LADUE • Dozens of students from Horton Watkins High School in Ladue walked out of class Wednesday to protest recent racially charged incidents.

The students, who assembled outside the high school after noon, said they didn’t feel the incidents were being taken seriously by administrators. Several African-American students and parents said they wanted stricter punishment for the students responsible and a stronger stance from administrators on the racism they feel at school.

At least 150 then organized a march near the school.

“We’ll come back to school when they treat us right,” said student Tajah Walker, 15, who led the protest. “If they suspend me, they better suspend everybody.”

The student march led to the district’s administrative offices. There, students confronted district spokeswoman Susan Downing, demanding to speak to the superintendent, who came out of the offices for a few minutes before going back inside.

“If that’s how you feel, then we need to fix that,” Superintendent Donna Jahnke said. “But we can’t fix it if you all won’t work with us.”