On Feb. 7 during lunch, students were seen gathering by the auditorium and exiting through the front gate, causing chaos and confusion on campus.
This student walk-out is a form of protest that not only Millikan students have participated in. Students from Poly, Jordan, Cabrillo, and Lakewood have been taking part in similar activities, all in protest of the new ICE (U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement) policies that came into place shortly before President Donald Trump’s inauguration.
“We became aware of social media saying that there was going to be walk-outs across the district,” says Alex Moreland, an assistant principal here on campus who was in the middle of the action that afternoon. When asked about if the walk-out had anything to do with the recent surge in ICE raids, she said, “I don’t know if that’s why everyone walked out, but yes, that’s what it’s allegedly for, to fight against the immigration policies.”
Moreland firmly stated that ICE is not allowed on any campus in the district and that school security is always on campus to protect students in the event that something were to happen.
Mr. Brown, another assistant principal, also had something to say regarding the event, “I 100% support the first amendment right for an organized peaceful protest.” He also commented on the role that social media played in the protest, saying how it heavily influenced the actions that took place (with students seeing similar protests occurring in schools across Long Beach and executing something similar here on campus).
Several students also had thoughts on the protest that occurred. QUEST sophomores Brianna L. and Isabel W. were very aware of the motivation behind the movement saying, “It’s a protest for immigrated families to make a change in our society.”
Inversely, SEGA sophomore David Ballejo stated, “I feel like [the walk-out] has something to do with the immigration [policies], but I’m not entirely sure.” This statement from Ballejo highlights the confusion surrounding the protest, but an underlying understanding of the root cause due to just how much noise these policies have made throughout the Millikan community.
A video posted by the Long Beach Post on Instagram shows a large group of Poly students marching to Downtown Long Beach in protest of Trump’s immigration policies. They also published an article with further information on the march, featuring several student interviews and photos all in support of immigrant rights.
On Feb. 12 at around 12:45 p.m., there were rumblings of another student walk-out happening, although not nearly as many students participated. The majority of students weren’t even aware that this additional walk was happening, therefore it didn’t cause much of a splash. However, this does show that the conversation is still very active, and another school-wide walk-out isn’t unlikely.
This is not the first, and will definitely not be the last protest of this nature to occur in Long Beach and across the country. Students, especially those whose families have been heavily affected by the new immigration policies, have constantly been vocal on and off of campus and will continue to fight for their friends, families, and communities in the wake of these uncertain times.
John Stout • Mar 14, 2025 at 9:33 am
On March 6, 2025, Nicole Diagle wrote an article titled “Student Walk-Out Confusion”. This article goes into detail about the Millikan High School walkout that occurred on February 7th at lunch. This was a protest against ICE, also known as US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This article did a great job explaining the information to the people who weren’t there or were confused like me, and the article is summarized within a few paragraphs that can be read within minutes. It also quotes school officials and other students on the topic, referencing other schools such as Poly, Jordan, and Lakewood, as they have also participated in these school walkout protests. Unfortunately, while people have to fight for what they voted for, this article made this topic very easy to understand. Although including the source of what happened to spark this whole protest would be helpful, this article still explains everything in very clear detail. Overall, this article is perfect for understanding these events and why they are happening clearly and concisely.
Olivia Zamora • Mar 13, 2025 at 12:41 pm
In the first sentence of the article, the background of what happened on the day of the student walk-out was mentioned, effectively giving the reader context on the situation. Additionally, in the second paragraph, the background is then expanded by explaining the cause of the event, with giving more examples of how it has influenced other schools in the district. Furthermore, the reader is able to gain multiple perspectives on the event, as Daigle included quotes from assistant principals, and students from different pathways. In addition to these quotes, it was clear that Daigle had a neutral stance on the walk-out since the quotes by the students showed two perspectives. The first perspective was that the reason behind the walk-out was known to students, while the second perspective was that the reason was unclear. This allows the reader to be aware of both perspectives, therefore giving the reader a chance to decide whether or not the walk-out was successful. Moreover, hyperlinking the article from the Long Beach Post to the “Student Walk-Out Confusion” was an effective way to help the reader research more the walk-outs happening around Long Beach. All in all, the “Student Walk-Out Confusion” article was very well written, giving sufficient information about the event at Millikan High School.
Kyle Kao • Mar 11, 2025 at 9:27 am
On March 3, 2025, Nicole Daigle wrote an article titled “Student Walk-Out Confusion”. This informative article was written about the district wide walkout on Febuary 7th done by many students. With this article, different opinions and perspectives were revealed on the situation including student and teacher POVs’.
