Defying administrators’ orders, Chesterfield students and employees walked out Friday to protest federal immigration enforcement.

Students at L.C. Bird High School and other Chesterfield County schools were warned of potential disciplinary action if they participated. (Victoria A. Ifatusin/The Richmonder)

Just days before the walkout, teachers were told they could not join the protest.

Chesterfield County Public Schools told employees “that as public school teachers, we are not allowed to be political or make a political opinion,” one teacher told The Richmonder.

Despite that direction, the teacher walked out of L.C. Bird High School with about 40 students on a cold, snowy Friday afternoon.

The teacher, whose name The Richmonder is withholding because of the potential for retaliation, teaches multilingual students. She said her students have become “really scared to come to school” amid increased deportation efforts by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“I have students who are American-born citizens who are coming to school with their passport because their family is afraid that just because they speak Spanish or are Latina, they could be targeted,” she said.

One parent said students who left class later received an email informing them they would be required to serve detention.

The Richmonder contacted a Chesterfield County Public Schools spokesperson for comment but did not receive a response.

“As ESL teachers, it is our job to advocate for our students,” the teacher said. “This is Virginia, this is the state Barbara Johns came from. We just put a statue of her in the Capitol building because she walked out, led a student walkout. How can I as a Virginia educator not look at that and see it as a positive and see it as a Virginia tradition?”

Students wave Mexican flags during Friday’s walkout. (Victoria A. Ifatusin/The Richmonder)

Earlier this month, Chesterfield high school students began organizing a protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. At least two principals sent emails to families discouraging participation and warning of disciplinary consequences.

“I must encourage other nondisruptive civic processes that do not impact the school environment,” one principal wrote.

Students walked out around 2:15 p.m., carrying signs and flags representing countries including Mexico, El Salvador and Puerto Rico.

“No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here,” they chanted.

A 12th grader from Nicaragua said she feared ICE agents were not only targeting “people who are criminals.”

“They are getting residents, U.S. citizens,” she said. “We are all in danger.”

The student said she felt a responsibility to walk out despite those fears.

After arriving in the United States two years ago, she recently completed an English as a second language program. She said immigrants “are not aliens.”

“We deserve to be here. We have dreams.”

This story originally appeared at TheRichmonder.org