforded.
We have been conditioned to tolerate constant disrespect and hate, told that we should have thicker skin, that we shouldn’t let it affect us, that those who came before us had it worse. And yet, we still carry the weight of that historical struggle. We should not have to harden ourselves for the comfort of others. Yes, we are strong, but we shouldn’t be fighting the same battles that generations before us already fought.
It is 2025, and we are still fighting for the same rights and respect that our ancestors fought for decades ago. Let that sink in – hundreds of years later, and the struggle persists. Ferris High School’s slogan is “I belong, you belong, we belong,” but right now, that statement does not feel true for many. However, the unity displayed by the students who participated in this protest is a testament to the power of solidarity. The jeers that were hurled at protesters further show why this protest was absolutely necessary, symptoms of a nasty problem that should not be unchecked. Together, these students demonstrated love and support, setting an example of hope for our community and our future.