MONROE - Monroe High School students were planning a peaceful walkout of school Wednesday morning in opposition to Gov. Scott Walker's proposal to eliminate collective bargaining rights for 175,000 state workers, including teachers.
"We heard about it a lot in the news," senior Alexis Rast said. "Elaina Genthe and me were talking (Tuesday) morning about what to do and how to come together and take a stand for our teachers."
The students, who made a Facebook page to encourage classmates to attend, planned to walk out of their first-hour classes at 8:15 a.m. today. The students then planned to walk to the Square and back to school over the course of an hour and try to get in contact with state representatives.
When finished, the students will resume school activities during second hour classes.
"We wanted to get out and do it right away, make our stand but yet go back to class to show that we're not just doing this to get out of class," junior Rebecca Flannery said. "This isn't just about teachers, it's about all state employees. My mom works at the UW-Hospital and she'll be affected."
A Facebook page started by Genthe, Rast and Callie Bristow had over 160 people listed as attending at press time.
Monroe Superintendent Larry Brown said that he is mostly concerned about the safety of the kids.
"There are safety issues, obviously. Once they leave campus then there is no longer much that we can do about it. We will encourage them not to leave campus, but we're not going to set up barricades or anything like that," Brown said. "We will have a schedule in the high school as usual; that will not change. Attendance will be taken every period like we normally do. Kids not in class will be unexcused until somebody excuses them.
"My concern is for their safety and that they handle themselves orderly. I don't anticipate it being a huge problem."
Monroe wouldn't be the first school to have students walk out of over the issue of teachers and other state worker unions. Stoughton High School had over 100 kids walk out of class Monday and Madison East had nearly 800 leave that school Tuesday.
The Facebook page claimed that, "There are already expected to be at least 100 kids walking out, more than Stoughton's demonstration!"
"I think this is just Monroe High School pulling together," senior Bryan Tordoff said. "We are a tight-knit community and this is just another symbol of that. We want to support our teachers and those we go to school with every day."
Organizers of the Monroe protest encouraged classmates to bring signs in support of teachers and in opposition of Walker's bill. They also said to dress warmly.
"This is organized by the students," Brown said. "I think there's teachable, learning moments in everything that happens. I think as young adults, it's an opportunity to see how things work."
More than 10,000 protesters were at the capitol Tuesday afternoon, with several Monroe teachers joining in on the action.
"I don't think they (teachers) are going to be pushing their opinions on us, because we're already a little biased. We just started talking about this today in school," Rast said. "I think they'll be proud of us standing for their rights, because they can't really do anything."
Walker's proposal, which was made Friday, said his budget repair bill is necessary to compensate the current budget that ends June 30. That budget has a $137 million shortfall. There are enough Republicans in office in the state senate and assembly to pass the bill, which likely could be signed into legislation next week.
According to Walker's budget proposal, most law enforcement, firefighters and Wisconsin state troopers will be exempt from the bill. The bill is slated for a vote Thursday.
"We heard about it a lot in the news," senior Alexis Rast said. "Elaina Genthe and me were talking (Tuesday) morning about what to do and how to come together and take a stand for our teachers."
The students, who made a Facebook page to encourage classmates to attend, planned to walk out of their first-hour classes at 8:15 a.m. today. The students then planned to walk to the Square and back to school over the course of an hour and try to get in contact with state representatives.
When finished, the students will resume school activities during second hour classes.
"We wanted to get out and do it right away, make our stand but yet go back to class to show that we're not just doing this to get out of class," junior Rebecca Flannery said. "This isn't just about teachers, it's about all state employees. My mom works at the UW-Hospital and she'll be affected."
A Facebook page started by Genthe, Rast and Callie Bristow had over 160 people listed as attending at press time.
Monroe Superintendent Larry Brown said that he is mostly concerned about the safety of the kids.
"There are safety issues, obviously. Once they leave campus then there is no longer much that we can do about it. We will encourage them not to leave campus, but we're not going to set up barricades or anything like that," Brown said. "We will have a schedule in the high school as usual; that will not change. Attendance will be taken every period like we normally do. Kids not in class will be unexcused until somebody excuses them.
"My concern is for their safety and that they handle themselves orderly. I don't anticipate it being a huge problem."
Monroe wouldn't be the first school to have students walk out of over the issue of teachers and other state worker unions. Stoughton High School had over 100 kids walk out of class Monday and Madison East had nearly 800 leave that school Tuesday.
The Facebook page claimed that, "There are already expected to be at least 100 kids walking out, more than Stoughton's demonstration!"
"I think this is just Monroe High School pulling together," senior Bryan Tordoff said. "We are a tight-knit community and this is just another symbol of that. We want to support our teachers and those we go to school with every day."
Organizers of the Monroe protest encouraged classmates to bring signs in support of teachers and in opposition of Walker's bill. They also said to dress warmly.
"This is organized by the students," Brown said. "I think there's teachable, learning moments in everything that happens. I think as young adults, it's an opportunity to see how things work."
More than 10,000 protesters were at the capitol Tuesday afternoon, with several Monroe teachers joining in on the action.
"I don't think they (teachers) are going to be pushing their opinions on us, because we're already a little biased. We just started talking about this today in school," Rast said. "I think they'll be proud of us standing for their rights, because they can't really do anything."
Walker's proposal, which was made Friday, said his budget repair bill is necessary to compensate the current budget that ends June 30. That budget has a $137 million shortfall. There are enough Republicans in office in the state senate and assembly to pass the bill, which likely could be signed into legislation next week.
According to Walker's budget proposal, most law enforcement, firefighters and Wisconsin state troopers will be exempt from the bill. The bill is slated for a vote Thursday.