Students, Employees Walk Out In Protest Of Ferguson
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Activists called for students and employees nationwide to walk out Monday in protest over the Ferguson situation.
Since a grand jury declined to indict Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson -- who resigned this weekend -- in the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown last Monday, there have been protests and demonstrations across the nation, including Los Angeles, where activists stopped traffic on freeways several nights in a row.
Los Angeles police have arrested more than 300 people over three days last week, some of whom complained they never heard orders to disperse before they were arrested.
One of the planned protests was outside LAPD's Newton Division over controversial police deaths, including the shooting of Ezell Ford in August.
Los Angeles Unified School District police Chief Steven Zipperman says if students leave school grounds to join the protest, they will be considered truant.
"We want to encourage our kids to be able to stay on our campuses, promote the healthy dialogue and discuss these issues within the campus environment," he said.
Zipperman says district officials believe allowing students to air their thoughts and feelings on campus is a good compromise that preserves their First Amendment rights.
