I am writing in response to the recent email I received about the planned Jan. 20th walkout. I am writing as a parent of two high school students and am very upset that the district would attempt to intimidate the exercise of free speech by our young people. The email’s reference to working in coordination with the Seattle Police Department is highly concerning — when thousands of students want to protest against the fact that a neo-fascist is becoming president on January 20th, your threat to enlist the support of state security forces to monitor the situation is alarming. The school district, instead, should be consulting with the ACLU, the National Lawyers Guild, or other portions of civil society about protecting our students from state oppression rather than threatening our young people with the police.

Our family fled from right-wing nationalism in Europe and sought sanctuary in this country — a country based on respect for the freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. I want my children and their friends to grow up without fear — without fear that going out into the streets to protest fascism is in any way going to be detrimental to them.

The email that I just received is intimidating and should be retracted immediately.

Neil Fox