HAMPTON — After holding up a sign that said "Voice for all," one Winnacunnet High School student was suspended Friday afternoon for following through with a planned student walkout.

HAMPTON — After holding up a sign that said "Voice for all," one Winnacunnet High School student was suspended Friday afternoon for following through with a planned student walkout.



WHS senior Dylan Anderson — who organized the student walkout — said more students were planning to join him but school administrators threatened "discipline consequences" if they did. The walkout was part of a nation-wide initiative to show solidarity with Wisconsin students to protest passage of a bill that severely limits collective bargaining for teachers' unions in that state.



Anderson completed a 10-minute walkout at 2 p.m. prior to school's dismissal at 2:30.



Hampton police officers were present at the school shortly before 2 p.m. One officer confiscated some of Anderson's signs and other officers checked whether students had hall passes that permitted them to be out of class.



Principal Bill McGowan as well confiscated a video camera held by a student who was documenting the walkout.



McGowan said shortly after 2 p.m. the officers were not at the school to respond to the walkout but were there on another matter upon which he declined comment.



"The school made an announcement during third block that they did not support the rally and there would be consequences for anyone who left," said Anderson, who added McGowan subsequently suspended him from school. "I know a lot of students who wanted to join me but did not want to get suspended, and I didn't want them to. I don't regret doing this and I would do it again in an instant."



McGowan said while he appreciated Anderson wanted to get involved with an issue, the walkout was not the appropriate way to do it because it disrupted school and created safety concerns.



"Basically I told the students that we do not support it and if they did walk out, teachers would give me a list of names and there would be discipline consequences," McGowan said. "I also told them that there are more positive ways to show their support, and I am willing to work with the student body to explore other activities the school can become involved in without it being a disruption."



Prior to the walkout, Anderson said he got the message out to students via a taped segment on WHS TV, the school's television show, that aired Friday morning.



He also passed out fliers to students as they came to school, urging them to participate in the walkout.



Anderson said he organized the Winnacunnet protest because he believes what is occurring in Wisconsin is scandalous.



The walkout, he said, was part of a nationwide student effort publicized on Facebook by the Wisconsin Students in Solidarity.



The group called for the nation-wide walkout on the heels of Wednesday's vote by Wisconsin legislators to approve a bill which strips many public employees, including teachers, of collective bargaining rights. Police, fire and state patrol unions are exempt from the bill. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who proposed the bill, signed it Friday morning.



Among other reforms in the legislation, many unions will not be able to bargain for health and pension benefits and will be limited in what they can seek in pay raises.



Anderson said he was disappointed by Winnacunnet's actions to squash the rally at the school.



"I feel it's counterproductive to what we are trying to do," he said. "By doing this, we were trying to tell our government we do not want this, don't let this happen here (while) at the same time sending a message to our fellow teachers and students in Wisconsin that we are fighting for you."



As Anderson stood outside, some students heckled him from an open window in a second-floor classroom. When the allotted 10 minutes were up, he turned around to face the students and said, "Thanks for your support."



"It's high school," he said later when asked about the hecklers. "There is always going to be some picking on the kid for doing something different."



Walker said Friday with the bill's enactment, his state will be able to "realize $30 million in savings and allow 1,500 state employees to keep their jobs," according to media reports.



But Anderson said the cost of that savings is too high.



"It took away the rights of the teachers' union and that is not democratic at all," he said.



He believes there is a real fear what happened in Wisconsin could domino and happen in New Hampshire.



"I think it could happen anywhere," Anderson said.



Rick Anderson, Dylan's father, said Friday afternoon he was proud of his son.



"Its something he's been following and really feels passionate about," Rick said. "He wanted to show support for something that he thought was wrong. I'm proud of him.



"If all the kids came out and you're one amongst many, that would one thing," he added. "But to come out by yourself and take the brunt of apathy and consequences, it says something about his character. Long after high school, I think the character lesson will carry him through life more than what he will miss Monday in school."