Multiple school walkouts across Oklahoma City in support of death row inmate Julius Jones
From Putnam City North, to John Marshall, and Classen SAS, students decided to take matters into their own hands.
From Putnam City North, to John Marshall, and Classen SAS, students decided to take matters into their own hands.
From Putnam City North, to John Marshall, and Classen SAS, students decided to take matters into their own hands.
At 11 a.m. on Wednesday, multiple schools across the metro held walkouts in support of death row inmate Julius Jones.
From Putnam City North, to John Marshall, and Classen SAS, students decided to take matters into their own hands.
>> Related: Eyes are on Gov. Stitt as execution for death row inmate Julius Jones nears
At Classen SAS High School, students marched in protest inside the Capitol after their 22 minutes of silence.
"It makes me want to cry because 22 years is a long time," senior Denise Garcia Flores said.
Students showed their support and "how emotional this is" after 22 minutes of silence. Some students continued to pray.
"We did our 22 minutes of peace. Then, we started walking and we all had the courage to start walking across the street," she said.
Other students wanted action.
"I think it's a very big thing to think about and to speak. Especially because, as Classen as a family, we like to stand for what's right," she said.
>> Related: Mother of death row inmate Julius Jones visits Capitol, hopes to meet with Gov. Stitt
Students from Classen SAS left campus and marched to the Capitol, including Denise, who told KOCO 5 that she marched today because the story of Julius Jones is similar to those close to her.
They want Julius Jones to live, with less than 24 hours away from his scheduled execution.
"The governor should do something about it…make sure he actually thinks about it," she said.
The principal at Classen SAS sent out an email to families in response to the walkout that stated that staff members traveled with them to help ensure their safety.
"While we respect the right of our students to advocate for causes that are important to them, the decision to leave campus today significantly disrupted school operations and threatened the safety of students and staff. This is very concerning," the letter said.
Students told KOCO 5 that depending on Gov. Kevin Stitt’s decision, they anticipate more walkouts to happen tomorrow.
"Everyone’s watching Oklahoma nationwide. Everyone’s watching, so his next move is very important to everybody," she said.
The school state that OKCPS students are not allowed to leave campus for any reason without permission from a guardian.