Sign up for the Education Option eNewsletter to get exclusive updates on schools.
- Career fairs: After the fair is over (2708)
- Put an end to campus violence before it starts (2663)
- How to let go as a parent when you send your kids back to school (2648)
- Brace yourself: Interest on college loans just got worse (2344)
- Tuition tax credits (1919)
- Mastering the business of business (1913)
- Thinking of getting an MBA? Read this advice. (1838)
- Transforming adult learning (1752)
- Trimester vs. Semester: Which is better for students? (1468)
- Student loans: Repaying what you borrow (1378)
Occupy Wall Street: Students stage walk-out, massive march planned
View Tags
Students at schools across the country were encouraged to get up and leave class at noon today in a show of solidarity for the Occupy Wall Street movement.
OccupyColleges.org listed 75 schools where, apparently, student walk-outs were scheduled. Officials at some schools on the list, like Baruch College and Queens College, were totally unaware of a planned walk-out and said they hadn't noticed anything of the sort when Metro contacted them around 12:30 p.m.
However, an official at Brooklyn College confirmed that she witnessed students leaving class at noon. The Facebook page for the event reads:
Do not go to school! Go fight for yours and everybody elses rights at Occupy Wall Street, Occupy Los Angeles or your nearest Occupation. The time is now to join our fellow %99! Students please walk out and proceed to your common area and protest there. It will draw more attention from other students and faculty. If you are near a local Occupation such as Occupy Los Angeles or Occupy Wall Street join them! I wish we could postpone the date to have more people join however, Occupy Wall Street and Moveon.org are planning big things for Oct. 5th. In addition, there is a statewide walkout in NY on Oct. 5th so we are planning this in solidarity with them. [all sic]
The Occupy Colleges Facebook page also includes several photos that appear to be from other unidentified campuses where students walked out of class at noon. One Facebook user had commented that she was planning to participate at Chapman University.
It's also clear from the @OccupyColleges Twitter account that students at several other schools did participate.
Twitter user OccupyBostonNU tweeted, "Northeastern University showing our #solidarity !!!," with a photo that appeared to be students who participated in the walk-out before staging a protest on campus.
The Occupy Wall Street movement, now well into its third week, is seeing its largest crowd yet. The latest march is planned for today at 4:30 p.m., where protesters say several unions, including TWU Local 100, United Federation of Teachers and the Working Families Party. The march is scheduled to go from Foley Square to the Financial District.
Cassandra Garrison
New York