On Thursday morning, several hundred Pittsburg High School students staged a walkout protesting the election of Donald Trump.
Update to this story: 3 students arrested (click here)
Students walked from Pittsburg High School all the way through Century Plaza, down Sycamore Drive and ended up at Antioch High School where they entered the campus.
Police and school staff were able to get the students off campus, however, the proceeded to march around the school and onto Antioch city streets knocking over trash cans and vandalizing property.
According to several parents who reached out to this publication, they stated Pittsburg High School Principal Todd Whitmire was encouraging students to protest and even encouraging a “f–k Trump” chant by students.
Antioch Unified School District superintendent Stephanie Anello confirmed that the students were from Pittsburg and that school staff was trying to get students off the campus who did not belong. She stated it had been reported the source of the rally was from Principal Whitmire but did not offer any other details. She also could confirm he was the source of the rally
Antioch Police Chief Allan Cantando also confirmed the students were from Pittsburg, however, said he couldn’t provide more information as his concern was to ensure student safety. It’s anticipated he will release more information this afternoon.
Here is a statement released by Antioch High School Principal Louie Rocha:
I want to commend our school staff for their collective effort in securing our campus during the School Lockdown. Thanks to the team work of our site safety security, front office staff, teachers, school administrators and students we were able to prevent our students from being in harm’s way of a large number of Pittsburg High School students who walked out of school this morning and attempted to enter our campus.
There was a small group of Pittsburg students who were able to gain access via the Don Richardson Gym entrance. The non-students ran through the PE area and exited out of campus on to 18th Street. The Antioch and Pittsburg Police Departments arrived on site to prevent the non-students from disrupting our school day. We had a small number of AHS students who exited the main entrance gate to join the unruly crowd. However once I informed them that I was going to lock down the school preventing them from re-entering they decided to return to campus without incident. The Pittsburg High School students continued down 18th and G Streets.
The lockdown continued because the non-students returned back to 18th Street in front of our main entrance and were escorted by the Antioch and Police Departments back to L Street in the direction of the city of Pittsburg. At that point, classes were released to their regular school schedule to their 5th period classes or first lunch.
I am proud of the team work demonstrated today and our students conduct when faced with unruly students from another high school. I am looking forward to the Veteran’s Day Holiday, and wish all of you an enjoyable weekend with your family and friends.
Louie Rocha
Principal of Antioch High School
12:50 pm Update
The following is a statement issued by Pittsburg Unified School District Superintendent Janet Schulze confirming they were Pittsburg High School students.
This Presidential election has been especially emotional. In dealing with differences and moving forward, we have to respect feelings and work in community. Today some of our high school students, like many across the Bay Area and country, organized, via social media, a peaceful protest and walk-out to protest the Presidential election.
The District always prefers to have all students in class, however, we do understand some students are passionate about the recent election.
Our staff and Pittsburg Police Department followed procedures to insure their safety, which is always a top priority. Some of the students returned to the high school and a group of approximately 200 students headed towards Antioch High School. The District informed Antioch High School and sent busses to pick up students outside Antioch High School.
Unfortunately, a small number of the students were unresponsive to directives to return to school and get on the bus. Another group of students decided to walk back to the high school. Those situations will be managed on an individual basis and students will receive appropriate consequences for their behaviors.
At this time, students have returned to school. We appreciate the professionalism and cooperation of the Antioch High School staff and the Antioch Police Department in working with us and the Pittsburg Police Department to insure all students remain safe.
3:56 pm Update
27 comments
Fire Todd now!
Vandalizing the local community- that’ll impeach the president! Idiots
Most these kids are just being followers. They don’t even know what’s really going on. They just wanted to get out of school. These parents really need to have a sit down with them.
Todd is teaching the students that skipping school is not civil disobedience in his matter of conscience. That’s not the message I want him or any other school administrator or teacher teaching the children. If he doesn’t like the outcome of the election, too bad. President-elect Trump, for all his faults, beat Hillary Clinton fairly. What does that say about her? The American people have spoken.
Well, yes and no. Mrs. Clinton won the popular vote, which is the voice of the people. Mr. Trump won the electoral vote, which is politicians aligning districts so that they might win without actually winning.
The Electoral College was created for two reasons. The first purpose was to create a buffer between population and the selection of a President. The second as part of the structure of the government that gave extra power to the smaller states.
The first reason that the founders created the Electoral College is hard to understand today. The founding fathers were afraid of direct election to the Presidency. They feared a tyrant could manipulate public opinion and come to power.
Alexander Hamilton and the other founders believed that the electors would be able to insure that only a qualified person becomes President. They believed that with the Electoral College no one would be able to manipulate the citizenry. It would act as check on an electorate that might be duped. Hamilton and the other founders did not trust the population to make the right choice. The founders also believed that the Electoral College had the advantage of being a group that met only once and thus could not be manipulated over time by foreign governments or others.
The red/blue map from this most recent presidential election just proves the founding father’s reasoning.
