Thread: Student Protesters Could face fine up to $375.00

HESPERIA — Students here took to the streets Monday to protest a congressional bill that would make illegal immigration a felony.

"You gotta represent who you are," Hesperia High School student Junior Raul said. "Represent what you believe."

Hesperia Unified School District Police Chief Bob Mosley s aw t h re e g ro u p s o f s t u d e n t s leave class and head toward Main Street, carrying signs p ro t e s t i n g H.R. 4437.

" E a rlier we had some from Hesperia Junior (High School) and we were able to talk them b a ck , " h e said. After that, a group walked out of Sultana High School with similar results. But a group of students from Hesperia High School were not deterred, and marched up and down Main Street, waving signs and yelling slogans.

The vast majority of students stayed in school.

Of course, skipping school is illegal, even if Mosley and deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department did not issue citations at the time.

"Tomorrow, when they check in, they're in for a rude awakening," he said. "Why chase them down out here when we can take them down in the comfort of school?"

The maximum fine for a firsttime truancy offense is $375.

Some students told Mosley and other school officials there to identify who had left school that their parents had given them permission to walk out.

"Don't tell me that," Mosley said he had told the students. "That's contributing to the delinquency of a minor."

Authorities will investigate the students' claims of parental approval, he said.

"Everyone says stand up for what you believe in," Hesperia High student-turned-protestor Daniella Garcia said. She admitted to being worried about the disciplinary actions she would face on today.

H.R. 4437 was approved by the House of Representatives in December and is currently being discussed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Protests over the weekend included an estimated half a million marchers in Los Angeles, with smaller protests in Texas, Arizona, Ohio and Wisconsin. Protests on Monday occurred in Detroit and Huntington Park.

Students had previously walked out of Hesperia Unified School District classrooms to protest Proposition 187 in 1994 and to protest the arrest of a student charged with arson.

"Generally, we have a pretty peaceful school district," Mosley said.


http://www.vvdailypress.com/2006/114355719447763.html

"Don't tell me that," Mosley said he had told the students. "That's contributing to the delinquency of a minor."

Of course, skipping school is illegal...

Right, like legality matters any more.