http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs. ... 10372/1056

JARED STRONG
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

March 31, 2006


About 80 Marshalltown middle and high school students face disciplinary action for leaving school to protest federal legislation that would make it a crime to be in the United States illegally or to offer aid to illegal immigrants, school district officials said Thursday.

"It seemed like there was some kind of organization about it because they left the school at passing time, and they left peacefully," said Donna Walker, district spokeswoman. "Whatever the punishment is for skipping school, they'll be subjected to that."

The students - about 70 from the high school and 10 from the middle school - came to class Wednesday but left at about 9:45 a.m., she said.

Marshalltown Police Chief Lon Walker said the students marched from the school to the courthouse where they spent most of their time protesting. They dispersed about 2 p.m. after returning to high school grounds.

"We were very tolerant yesterday. There were a lot of arrests that could have been made," Walker said.

Walker said the city has an ordinance that requires prior notice for any type of parade. He said if students march again, they'll be told to disperse. "I had probably 10 officers committed to this for four hours yesterday," the police chief said.

The protesters carried signs and flagpoles with the Mexican flag flown above the United States flag. Walker said he didn't know what the signs said because they were in Spanish and he has no Spanish-speaking officers. He said Marshalltown citizens were upset by how the flags were flown.

"From a flag protocol standpoint, you just can't do that," the chief said. "But I don't think it was an intentional slight - the kids didn't understand that."

About 40 people counter-protested Wednesday. Despite profanities being shouted back and forth between the two groups, Walker said the only physical altercation of the day came when students threw two water bottles at one of the counter-protesters' trucks. A shoving match ensued, but no one was injured.

About one-fourth of the 1,550 Marshalltown High School students are Latinos.