A chance for dialogue and a teachable moment lost in chaos. You cupcakes are encouraged by an academia that refuses to teach tolerance, respect, the rules of society and laws of this nation. If it doesn’t go your way then you are encouraged to go ghetto on the rest of us. You score no points with this mentality. you want change then do something positive for yourself and your community. Learn, work hard and apply yourself and you will succeed. This is how America works and the orderly transition of power is awed throughout the world. I don’t recall any spontaneous demonstrations, freeway blockages, or near riot conditions when Obama won his two terms, and he only had a 50% mandate. Why now?
I’m not a Trump supporter, but a principal should encourage kids to stay in school.
Of course people didn’t protest when Obama won. Trump discriminates against everyone except rich, white men. That’s why people are ticked off. Hello!
He did encourage kids to stay in school. But since a bunch of kids wouldn’t listen and went anyway, he went to make sure they were safe
Dear Janet Schulze,
1. Knocking over trash cans, vandalizing property and trespassing is NOT considered peaceful behavior to most sensible people.
2. “…to insure their safety…” It’s e-n-s-u-r-e (to make certain of obtaining or providing something) not i-n-s-u-r-e (to cover with an insurance policy).
3. The allegations against Principal Todd Whitmire are serious and should be investigated (though I have little faith that they will be).
4. I trust you will do the right thing and not bill the taxpayers for this little free speech exercise by ENSURING the participants are all marked absent today, right? Right?
5. When are you up for re-election?
I am appalled how an article like this can be published without validation. Mr. Whitmire did all he could to quell what could have been a potentially threatening and possibly dangerous situation. Before school started he alerted all of the teachers about a possible walkout of the student body because of a screenshot that a student posted. Although Mr. Whitmire instructed students and staff to stay in the class, many students walked out and gathered in the quad. Of the 3,400 students that attend PHS about 250 began to gather. Mr. Whitmire discouraged NOT encouraged the music/chant of the popular rap song “F” Donald Trump by pulling the plug on the music. He explained to the gathering the importance of peaceful protest but also the importance of trusting the Democratic system of electing officials. Most of the students returned to class peacefully and some decided to march forward leaving campus. Mr. Whitmire taped an announcement to be played during fourth period and can still be seen on the PHS server. The message is one of positivism.
At lunch the students did not gather in protest but danced to cultural music. BSU steppers planned a routine several weeks ago to be performed at lunch in the quad, and continued with the performance “business as usual”. Again proving Mr. Whitmire, the VPs and CRAs handled what could have been a disastrous situation with professionalism and expertise.
The group of students that left campus numbered less than 70 (less then 2% of PHS’s population). They were followed closely by PHS CRA’s and officials as they marched in protest.
Equally appalling is the video included in this article leads readers to believe this was the PHS students when in fact it was AHS students chanting F Donald Trump.
This is just a lack of journalistic integrity at its finest!
Thanks for filling in some of the details that the author of the article omitted.
Fuck trump and stop with all that fire todd because todd know whats right its a freedom of speech
People voted for Trump because they are tired of the disrespect and lack of support for laws and police!
Peaceful ?? Not from what I saw, I had the unfortunate experience of 10 of these “peaceful” protesters surround the car I was in and scream racist remarks and told I must love Trump because I was white. I am in no way a Trump supporter, and I am in no way a racist. Its is truely a shame that those unruly individuals had to cause violence and damage to people that felt the exact same way they did. As far as the principal, at the very least he should be suspended without pay for letting his students comit the acts that lead to their arrest, but how many of you or your parents did the same things in the late 60’s ????????????????????
I LOVE THIS COUNTRY AND ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO VOICE YOUR OPINION, AND DEMAND A RECALL OF PRESIDENT ELECT TRUMP.
This country was founded on the power of the people, its time the government was reminded of that.
Recall now? Maybe more of the people who felt your way should have voted. Do you want a do over? Should we all vote again?
I’m just curious to know exactly what was it that people were passionate of towards this election? Was it the fact that Hillary Clinton would have been the first female president? Because to me both were horrible candidates and we had to pick one or the other. Yeah she was close but so were the Warriors against the Cavs. And yes I went there cause I was passionate about seeing the warriors make it to the playoffs twice in a row
Principal had nothing to do with the kids leaving campus and going on other school grounds.He was only with them to ensure their safety. He was just doing his job in keeping your children safe.
The right of free speech does not include the right to throw childish temper tantrums that harm people or damage property!
Are you people serious? Hillary Clinton’s lifelong mentor was Robert Byrd, a KKK recruiter and you folks call Donald Trump a racist? This woman panders to the black community by telling them she carries “hot sauce” in her purse believing it will help her connect with black folks and don’t get me started on how she uses her “black voice” when she campaigned at black churches.
Hillary Clinton had her maid printing out classified material from her unsecured computer in her SCIF room and we all know what we found out from Wikileaks’s.
Hillary & Bill Clinton raised billions of dollars for Haiti and the only help they received was two new soccer fields and a warehouse and hundreds of thousands of people are still living in tents and shantytowns while the Clintons are enjoying their mansion in upper state New York.
Hillary Clinton has made it crystal clear that she doesn’t have a problem with a woman aborting her baby at any time during her pregnancy even in the ninth month.
