‘A DAY WITHOUT Immigrants’ is what the protesters called it. It was a day of protest against President Trump’s immigration policies to show what America would be like with no Mexicans, Hispanics, or immigrants. Thousands of people — young and old — protested by not showing up to work, not buying from stores, and not pulling up to class. This is what happened on February 3. 

Granger halls seemed quiet, classes were half empty — all these kids protesting and not coming to school showed a difference in Granger’s class sizes. 

Teachers felt the difference. “In my first class, I have almost 25 students — one student per desk — and today I only had eight students in class,” Mr. Crowther said. “I teach the same no matter if it’s one or with 25 — it doesn’t matter,” said Crowther. 

With this big of a difference in this single class, the total attendance for February 3 will show that the protest made a difference. It may not make a big difference politically, but it had an impact on Granger’s attendance. 

Mr. Chandler had a different opinion. “I had planned an activity on immigration, and I had to move it to Wednesday and Thursday,” Chandler.  The students who protested immigration policies by skipping class caused Mr. Chandler to change the lesson for the day. 

Students heard about the protest from a few sources.  “I saw the announcement all over TikTok and Instagram saying to not go to school, work, or buy anything, etc. if you’re an immigrant,” Christopher Soria (11) said. Social media is where all students get their information these days. 

Some parents were the ones inviting their children to join the protest. “My mom woke me up and asked if I was going to school. She gave me the option to stay home and not go to school,” Soria said. “I didn’t go to school, but I did go to flip burgers at my job,” he said. Because he would rather make money to pay for his education after high school. 

Kimberly Morales (11) is one of the planners for another protest at the capitol on February 8, where students, parents, teachers, brothers and sisters, and anybody who can and wants to attend can go. “There will be security and a lot of adults to protect the students who go. We wouldn’t put students or children in the front lines, so they will be marching behind the adults and the security,” Morales said. She says that students will donate hot cocoa and hand warmers in case they are needed.

“I didn’t come to school on Monday or go to work, a few of my family members also didn’t go to work supporting the protest of ‘a day with no immigrants’”. Most students supported this protest and as well didn’t show up to school on Monday.