One thing that I wished that was apart of this article is a bit more background information about the policies being put in place by President Trump. As someone who is into politics I have no problem reading this, understanding the background of this article and why it is important to talk about it. For others however, it may be a bit of a struggle to understand where this article is coming from. I’m happy that reporter Daigle choose to put the one line that “…ICE is not allowed on any campus…” to further insure the safety of all students in our school and informed the students of their right to be a human being within our school boundaries. Thank you for addressing this stressing situation.
Christopher Carrion • Mar 10, 2025 at 9:05 pm
On March 3, 2025, Nicole Daigle wrote an article titled “Student Walk-Out Confusion”.This article is very informative and it is also inspiring. The staff of Millikan and the students speaking on this matter is what makes it inspiring. You should include more photos from Millikan and some from other schools to show the inspiring factor of students participating in the protest. You could also add the names of the students who had a big role in the protest. I like how you explain the whole event such as explaining what the protest was for which was ICE and how you provide multiple perspectives from students and the staff who experienced this event. Such as SEGA sophomore David Ballejo stated, “I feel like [the walk-out] has something to do with the immigration [policies], but I’m not entirely sure.” This example is very good and shows us the importance of this protest and this issue that affects the student’s and the Millikan staff.
Mason • Mar 6, 2025 at 1:59 pm
On March 3, 2025, Nicole Daigle wrote an article titled “Student Walk-Out Confusion”. This article provides an informative summary of the student walk-out that took place on the Millikan Campus and the reaction garnered by Millikan students and faculty. Daigle’s addition of the thoughts of Millikan students provides a great perspective of the ideas of those who did not participate in the walk-out. Furthermore, her addition of the thoughts of Millikan faculty, especially those of assistant principals, exhibits first hand accounts of the people who run the campus and how such a rare occurrence made them react.
Moreover, Daigle included a short summary of the reasons that these students were even walking out in the first place. They addressed the new immigration policies implemented by the U.S. government and its enforcement by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as I.C.E. in short. Although this additional information added good background to the article, I believe that the article would have benefited if the author added more details about these immigration policies implemented by President Trump.
Also throughout the article, Daigle speaks on the walk-outs performed by other high schools in Long Beach Unified School District. These high schools include Poly, Jordan, Cabrillo, and Lakewood. The inclusion of these other examples of high school walk-outs happening within the district shows the extent of these protests and much they mean to Long Beach students.
Madeline Palm • Mar 6, 2025 at 1:54 pm
The article describes the recent student walk-out that occurred at Millikan to protest the new ICE policies. I appreciated that the article covered this issue because I know many Millikan students were unaware of the walk-out or didn’t know what was happening. It was interesting to learn about how other schools in Long Beach Unified had also had walk-outs at their schools. I wished that the article spoke more about what the new ICE policies were and how they have been impacting people. Since many students were confused about the event, it would be helpful to give further details about these policies. The article’s inclusion of Millikan’s staff and students’ comments provided valuable perspectives on the situation and demonstrated the importance placed on the students’ safety. Overall, the article is informative and provides an explanation as to what motivated students to perform a walk-out and how other students and staff felt about the event.
Alexander Alvarez • Mar 6, 2025 at 1:28 pm
March 6, 2025
Dear Corydon Editor,
On March 3rd, 2025, Daigle wrote an article titled “Student Walk-Out Confusion”. I like how it goes into detail about the recent walk-outs that have been happening during lunch, but I would like to know what were the new immigration policies that were put into place by ICE? I appreciate the inclusion of photos that show LBUSD students protesting against these policies. I like the vast amount of information it provides about how much it has spread like wildfire, but I would also like for articles like this one in particular, to input in comments made by parents if possible.
To add on, this article does a good job at adding in the thoughts of the students and how they think that these protests were to speak out against President Trump’s new border and immigration policies. This article does an alright job at providing perspectives on the idea, like the thoughts of protesting and expressing their 1st amendment right. Furthermore, this article lacks insight about how this all came about, like how they were able to get out of campus in the first place, and also lacks proper photos showing Millikan students protesting. However, this article does a good job at including in depth information about the protests occurring all around LBUSD schools. All and all, this article is worth the read and provides enough insight about the walk-outs that have been occurring in Millikan and every other school in LBUSD.
