High school students lead new wave of anti-Trump protests

What kind of president Donald Trump will be remains a big question mark, but there’s no question when it comes to how some students feel about the president-elect.

High school students are now leading a new wave of anti-Trump demonstrations on the Central Coast and across the country.

Hundreds marched the streets of Santa Cruz and Salinas on Monday, marking the sixth day of protests since election night.

About 100 students from Harbor High School walked out of their classes.

“We are proud of students who want to exercise their voice, and our job is to protect them and give them space to do that,” said Principal Tracey Runaere.

The school says teachers and staff remain politically neutral, but believe demonstrations like this one will raise students’ political awareness.

“I think it’s pretty exciting to live in a time when we are raising a generation of voters. The fact that students have this energy and momentum means that they are going to be politically active when they turn 18, and we are pretty excited about that,” Runaere said.

Students at Everett Alverez High School also staged a peaceful rally. Some teachers did not allow students to leave while others walked around the Northridge Mall holding homemade signs against Trump.

And it wasn’t just on the Central Coast. In Los Angeles and Portland, Oregon, students as young as 12 were on the streets calling for equality and respect for the next four years.

“We feel like we need our voices heard for things like Donald Trump winning the presidency and LGBTQ rights and rights for people of all races,” said seventh grader Liam Creswell of Portland.

Most middle and high school students weren’t old enough to vote, but they didn’t let age stop them from participating in the political process.