PASS Student Walkout

Image: Students gathered behind PSU’s #CounselorsNotCops banner

Photo Credits: Steve Ahlquist, UpriseRI

In April, the Providence Student Union (PSU) mobilized a student walkout to demand #CounselorsNotCops. PASS students, along with their friends and allies, came together to stage a powerful two-day walkout to demand change, justice, and the end of the school-to-prison pipeline.

The students of Classical High marched out of class and looped through the city in the pouring rain, protesting all the way. Along their route, they stopped at the Providence Public School Department, the Providence Public Safety Complex, the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE). At each building, students used megaphones to share their experiences and make their demands.

The momentum continued into the second day of the walkout, as participants remained committed to their cause. The protest grew even larger, reaching a wider audience and drawing attention to the urgent issues raised by the students. To see videos of the students’ powerful speeches, go here.

This action was part of our ongoing coalitional campaign, Counselors Not Cops. Since 2018, we’ve been working with several other student organizations to make 4 demands:

  1. Prevent armed officers, security officers, and/or police from being stationed in schools.

  2. Eliminate the eight person SRO presence currently rotating among Providence schools under a contract between the Providence Police Department and the Providence Public School Department.

  3. Use funding currently allocated for SROs within the Providence Police Department to support the hiring of the new health and safety staff described below.

  4. Hire health and safety staff focused on alternative measures for conflict resolution

To read more about the coalition and/or campaign, click here.