Students face expulsion for anti-war protest

November 6, 2007 (BERWYN, Ill.) (WLS) -- Dozens of parents, students and anti-war activists gathered in suburban Berwyn Tuesday to urge school administrators at Morton West High School to reconsider disciplinary action taken against more than two dozen students who took part in a school sit-in last week to protest the war in Iraq. Some of those students face expulsion.

Last Thursday, classes were on lockdown, and police were called in, in response to a sit-in protest. Some students were suspended and could be kicked out of school permanently. Now, some parents call the school's reaction unfair and outrageous. They demand references to expulsion be removed from the students' records and that they be allowed back in school.

Their protest was outside Tuesday, but last Thursday, they were with other students inside Morton West High School's cafeteria protesting the war and military recruiting on campus. Twenty-five students were suspended and some face expulsion, even after they moved their protest outside where, they say, the superintendent suggested.

"The superintendent made a deal with us, if we relocated to the side of the building, there would be no expulsion papers drawn up and no suspension other than for cutting class, which is a Saturday detention," said Matt Heffernan, student.

"This is not the right punishment. We've been out of school of three days already. I want to go learn," said David and Joshua Rodriguez, students.

No one from the school or school district would comment on camera, but on the school's website, Superintendent Dr. Ben Nowakowski says:

"I want to stress that this action has only to do with the students' disruption of the educational process. Not only do students have a right to express themselves on matters of conscience but we encourage them to do so."

Some parents expressed their opinion Tuesday about the school administration's actions.

"This demonstration was intended and conducted as a peaceful movement and the extreme punishments handed down by the school administration are not consistent with the actions of our students," said Adam Szwarek, parent.

"We not seek to squander scarce district funds fighting with lawsuits. However, we will not permit any one of these students' educational futures to be so undeservedly destroyed," said Cheryl Zurawski, parent.

The student activists are also getting support from the adults in the peace movement.

"I commend these students for doing what they're doing, because this war is unjust, and they're just voicing their opinions," said Maria Gamboa, Committee Against the Militarization of Youth.

There are also allegations that the punishments were unfairly distributed. Some allege that the students with good GPAs were given shorter suspensions and don't face expulsion.

The school won't comment on any of this. The school board will address the issue at a meeting Wednesday night.

Get more News »

• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•