Dylan Murray • Mar 6, 2025 at 1:25 pm
On March 3, 2025, Nicole Daigle composed an article entitled “Student Walk-Out Confusion.” This article informs us as the reader about the confusion that occurred on February 7th at lunchtime. Daigle speaks on an event that occurred after the inauguration of Donald Trump, the current president, as a storm of ICE workers began enforcing policies surrounding immigration. Using students and faculty the article states the perspectives seen with the Walk-Out and how many commented or showed their concerns towards it.
Additionally, I like how Daigle can use both students and faculty to show their own given perspective as the world continues to change. As Mr. Brown an assistant principal stated “I 100% support the First Amendment right for an organized peaceful protest.” he further commented on how the students as a union were able to band together and form a protest that was heard across the nation. Furthermore, knowing through the faculty and staff I have a sense of safety at this school as Alex Moreland another assistant principal firmly stated that “ICE is not allowed on any campus in the district and that school security is always on campus to protect students in the event that something were to happen.” All in all, I enjoyed the article made by Nicole Daigle as it followed my interest in going into the diversity and problems that come with a new presidency.
Fletcher Rosenberg • Mar 6, 2025 at 1:21 pm
On March 3, 2025, Nicole Daigle wrote an article titled “Student Walk-Out Confusion”. This was well written which helped to shed light on the recent walkouts. During times like this, it is important to know the truth and the reasons behind why things are happening. Daigle did a good job of highlighting students’ and teachers’ opinions on why this was happening.
It may have been beneficial to incorporate references to the exact politics that were being protested and add some context to why they were being in place. For example, quotes from Trump or inclusions of the resulting ICE raids could have added to the understanding of why the protests happened.
That said, thank you to the author for working to explain the cause of these walkouts. During these uncertain times, it is very important to have a strong awareness of what is happening, not only about yourself but to everyone.
Alex Sok • Mar 6, 2025 at 12:01 pm
On March 3, 2025, Nicole Daigle wrote an article titled “Student Walk-Out Confusion.” I find that something the article does well is the inclusion of a variety of perspectives on the protests, and especially the interviews of a variety of people at Millikan. It’s important when trying to maintain an objective stance that you consider as many thoughts on a situation, and the article does that well. I am slightly concerned about the length of the introductory statement. Although it’s brief and to the point, I feel like it may be important to include the context of this being one of many going on around the country in order to highlight the magnitude and importance of the walkouts. Something that may help the article is to include factual information for reasons that students in Long Beach may feel obligated to speak out against the ICE policies. An enhancement could include a more in-depth look on what exactly these new policies are meant to do, especially about the deportations going on around the United States. Generally, I’m not surprised that these protests have happened, and it’s assuring that students are able to freely voice their opinions and make drastic decisions to make their stances clear. My only question is: what actions will these kids take in the future to challenge legislations?
Joey Luna • Mar 6, 2025 at 11:35 am
Dear Cordyon Editor,
I really liked how you mentioned the walk out that happened throughout the many schools of LBC. A lot of information was covered over the possible cause of the walk-out, which included the political views of the immigration (ICE) process and the leave of many minorities in the country. The student walkout was definitely a bold statement and move by our youth, and was a great representation of our youthful care for politics. With this news article, however, I wish there was more information on the students opinions and personal views on the walk out. There was a few interviews, however, they provided little to no information on why we chose to walk out. Instead there was information on what might have caused it, but still, none on why we might choose to protest at such a young age.
Sincerely,
Joseph Ramirez-Luna
Brandon Flores • Mar 6, 2025 at 10:03 am
March 6, 2025
Dear Corydon Editor,
The student journalist wrote the February 7, 2025, article entitled “Student Walk-Outs in Protest of New Immigration Policies.” The article is good in bringing out the activism and solidarity of students from different schools, like Millikan, walking out to protest the new policies by ICE. It is incredible to see students so involved in political processes, especially considering that social media has provided them with a platform to make themselves heard.
One thing I’d like to address is the confusion surrounding the reason behind the protest, as noted by SEGA sophomore David Ballejo. While it’s clear that immigration policies were a major factor, the lack of understanding about the purpose of the protest calls for more education and clarification. Perhaps future reporting could focus more on explaining the intricacies of the policy and the specific effects it has on students and their families.
Also, it would be wonderful to get more student perspectives in articles like this one because it adds to the diversity of opinion on such an important issue. The article is a good start but could be improved with more interviews from a wider variety of students, especially those whose families are personally impacted by immigration policies, if they are willing to speak on this sensitive topic.
