Signs and posters were carried by Clayton students, as they marched outside to initiate a planned walk-out in the middle of today’s school day.

Throughout the entirety of the walk-out, a diverse group of approximately 60 students of different races and backgrounds took full advantage of their first amendment rights.

Teachers and administrators alike looked on as the students expressed their opinions on the recent situation regarding the death of Michael Brown and more recently, the Grand Jury’s announcement stating that Darren Wilson, the police officer who killed Brown would not be indicted.

However, leaders of the protest insisted that “it’s not just about Mike Brown,” and went onto list the names of several others who had been killed due to racial profiling, in recent years.

Phrases like “These killer cops have got to go,” “No Justice, No Peace,” and “Black Lives Matter” were shouted in unison and written on signs.

Chanting in a large circle despite frigid weather conditions, peaceful protesters initially took to the CHS Quad. For about half an hour, leaders of the protests expressed their views but also listened to what others had to say.

Later, protesters moved inside to participate in a 4.5 minute totally silent die-in in the CHS Commons. The 4.5 minutes of silence represented the 4.5 hours Brown lied on the ground, after being shot and killed on August 9. When the die-in came to an end, protesters ended the day’s series of protests by repeating these few lines:

“It is our duty to fight for our freedom!”

“It is our duty to win.”

“We must love and support each other.”

Words like these clearly displayed Clayton students’ empathy for the tough situation that has unfolded in the past three and a half months. Lead organizer Luke Davis, a CHS junior, urged the crowd of protesters that they had nothing to lose, and that what they were doing was important.

“You stood up for what you believe in,” he said to the crowd. “It will not be business as usual anymore.”