On Friday, Nov. 18 a fluctuating group of about 20 to 30 Cleveland students took inspiration from the Occupy: Wallstreet movement and decided to have their own protest, Occupy: Cleveland.

    Students left sixth period early and stood outside the school with homemade signs claiming “We are the 99%.” The organizer of Occupy: Cleveland, senior Lily Shumar-Kray, was inspired to have a protest at Cleveland after the demonstration in Portland dwindled in size. She wanted to keep the movement alive and decided that she could do that at her high school.

    Senior Jack Meskel was one of the many students who took part in the protest.

    “Even though we are just in high school and don’t pay taxes we are going to have go to college and get jobs in the aftermath of a destroyed economy,” said Meskel. He supports the Occupy of Cleveland, but believes some people are there for the wrong reasons. When asked questions concerning the cause of the economic collapse in 2008 or what the 99% stood for, many of the students protesting couldn’t answer questions about. Many had also rolled up their shirts and written “99%” on their stomachs.

    Police officer Walker Berg was outside at the time of the demonstration to oversee the students because the walkout took place on school grounds. He supports the students’ right to take a stand.  

    “What they’re doing is legal according to school policy,” said Berg, “and there’s nothing wrong with it as long as they follow the rules.”

    Senior Whitney Blair wasn’t part of the protest, but watched from the sidelines. She believes in the core idea of the Occupy at Cleveland, but didn’t think most of the kids were protesting for the right reason.

    “It seems that most of the kids out here are just here for fun and don’t really understand what Occupy is.”

    Shumar-Kray agrees, but thinks overall Occupy: Cleveland was a success. “Sure there are a lot of people out here just to hang out with friends, but there is also a small core group of kids protesting who actually know what it means to be the 99%.,” she said.

    Students were not excused from classes, and teachers were advised by the administration that students did not have a right to make up work.