Sincerely,
Brandon Flores
Gabriel Romero • Mar 6, 2025 at 9:53 am
On March 3, 2025, Nicole Daigle wrote an article titled “Student Walk-Out Confusion”. I am praising the fact that you wrote an article about an issue in our world. High school students are so involved with social media and are caught up with today’s news and problems. I like how you interviewed a variety of people that go to Millikan, such as vice principals, students from different pathways, etc. One thing that I wish you could have elaborated on is talking more about Trump’s immigration policy. As a student who doesn’t read/watch the news frequently, I wish there was more explanation on the policy, such as its main topic and where the policy is effective immediately. One thing that you can do to strengthen this article is to give more information on the immigration policy. I suggested it in a previous sentence, but more specifically in the opening paragraph. This will give the readers more insight and information about the topic and have a better understanding of it.
Maycol Serrano • Mar 6, 2025 at 9:52 am
On March 3rd, 2025, Nicole Daigle wrote an article about, “Student Walk-Out Confusion.” This article was very interesting to read, as it talks about the recent events during February and with Mexicans mostly and ICE. I like how you mentioned what students did at Millikan and even explained what was going on with other schools and their students like Poly and Cabrillo. The photo that was included was also a great example of what was going on in Poly, as it showed the students of that school walking down, which seems to be in the middle of Long Beach, and I also like this photo cause it has recognizable faces that I knew about since we were in elementary school. Also thank you for letting us know how this was impactful to the people around the school to see these students moving around even though they should be in school, and how the article also lets us know how the staff members of the schools also understood the assignment of this whole protest.
Tiffany To • Mar 5, 2025 at 3:05 pm
March 5, 2025
Dear Corydon Editor,
On March 3rd, 2025, Nicole Daigle wrote an article titled, “Student Walk-Out Confusion”. It first captured my interest because I was curious about what Daigle had to say about the huge walkout on February 7th that I witnessed and that people I know participated in. Having a school newspaper cover such a controversial event was refreshing to see and reminded me of how lucky we are to have a (mainly) uncensored outlet for students to report and write about what they want and the occurrences they want. In this article, Daigle covers and summarizes the causes and motives of the walkout, but through interviews with numerous students and teachers, that the real reason for the walkout is uncertain.
This is one major critique I have with this article. I wish that it went deeper into why people were so unsure about the motivation behind the walkout and what they thought it was about. In addition, I wish Daigle elaborated upon the immigration policies the Trump Administration enacted that warranted this movement and response. Not only would it be a way to educate people about what is changing in the country, but it would also bring depth to the cause and give the reader a better understanding. My last critique is that I wish a photo of Millikan students walking out that day were used instead of Poly students, in addition to one of a district wide protest, as it would demonstrate the school’s community and their unity in the cause that spans district-wide.
Nevertheless, Daiga did a fantastic job at synthesizing this information and I applaud her bravery for writing about such a “contentious” issue many are afraid to speak out on. Her writing is reassuring that the district and the school will not allow ICE to jeopardize the safety and well-being of their students. I hope to see more of her writing and what is to come in her future.
Sincerely,
Tiffany To
Pete Wilson • Mar 5, 2025 at 1:34 pm
On March 3, 2025, Nicole Daigle wrote an article titled “Student Walk-Out Confusion”. This article greatly provides their audience the veiwpoint of students during this event, and how their protests have caused for a large impact on immagration policies that have been implemented in the US. I learned that these walkouts were held to show support to immagrant families. The article also showed our school district’s response to the walk-out. The author added an assistant principal named Mr. Brown’s commentary giving readers insight to how Millikan’s staff viewed the walk-out. Though it is mentioned that few students did participate whithin the walkouts. Is the reason for this students lack of knowledge to the walkout’s occuring, or fearing that these actions would not cause an impact? The author used feedback from those who participated and didnt participate in the walkout to try to figure this question out. The article also makes good use of outside evidence to support its claims.
Kennedy woodard • Mar 5, 2025 at 1:15 pm
On March 3, 2025, Nicole Daigle wrote an article titled “Student Walk-Out Confusion”. The article was very informative and gives a summarization of the recent Student Walk-out that occurred on February 7th. Additionally, the article reveals the different perspectives and opinions that students and teachers have to say about the walk-out.
However, I was slightly confused about Trump’s new policies and I wish the article went into greater detail. I also wish there was a photo of Millikan Students participating in the Walk-out rather than Poly students, because the first photo of the article looks as if students are regularly walking to class.
Even so, did learn about my right as an American citizen under the first amendment to peacefully protest and ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) does not jeopardize the safety and well-being of immigrant students. I greatly appreciate your bravery to speak up on such a political and divisive issue that is occuring in our own country. We need more articles as such.
