LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Students at three Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) walked out of school on Thursday afternoon, according to a JCPS spokesperson, in frustration over abortion restrictions they fear will be implemented soon.
JCPS spokesperson Carolyn Callahan said groups of students from Atherton, duPont Manual and Ballard high schools participated in a walkout, protesting a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion suggesting a conservative majority may overturn Roe v. Wade this summer.
"You don't hear a lot of young women like ourselves talking and speaking our voices," Atherton High student Karenna Longton said. "We're most of the ones affected by these things."
Callahan said at Atherton, most students returned to class after an initial walkout into the courtyard. However, some students chose to leave without permission and were let back into school through a side door by another student.
The school district said those students became disruptive and ran through the auditorium during another class. They were told to leave the building.
Callahan said it is policy that once students leave without permission, they cannot go back inside the school. She said the students who left will not receive disciplinary action but will receive unexcused absences. We're told around 25 students left without permission, although our video showed what looked to be a higher count.
Longton told us the idea started from a conversation among students at lunch.
"I decided it was a really good opportunity for some activism," Longton said.
Meanwhile at Manual, posts on the school newspaper's Twitter page showed dozens of its students marching just outside the building.
Manual alumna Lauren Furjes said she's proud.
"I was glad to see students taking action, and that this was not business as usual," said Furjes, who graduated in 2006. "This is something that affects them. This is something that could affect them while they're students."
Furjes told us during her time at the school, controversial topics often weren't discussed to this length among the student body. She says times have changed.
Soon after the walkouts, the ACLU of Kentucky sent out a letter, urging schools not to penalize students harshly for these actions.
JCPS students have a 3-day weekend, getting the Friday off for Oaks.
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