Gathering in front of Skyview High School came three days after Clark County Superior Court Judge Suzan Clark granted a Vancouver School District request for an injunction against protests near its schools
About 30 protestors showed up at Skyview High School Friday afternoon in defiance of a Clark County Superior Court judge’s decision earlier this week to grant the Vancouver School District’s request for an injunction near area schools. In addition to the protestors, a handful of counter protestors also showed up to express support for the school district and the injunction.
On Tuesday, Judge Suzan Clark granted an injunction prohibiting disruptive protests near school campuses. The injunction requires that “protests, rallies, gatherings on or near school premises that disrupt educational services, immediately cease and desist and not be allowed to convene on or within a one-mile radius of any Vancouver School District building or grounds.” The injunction is effective as long as state-issued mask mandates are in effect.
On Thursday night, a group of area residents announced to area media outlets that they would defy the judge’s ruling and hold the protest Friday afternoon on the public sidewalk outside Skyview.
“The Vancouver School District got Inslee appointed Judge Suzan Clark to sign an injunction saying protesters can not be within one mile of the school as long as mask mandates are in place,’’ read the statement announcing the protest. “This directly violates the federal and state constitution.
“Judge Suzan Clark should step down from her position,’’ the statement continued. “She is a threat to the people of this county and we truly question how she is able to justly run a courtroom since she has no concept whatsoever of the rights of the people or the laws of this land. Every case she has ever handled should be looked at for bias and abuse of power.’’
When contacted earlier in the day Friday by Clark County Today, a Vancouver School District spokesperson stated in an email that “Skyview will operate on a regular schedule today. We’ll continue to have extra DRO security onsite as well as ongoing communication and coordination with local law enforcement.’’
The district also sent a letter via email to families of students at Skyview High School and nearby Alki Middle School and Chinook Elementary School.
The protest, which organizers referred to as a “civil disobedience,’’ appeared to be mostly peaceful. Counter protestors were viewed as being confrontational at times with protestors. There was a strong visual presence of school security officers, as well as administrators and district officials.
There was no law enforcement presence at the protest during the time that a Clark County Today reporter was present.
Vancouver School District Superintendent Dr. Jeff Snell made a brief statement.
“We just want to get everybody home safely. That’s our focus,’’ Snell said, referring to students and staff at the schools.
A protestor who identified himself only as John attended the event, holding a sign that read, “Choice not force, stop the mandate.’’
“While I brought this sign and I do believe the mandates are wrong, today my main reason for being here is about the injunction,’’ said John, who said he is from Kelso. “It’s about standing up for the First Amendment. The injunction the judge signed is unconstitutional and is illegal. You can’t tell people where they can and cannot practice the First Amendment.’’
LaDonna Kirkpatrick was in attendance to show her support for the school district and Skyview Principal Andy Meyer.
“These people were harassing, shaming, telling my little three-year-old that I was a child abuser and telling her to take off her mask last week,’’ Kirkpatrick said of the protestors. “We’re here to tell them to take their protest somewhere else and not do it in front of our children and interrupt classes.’’
Kirkpatrick was referring to other protests held in the past week or more held in support of a Skyview student who is seeking a 504 Plan with the school district that will allow her to attend the high school without wearing a mask, which is mandated by the state. A 504 Plan is described as a blueprint or plan for how the school will provide support and remove barriers for a student with a disability.
Clark County Today Editor Ken Vance and reporter Paul Valencia contributed to this report.
Also read:
Court injunction granted against protests at Skyview High School and other schools
It’s not about masks or vaccines but they are in the mix. It’s about discrimination. Will we segregate, deny a child a proper & equitable education? We are a country of laws & this injunction is not Constitutional & its predicated on a misrepresentation by Principal Andy Meyer when he stated via affidavit that the PB’s “blocked ingress & egress to the building.” Walking 20ft onto the curb to escort Melanie to the security did no such thing. That terminology means they were blocking people entering or leaving the building. No such thing happen. Yet, a phony lockdown occurred & now the phony injunction.
I just see a bunch of weak ass bullies that take on harassing kids as some sort of heroic endeavor…why are these tough guys not working? . My heart weeps in memory of all those boys who in 1941 gave everything on the beaches of Normandy just so these crybaby snowflakes can “whinelikelittlebitches” about a mask mandate.
As a ” recovering pastor” you should know that Jesus said to do no harm to others, take care of the sick and elderly and to love thy neighbor.
I hope to see some of these cowards “on the field of battle” . Its coming sooner than you think.
Kids aren’t the focus & you know it & those smears are Marxist tactics to distract. The admin & principal, who perjured himself to get the unlawful Constitutional injunction, are the focus. Why aren’t you upset at the admin that they locked down 3 schools, frightened hundreds of children in doing so they could stir up more “support?” How can you support discrimination of a child & deny her a full & equitable education?
The men who died in 1941 were fighting against tyranny yet you’re sympathetic to tyrants. Many are choosing the wide path, the easy & apathetic way that they think will lead to safety because you have a false assurance being in the crowd but it’s leading your to destruction over the cliff. Repent… change course… go a new direction.
