Hundreds walk out of Stevenson High School in protest of mask requirement
LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. - Stevenson High School students walked out of classes Friday morning with some saying they were locked out in a division over mask wearing in school.
There was a demonstration at the entrance to campus, students, parents and supporters with a stereo speaker system blasting music on Half Day Road in north suburban Lincolnshire.
A small plane flew over the school, calling on districts to "unmask our kids."
Students coordinated on the outside and inside to make their point.
Lilly Wangard is a senior student. She says there is tension between parents and administrators and students are caught in the middle.
"We're just advocating for a choice here. We've been really suffering from adult politics and we've sacrificed so much. It's really just time we get our lives back," Wangard said.
Hundreds walked out in protest of the school's mask mandate including students who wish to keep the mask requirements in place.
"There's a reason surgeons wear masks, it’s to keep spit particles from spraying on patients because they can infect them," said sophomore Sasha Pankov.
Sophomore Khrystyn Podolyan said that during the demonstration a woman told her she shouldn't wear a mask "because there is no COVID."
Students who waited outside were eventually allowed in to attend classes.