By Max Nordman
As of 2026, Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations have reached an all-time high, sparking a series of protests nationwide and taking an effect on education systems, including some of the schools of Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Tasiana Neer, a student at Wayne High School, expressed her concerns regarding recent political events and ICE’s actions.
“It scares me to know that they have been approaching schools where minors attend in an attempt to deport people,” she mentioned.
Those concerns are shared by other students and faculty members in area schools.
Starting in February, students and staff at local FWCS schools in Indiana joined together for weeks of walkouts, protests, and other events to speak out against the perceived harm and violence perpetrated by ICE.
Some schools involved in the recent protests include South Side High School and Wayne High School.
On Feb. 7, the students at South Side formed a walk out. The protest quickly sparked a pattern amongst the other schools in the district.
At Wayne High School, students and staff held their own protest on Feb. 12. They walked out of their classes and onto the baseball field closest to the school, and shared concerns about the work and possible risks they faced when discussing political issues.
“We didn’t think we would get approval honestly,” said Chloe Ruckman, a senior at Wayne. “It was surprising that our principal agreed to it.”
According to Ruckman, it was difficult to pinpoint who had started the initial protest idea. Many of the students had claimed that social media posts started circulating after South Side’s protest on Feb. 2.
The first social media post, dated Feb. 3, was posted by an anonymous Instagram account and suggested a walkout at Wayne High School. Different posts involving plans, routes, sign ideas, and staff involvement all came into fruition soon after.
Several students were caught off guard by the number of teachers and adults who wanted to be involved with the protest. But a large group of students also found that they themselves did not care about political matters, and just wanted an excuse to skip school for the rest of the day instead.
“You know it’s crazy when the students do something about it,” said Aaron Rehrer, a teacher at Wayne. “I’ve been working here for years, and I don’t think we’ve ever had a walkout like this.”
Their efforts strive to hold the ICE administration accountable for the perceived misuse of power within the nation since the 2024 election. More than ever people have increased concerns of being at risk of injury, murder, deportation, kidnap, assault, and more from ICE.
Certain groups in society have banded together to fight against ICE’s actions and bring back the meaning of justice and equality as a community.
Due to careful planning and the help of the staff members at these local schools, there have been no reported incidents of any injuries or violence taking place during these peaceful protests in the FWCS district. Additionally, FWCS mentioned that all five high schools in the district have met together for discussions about these matters of concern.
Neer, the Wayne student, discussed the community building these protests have had on the schools. She expressed that much of the administration had worked with the students to help them in their efforts.
“I’m glad so many people are protesting lately,” she said. “Especially now when it’s actually getting serious.”