Hillary Clinton has lied repeatedly and has been caught in her lies and just laughs it off like it’s no big deal. How many jobs has Hillary created in her thirty years of public service? Zero
Donald Trump may have has issues but they pale in comparison to the sickness of the “deplorable” Hillary Clinton.
Hillary Clinton lost and Donald Trump won. Grow up and get over it. Hillary and her cry baby supporters believe she was owed the Presidency just because she is a woman. Yeah, right! Hillary was indeed the most corrupt, untrustworthy person to EVER run for President and the Democratic Party got exactly what it deserved. Goodbye and good riddance.
Now stop whining, complaining and crying and accept the fact that Donald Trump is POTUS.
Very well said Gary. Does all of this stem from people growing up believing that everyone wins? When there is a race, someone wins and others don’t. Against all odds and corruption, Donald Trump won. Look at the map of the states. A vast majority of states are red. Are you protestors saying the only votes that matter are the coastal states with the largest populations and that the rest if the US are disenfranchised? This is the first election I truly understand the electoral college and see the need for it. All votes matter. Even those who voted for Trump. It has nothing to do with ethnicity. It has to do with who people thought would be best to lead our country.
If you or I had done a small fraction of the crimes Hillary has committed we would have been locked up a long time ago.
Hillary is a traitor to our country and had she been elected there would have been a “for sale” sign billboard on the front lawn of White House to buy our nations secrets.
If there is any justice, Hillary Clinton will be indicted, tried, convicted, and spend the rest of her miserable life in prison!!!
Do you notice how many Pittsburg students railing against the folks who are angry about this walkout can’t even spell “principal?” I believe they need to spend more time in English class than in screaming “F&@& Trump!”
People fail to realize that the kids were going to do what they wanted regardless so they would feel they were able to voice their opinion. Had he not gone he would have been a bad principal for letting them go. Because he went he’s wrong for being there. At the end of the day this was something put together by the students so maybe the parents (parent of two Pittsburg High freshman) should check their kids about what standing up for what you believe in & not being disrespectful to ones property. Maybe if you communicated with your kids or were involved with their social media or even with their friends you would know half of what your child is feeling or that this was going to happen. There may have been a few who got out of control but that goes with everything there is always someone who ruins it for everyone. Calling the adults names as well as the kids that just reminds the kids that some people feel you shouldn’t have an opinion or a voice. That’s wrong, these kids need to know that going forward yes a peaceful protest is the way having quad time to speak out your feelings about issues in the world it starts when they are young. These kids weren’t forced this was their choice. Telling them your opinion doesn’t matter till your grown that’s dumb. I’m proud of my daughter for walking peacefully, my son was home ill otherwise he would have been there. The people who weren’t there should know the media next to never reports the whole truth. My apologies to those who’s personal property or feelings were damaged or hurt by the unnecessary actions of those few kids who caused havoc just to feel some type of way maybe those kids parents should be talking with their kids more. But to blame the principal who walked with the kids to ensure safety just as the other cities administrators and staff did that’s just wrong. Antioch did participate I have video from people’s kids because I am on their social media because I am an active parent. Don’t let Antioch portray their school was not involved thank Kron 4 for putting out all the schools involved. Their principal said stay at school but they are very aware not all their students did. Some joined in with Pittsburg as other cities did the same in their areas. Don’t be fooled by this article Mr. Whitmire was just put between the rock & a hardplace & decided if these were my kids I would rather be there to protect as many as I can than not. Thank you for making sure my child was safe PHS staff & administrators.
Maybe all those children should have been sent to their “safe space” so that they could once again be placed in a bubble to protect them from the real world. The real world has a constitution and laws to protect us from anarchists such as those that “peacefully” demonstrate by destroying others’ property and rights.
I don’t understandhow that many students could leave campus, WALK 3 1/2 miles and not be stopped by police? You don’t walk that far in 5 minutes. You don’t legally leave campus without proper parental permission. There are strict legal regulations and procedures for taking a student off campus. Otherwise they are truant.
Principal Todd Whitmire needs to be fired because he participated… so if a child got hurt off campus during this unapproved activity the district could be faced with a big lawsuit.
@ Frances Webster … I agree with you, there must be legal regulations and procedures for taking a student off campus. You don’t legally leave campus without proper parental permission.
So what is the District doing about this?
I am a teacher at this school. I am also witness to the positive message Mr. Whitmire gave to our students and in giving them a way to peacefully protest their own beliefs. In no way did he encourage students to leave campus and disrupt the lives of private citizens or the education at Antioch High School. I was actually impressed that Mr. Whitmire gave this message to our start of the school day, preemptively preventing more students from walking out. Our students are worried about their futures and have a right to express themselves. Todd even sent a bus to pick up the students and return them to school. I just wish that the few who were so overcome with fear and hate would have done so in a more productive way. They are kids, however, and just learning now about what the world really thinks of them… and they haven’t even graduated yet. For parents, Pittsburg is a safe school and one our security staff works harder than any other group I have witnessed to keep it that way, but I hope parents continue to talk with their teenagers about their feelings and share their own stories to help them during today’s heightened post-Election feelings and the importance of staying at school during the school day.
Comments are closed.