NELSON COUNTY, Ky. — In the heart of Nelson County, teachers, principals, bus drivers and students stood together for a separated future.
Pumping his fist in the air, Terrence Miles chanted "united we stand," surrounded by players on the basketball team he coaches at Thomas Nelson High School.
"We're for two schools, giving kids opportunities, because they only get one chance in life to try out for basketball, to try out for football," he said.
He and other teachers there expressed support for Nelson County Schools Superintendent Wes Bradley. They supported his original plan to build middle schools on high school campuses, but a school board vote altered its course.
Now, the district is moving forward to merge Nelson County High and Thomas Nelson High.
"By taking it away, by merging together," Miles said. "You're taking away their future."
A carousel of support came from the town as horns blared throughout the morning and afternoon. Semi trucks and cars circled the protesting crowd for hours at the courthouse.
Later, the crowd marched to a nearby law office where school board member Amanda Deaton works. There, they chanted "do you hear us?" Tuesday night, Deaton voted in favor of merging the two high schools.
Mandy Puyear, principal at Old Kentucky Home, said the board hasn't heard them.
In February, she read a letter signed by all twelve principals in the school system. In it, they shared disagreements with the merger plan.
"We all wrote a letter to share our concerns with the board's behavior and the way they were making decisions," she said.
But Thursday's district-wide protest came at a cost, leaving many students at home or in childcare.
"I would rather them be in school," Puyear said. "But the reality of it is—I cannot trust our board members that are making decisions about our schools, so that's why I have to stand up today."
Holly Smith, a house leader at Thomas Nelson High, agreed.
PHOTOS: Nelson County educators, students protest board decision
"I'm out here today to advocate for our students," Smith said. "But there are a vast majority of students in our district who don't have the means to come out here, and be present, and have their voice seen and heard. And those are the students we're more-or-less fighting for today."
It's one day of learning lost, following Wednesday's student walkout, and the district announced Thursday afternoon that Friday's classes are canceled as well.
"In two months down the road, we'll probably be in the same boat because we have board members that aren't listening," Smith said.
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