As a SHS parent, the protestors are disrupting and disturbing dilutional adults. I will not let you shade the truth.
So, teachers protest for more money that’s okay but denying a child an equitable education is not… got it
She has the option to do remote learning. This loser Megan went to gofundme to pay her rent (check it out). She is using our high school as a political pawn. I have a child the goes to SHS and they were intimidating and harassing students.
…and she can’t seem to not violate campaign laws., so let’s take Gabriel at her word.
https://www.pdc.wa.gov/browse/cases/95411
https://www.gofundme.com/f/tgsm9-shelter-needed
That’s the same logic racists used against black people when telling them to use “colored bathrooms” & telling them to sit in the back like she has been told to sit in the back of the class.
Every student is entitled to an equitable & well funded education, the same principle that justified all those teachers that PROTESTED in front of schools FOR MORE MONEY… but that was okay.
JUST SAY NO TO DISCRIMINATION
Data & studies show remote learning is not the same & she has a legal right to an equitable education which YOU support denying her
Spreadnecks showing the world how much they respect the law and value the health and safety of our kids.
Actually…by showing up and doing this they are strengthening the case that the injunction was justified. Thinking through reasoning that the courts could use this seems to me very similar to a restraining order, or more specifically an anti-harassment order.
Free speech and protest is fine, go protest in front of the court house, but by doing it directly in front of the school it could be easily construed as harassment.
Leave the damn kids alone!
Yeah, no kidding. Leave the damn kids alone and stop making them wear masks when they have a 99.9% chance of recovery with very slight symptoms if they do get it, but kids rarely get it. The kid’s immune system is their best defense but facts just don’t matter to a lot of people in King Inslee’s Kingdom.
You are misinformed about children and Covid. Stop spreading misinformation, please!
ZERO, I repeat, ZERO kids or ANYONE under 30 has died in Clark County of COVID since the pandemic. Those stats courtesy of CCPH & DOH. You are being manipulated
My concern is not only for children in Clark County. A virus is not contained by county, state or national borders. You make my point for me by saying no child has died in Clark County within our state which has some of the strictest mandates. The states with the lowest vaccination rates and governors who oppose science/mandates have the highest child ICU numbers and child deaths. Children are losing their parents, teachers and loved ones. Children who survive may have Covid long-haul conditions. 520 children have died nationwide (Forbes). One child has died in Seattle which is too many. Every time the virus passes from one person to another regardless of how absent or minor the symptoms, the virus has a chance to mutate. It could mutate to a variant much more serious than ones we have so far dealt with. Christianity and other religions teach us that we should protect others. We should have compassion for the medical staff who are exhausted treating hospitalized Covid patient who are mostly unvaccinated. We need a united front against the virus by having as many people as possible vaccinated. What if you are wrong? What if conspiracy theories and Russian trolls started the anti-vaccine movement? What is you are being manipulated and are now manipulating others? How many souls will be on your conscience? How much harm will you have done to our country? Can you recover from your closed minded contempt for the majority of Americans who take their patriotic duty to do what their country needs them to do by listening to the science and getting vaccinated?
B.S. Try working at PHMS,
Spot on. They canceled afterschool practices thanks to these morons.
Tell this to administration. They are the ones denying education of a child, giving false testimony to a judge, needlessly alarming children to stir up support for an unconstitutional injunction, while letting students walk through the protesters, like normal, which goes to show you there is & was no danger it was all done for political theater by admins. As they have done through the pandemic, teachers unions, you control the schools & admin, have used children at there will to manipulate the public. You are being played and they are harming your children to do it
I am a teacher. It is unacceptable that angry protesters and the Proud Boys were protesting in front of schools and trying to walk a unmasked student in. You seem willing to hurt children and schools just so you can be “right”. No child is being denied education. When teachers walked on the sidewalks, not on school grounds, school was not in session. Students and parents walked with us. It was a peaceful strike not a protest.
Except when teachers want more money… that’s okay but not in defending a child to get an equal education
But teachers can protest for more money… got it
A Judge appointed by a socialist Democrat governor explains why they cannot gather.
I don’t think kids should be drug into this debate.. They have too much pressure on them already.. However I personally think the mask, vaccination pressure and mandates are very unconstitutional. The CRT Crap is very very unhealthy and putting pressure on kids. Just let them be kids. Leave them alone. They are not going to make anyone sick any more so than any other flu and cold season. And don’t force beliefs and narratives on them.. Teach reading writing math and life skills..
The teachers union long ago decided to weaponize children & drag them in the middle. “Protecting” children from something that’s doesn’t harm them with measures that does harm them all for implementing their political agenda is abusive. If you believe your comment you would redirect your criticism
My picture driving by the protest I counted 70 people. 1st amendment should never be suppressed.
Unless they interfere with education, which is what they did.
Inslee appointed Judge. Say no more. The enemy of the people.
Fear Fear and more fear….
“The enemy of the people” is you.
Say no more is the argument of a 5 year old jimmy…ya only got a 3 word vocabulary ?
Whaaaada dope.
Arrest them.