Roughly 35 teachers gathered at the entrance of Gunn High School, holding signs clad with messages like “Schools should be sanctuaries” and “You belong,” on January 31st. The rally was in support of Gunn High students who have been affected by the local U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids throughout the Bay Area.
The rally took place before the school day started and was planned just two days prior by education specialist Tim Young, special education and physics teacher TK Hanie, mental health therapist Rosanna Pena and spanish teacher Daissy Tabares.
According to Pena, seeing the number of students who were being affected mentally by the ICE raids was a key motivator for the planners to host the rally.
“It started by us feeling like our students needed a message of hope,” Pena said. “[Students] matter, and we’re going to do whatever it takes to make sure that [they] feel like supported and welcomed.”
Although the rally initially overlapped with a biweekly department meeting, Principal Wendy Stratton allowed teachers to opt out of attending the meeting and gather in support of students instead.
Outside of administrative support, the rally was also well-received by teachers and students alike, according to Young.
The group emphasizes sending a message of hope to students who may feel powerless or scared.
“[The rally] is in response to our community, and it’s for our community,” Young said. “The intent was to bring our community together and not have [ICE raids] fracture or split us up.”
