Students protest outside Seattle Public Schools building

SEATTLE — More than 100 students chanted and held signs outside the Seattle Public Schools district office Wednesday demanding change.

“Currently, school systems are mishandling reports of sexual assault,” says student Nicolo Potesta.

At Wednesday’s protest, she shared her own story of assault and her frustration with school leadership.

“It’s inconsistent when it comes to the safety of their students and the values they want people to have,” she says.

SPS Student Cassidy Sylves adds that neither her school nor the district took action when she told them she was assaulted.

“We shouldn’t be walking around with our abusers in school,” says Sylves. “We shouldn’t have to face that every day.”

School board members came out to speak to the students and acknowledged they shouldn’t have to protest these issues and that the district has failed them.

“I am sorry that you have to do that,” says school board member Chandra Hampson. “We should have already solved these issues for you. We should already have an environment where you can feel safe.”

“There has been a culture of negligence,” adds newly-elected board president Brandon Hersey. “I believe that some of the biggest things that we need to do is collaborate with the students who are willing to talk to us who have had these experiences.”

Until then, these students are ready to do what it takes to make sure their voices are heard.

They say if that means walking out of class or protesting outside school board meetings, they’ll do it.

“I think this is going to show the board it’s not five students, it’s not 10 students, it’s a lot of students who really need change,” says Sylves.

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