District of Columbia Public School Students Protest for Safer Learning Conditions

District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) students staged a walkout across campuses in Washington on Tuesday, January 25, to protest in-person learning amid a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Footage filmed by Morgan Graham shows students holding signs reading “We need change” and “We need 100% testing every week” outside Benjamin Banneker Academic High School’s entrance.

The protest was organized by Students 4 Safe Learning, a group of DCPS students advocating for safer learning conditions, according to their Twitter bio.

“We aren’t just kids talking to talk. We know that we have to advocate for ourselves and families,” Students 4 Safe Learning wrote in a tweet. “We deserve the safest conditions that can be provided and transparency! Health should not be compromised for education. We are taught every day to be accountable, so why can’t DCPS?” Credit: Morgan Graham via Storyful