Some students at Waverly High School walked out of school while classes were in session to show their support for teachers in the district. The walkout happened around 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 26.
The School District knew about the protest before it happened. They issued a code yellow, meaning that people weren't allowed in or out of the school for security reasons.
Students ignored the code yellow and protested anyway. They protested during their non-academic hour, they were out for about a half an hour or so and then were allowed to return to school.
Anna Shaw helped organized Thursday morning's protest.
"I personally am affected by this because my mom is a teacher at the high school and (we are) a one income family," said Shaw. "Right now I can't even go to the doctor because the $26 deductible that they won't give teachers which a bunch of other districts in the Lansing area have."
The superintendent says it's likely the students will face some sort of discipline, but did not give any specifics.
"These kids did a nice job, they didn't cross the street," said Terry Urquhart, superintendent of Waverly Community Schools. "We've got a right to be worried about their safety so that was our whole issue."
Waverly teachers have been working without a contract since the beginning of the school year and the district is currently involved in contract negotiations with the teachers.
Earlier this week school board members left a board meeting while people in the district were making public comments about the contract situation with the teachers. The school district says it's going to work with the prosecutors office and MSP in their investigation of the board meeting.
The students today demanded another school board meeting be held on Wednesday, and the superintendent intends to work with school board members in trying to facilitate that meeting.
