In moments when policies and current events feel personal or urgent, staying silent is easier than speaking up. Yet, silence is never neutral; it signals resignation to the status quo. The recent student walkout protesting ICE’s actions serves as a reminder that voicing your opinions is not a departure from your civic responsibilities but an expression of them.

Protest has long served as one of the most powerful ways citizens can communicate their moral concerns, from the Boston Tea Party to the March on Washington. Change begins and ends with the people.  Protests and walkouts let our community know that this issue matters to us. It lets those around us understand that our futures matter more than any single class that we may miss. For many of our students, immigration enforcement is much more than a headline; it is a reality that shapes families and friendships.

Student activism often precedes major social changes. We rightly celebrate young people who challenged injustice; therefore, we should follow in their footsteps and turn the world into a better future.

While we believe that standing up for what you believe in is essential, making a statement shouldn’t come lightly. There are consequences you must take in order to give the activism meaning. A protest that costs nothing risks becoming performance over principle. The weight of a statement often comes from what someone is willing to sacrifice for it: classes, tests, disciplinary action.

Being responsible citizens of the world entails action alongside awareness. If education is meant to prepare us for citizenship, then we cannot postpone our civic engagement until adulthood. If we, as a society, are serious about preparing the youth to shape the world we will inherit, adults should also respect our right to shape it now.