I was going to hold this post for another day, maybe tomorrow, but the way the news works, unless you’re a celebrity with a family member missing, this story, which I saw first online just yesterday and then noticed it was mentioned on the news, I think would disappear before anyone, especially me, gave it a second, or third, thought. According to this story students at Enumclaw High School in Washington state walked out to hold a protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents actions in arresting illegal aliens. At least two students were arrested one for obstruction as well as assault and resisting arrest for a second student. I discovered after thinking about this incident, I was of two minds.

One part of me says good, these kids need to learn that there are consequences for breaking the law. I believe that neither of these kids will suffer any severe punishment, but a misdemeanor charge, in the case of the assault, is probably minimally warranted. But I do have a question: Are these kids alone responsible for these actions or were adults somehow involved that encouraged this protest to begin with? I mean the teachers. There have been stories about teachers in schools encouraging walkouts to protest immigration enforcement. So, aren’t these teachers, and by that the school district itself, responsible for what happened here? If so, maybe the teachers, no, the school board itself should be charged with inciting a riot. I wonder how that would play on television?

My other mind though, has sympathy for the girl in the photo. Yes, she did something she probably shouldn’t have, but if there were extenuating circumstances, like teachers encouragement in walking out to protest, then can she be held solely accountav=ble? Also, as we all know, because all of us were teenagers at one time, kids go along with other kids just to be part of the group, even if their initial instinct is to not go along. They don’t want to be sen any other way by their peers. Can you imagine if there were any kids that stayed behind and didn’t participate in the walkout? What I’m trying to say here is I do not believe either of these kids understood the possible consequences of participating in something that became, even briefly, out of control.

I don’t think we can necessarily blame parents(upbringing) because that’s an unknown and assuming poor parenting can be used in any circumstance. How about when your teenager comes home with s speeding ticket? Poor parenting? Some might say yes. So I think I can have some empathy for the little girl in the photo without losing perspective on what occurred. It’s important for kids to understand there are always consequences, good or bad, for actions taken without due consideration.