Dearborn Fordson students organize walkout in support of Palestine
DEARBORN, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Hundreds of students at Fordson High School in Dearborn organized a walkout Thursday morning in support of Palestine.
The students joined several other schools across the country that have held demonstrations.
Amid the shouting and chanting, Fordson students rushed to CBS News Detroit cameras to share why they walked out of school and didn't return.
The students said they are tired of hearing about politics in the classroom and say it's about humans supporting humans.
"We are protesting for Palestine," said Fordson student Hassan Mustapha. "We left all our classes. We believe in what we believe in, and we are fighting against the genocide."
Read more: Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud, Rep. Rashida Tlaib criticize Biden after Gaza hospital explosion
The pro-Palestine walkout was organized at the last minute by the 2024 senior class president.
The class president did not want to be identified but said the Israel-Hamas war needs to stop. She said innocent people are dying, including Palestinians. Arab Americans make up the majority of the student population at Fordson.
Mustapha says he sees this as a fight for land.
"I believe that we, as the people of Lebanon and Palestine, would love to be free from Israel," said Mutsapha. "They took our land, and we are taking it back. It means everything because we are all family here. No matter where you're from or what you believe in, we got to fight for the same thing."
Mustapha said President Joe Biden hasn't done enough to help. He added peace could be the answer to ending this conflict.
"They should stop it," said Mustapha. "They should ask for a cease-fire. Ask for peace because we don't always have to fight. We are all a culture. We can speak. We can speak our minds because we are young and free. Others can't. Others are dying over there in Palestine. We want what we believe in."
Thursday's walkout lasted for about an hour.
David Mustonen, director of communication and marketing for Dearborn Public Schools, issued the following statement on Thursday's walkout:
"Today, a student lead and initiated walk out took place at Fordson High School. The students left the building just after first hour, walked around the school, and then returned for the remainder of the day. About 350 to 400 students took part. There are just over 2,000 students at Fordson.
School staff were not involved in this event but Fordson staff, along with support from Dearborn Police, ensured the safety and security of the students while they took part in the walk out. Although we don't want students to miss out on valuable classroom instruction we must also honor their constitutional rights.
The event that took place today is similar to the student lead walk out to address gun control laws that took place at Fordson, and many other schools across the country, shortly after the Parkland High School shooting in Florida."