Katelyn • Mar 5, 2025 at 1:13 pm
On March 5, 2025, Nicole Daigle wrote an article titled “Student Walk-Out Confusion”. This article is not only inspiring but is alerting students on campus. I appreciated the facts and logistics that Daigle included in this article, especially when involving the information on when it took place, which is after Trump’s inauguration, as well as the people’s words she included. Having assistant principles, and other staff members on campus, speak on the protest and how they are only concerned in the safety of the students is a very powerful factor that she added in this article.
Additionally, I really liked how she was able to add the names and professions of the staff she included in her writing. Something I wish I had seen more of is thoughts of the students that were participating in the protest and others who stayed in the school during the protest. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed and was intrigued throughout the whole piece and it kept my interest until the end.
Keisha Redrico • Mar 5, 2025 at 1:07 pm
On March 3, 2025, Nicole Daigle composed an article entitled “Student Walk-Out confusion.” This article does a great job at providing an insightful viewpoint on the student protests taking place, showing how the walk-outs of these students have created an impactful form of expression in regards to the immigration policies. I can also infer that this article does an admirable job at using outside sources like the Long Beach Post’s coverage, which constitutes the community’s involvement with the situation. However, it would be helpful to explore this confusion further as it does not elaborate much on the particular impact these policies have had on the student body. A suggestion I can impose is that more context about the policies can be provided so that the reader has a better knowledge on the issue at hand. Furthermore, it could be beneficial to impose on what steps the school district implemented to assure the welfare of undocumented students. This will potentially reassure the worries that the readers may have on the safety of immigrant families. With regard to the walk-out, it is mentioned that very few students participated, which creates questions in mind. Was it because of the worries about the effectiveness of these protests or the lack of awareness of the whole situation? In conclusion, the enhancement of this article offers a very balanced perspective of the possible long-term effects of such protests.
Kate Luna • Mar 5, 2025 at 10:04 am
On March 3, 2025, Nicole Daigie wrote an article titled “Student Walk-Out Confusion”. The article is very informative for those who were confused over the hectic event that occurred on February 7th. The author did well in maintaining a neutral stance that can appeal to any reader. I learned that the walk-out was in support of immigrant families and against the new U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies. As well as, our school district’s response to the walk-out. By adding Mr. Brown’s, an assistant principal, commentary gave readers an insight to how Millikan staff viewed the walk-out. He supported the protest as a form of peaceful demonstration and remarked on the significant role social media played in the event. I would have liked to see an interview with a teacher, how they may view the protests as affecting their students education. Overall this article is well written, unbiased, and through the use of quotes provides a deeper insight to the readers of Millikan High School Corydon.
Marisa Ramos • Mar 5, 2025 at 9:28 am
Daigle did a wonderful job of addressing Millikan’s student walk-outs and the several district-wide walk-outs that happened throughout LBUSD. The first walkout that Millikan had, I was not even fully aware that it had happened. The only reason why I knew there was a walkout was when my mom asked me about it when I got home from school.
Shortly after, I started seeing posters in the girl’s bathroom about the second walkout, but it seemed like there wasn’t a big turnout for it. I’m glad that the students here at Millikan are aware of the issues that are going on and are using their voices to speak out about them. But, I would also like to see more organized protests and walkouts where more people know about it. If word about future upcoming protests or walk-outs gets spread more quickly and everyone is aware, then these events would become more successful, and more students are able to spread the message.
Regardless, Daigle did an incredible job of shining the spotlight on an issue that is affecting the majority of Millikna’s student population and their families.
Adeline Melena • Mar 5, 2025 at 9:26 am
On March 3, 2025, Nicole Daigle wrote an article called, “Student Walk-Out Confusion”. This article provides information regarding the student walk-out that took place February 7, 2025 during lunch where students were seen gathered near the auditorium exiting the school. Daigle provides multiple perspectives from students and staff who witnessed the event expressing both their confusion and their support. Daigle explains that the meaning behind the walk-out is a way to protest against new ICE policies that came into place after Donald Trump’s inauguration.
My favorite line was , “This is not the first, and will definitely not be the last protest of this nature to occur in Long Beach and across the country.” This quote helps to bring awareness to the severity of current issues going on in the world and highlights the impact it has on the students at our school. Daigle explains that this is not only happening at Millikan, but there were walk-outs at Poly, Jordan, Cabrillo, and Lakewood in which students came together and stood against the policies that are affecting families and friends.