FORKS — About one-fourth of Forks High School’s student body skipped all or part of school Friday — many apparently encouraged or supported by their parents — during a programmed “walkout” designed to show discontent with how the school is being run.
Several students interviewed Friday evening confirmed that they left campus to protest specifically the leadership of school Principal Steve Quick and Vice Principal Chris Wiseman.
Neither Quick nor Wiseman could be reached for comment Friday or Saturday.
But Quillayute Valley School District Superintendent Frank Walter said Friday evening that he was going to speak with Quick during the weekend to ask about the reasons behind the walkout, which during the school’s third period saw 55 unexcused student absences plus 25 more excused with parent calls.
Forks High School has an enrollment of 320 students.
At the last School Board meeting held March 15, several parents openly criticized policies at the school that some said were too “authoritarian” in nature, among other things.
On Friday, several students echoed concerns that were expressed by parents at the School Board meeting.
Concocted by students
One student who didn’t join the walkout Friday said the action was concocted by other students and designed to protest the school’s administration.
“It was in protest of Mr. Quick and Mr. Wiseman,” said Nina Lau, 16, a junior who is a member of a student leadership group that meets with the principal once a week.
“People want to prove that they don’t like them as administrators.”
Lau said many students feel the administration is overly secretive and keeps students out of decision-making processes to the degree that they feel alienated.
“It’s like they don’t want us to be a part of anything,” Lau said.
“We’re sick of not having our voice heard,” said Kacey Scarlett, 17, a junior who said she participated in the walkout Friday with the backing of her mother.
“This is the only way we had to make a point,” Scarlett said.
“It took a drastic measure to do it and that really sucks.”
“I hate this school the way it is,” said Brandon Blakeslee, another junior.
“It’s not so much the secretiveness of the administration, but they’re enforcing way too many rules without the input of the student body at all.”
Blakeslee, like other students, had his parents call the school to excuse his absence.
Many students complained that the school’s regulations were too strict or unclear, while others want to know, for example, why the school’s popular cheerleading coach Kathy Johnson was recently asked not to come back next year.
Walkout after assembly
Walter was in Sequim on Friday when he first heard about the walkout, he said.
Students had gathered at the end of first period for an assembly honoring the boys’ basketball team that participated in the state basketball tournament.
After that, Walter said, is when many students left campus, some with permission from their parents who called in to excuse them.
“In terms of what purpose it had, there’s been no spokesman or no specific cause that I’ve heard,” Walter said.
“I’ll be discussing it with the high school principal over the weekend.”
