Several Hundred Seattle Students March Against War

By J.J. Jensen

Seattle Times staff reporter

December 6, 2002

Several hundred college and high-school students walked out of classes all around Seattle yesterday afternoon to participate in what they called "the real war on terrorism."

Students took their anti-war and anti-President Bush messages to the streets, marching, chanting and singing from Seattle Central Community College on Capitol Hill to the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building. "I feel it's not necessary to attack other countries and spend billions on war when we don't even have paper and books in our own schools and our education system is No. 14 in the world," said Duwan Tyson, a junior at Nova Alternative High School. "I don't want to see money go toward the destruction of people. I'd like to see it go toward helping people."

Annie Sartor, a 21-year-old women's studies major at the University of Washington, and a member of the Seattle Student Anti-War Coalition, which organized the protest, said the event was partially inspired by the success of an October anti-war rally in Seattle, which drew several thousand people.

This event, she said, was an attempt to show the Bush administration that students aren't supportive of a possible war with Iraq and are concerned about the impact it would have on themselves and others.

Students carried signs such as "No blood for oil," chanted slogans like "Drop Bush, not bombs."

Many midday shoppers shouted encouragement to the students and shot back peace signs, while others scoffed that the students didn't know what they were talking about and were just using the walkout as an excuse to get out of class.

Once students reached the federal building, short speeches were followed by more chants and singing, before the crowd dispersed.

More than a dozen police officers on bicycles monitored the events. Seattle police spokesman Duane Fish said the protest was peaceful and there were no arrests.

Students participating in the walkout were from the UW, Seattle University, Seattle Central Community College, Garfield High, Roosevelt High, Nova, Hazel Wolf School and The Center School.

Some students who chose not to participate questioned the effectiveness of such protests.

"I've gotten a little burnt out on protests at Seattle Central," said 22-year-old student Jonathan Spence. "There's so many, you just stop paying attention. I don't think any politician will say, 'Oh no, there was a protest at Seattle Central, we better change our decisions.' "

Garfield junior James Cruz, who chose not to participate, felt his 100-plus classmates who left school didn't have any effect on a possible war.

Seattle School District officials also did not support students leaving class.

"We recognize that students have strong feelings on this issue. It's an issue many of us have strong feelings about," said district spokeswoman Lynn Steinberg. "But the most important place for students to be during the day is in class with their teachers."

J.J. Jensen: 206-464-2386 or jjensen@seattletimes.com.