Student Run Sit-In Leads to Controversy and Misinformation

By Anna Lusson, Editor-in-Chief • Oct 26, 2023

Students walk through the halls, holding signs and flags.

A sit-in organized by the MENA club (Middle Eastern North African Club) lined the hallways on the first floor from 1st period to homeroom on Thursday, Oct. 19. Although members of the Jewish Student Association (JSA) and Muslim Student Association (MSA) worked with MENA to release a joint statement of unity, they were not associated with the sit-in.

A MENA club member and organizer (Class of 2024) began the sit-in with a speech before a moment of silence. Seniors also led both Christian and Muslim prayers. Many staff and administrators monitored the sit-in.

Pictures and videos of the sit-in continue to circulate on social media, where a Niles West teacher is being falsely identified as the sit-in organizer and speaker. This teacher continues to receive threats to their safety.

According to district officials, a subset of students splintered from the rest of the group as the sit-in concluded, and chanted as they marched around the first floor. An investigation of possible hate speech is ongoing.

The definitions of hate speech and freedom of speech appear on the Deans’ Resource Page:

Definition of hate speech

Profane, obscene, indecent and immoral or seriously offensive language and gestures, propositions, behavior or harassment based on race, color, national origin or immigration status, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, gender identity, gender expression or disability. (Board Policy 7:20 Harassment of Students Prohibited Bullying, Intimidation, and Harassment Prohibited)

Definition of freedom of speech

Students’ right to free speech comes with the following restrictions

What a student says may not disrupt the work and discipline of the school in a material or in a substantial way.
A students’ words may not incite others to disrupt the work or discipline of the school or disobey the laws.
No students may be obscene.
Students may not say (slander) or write things about (libel) another person that damages that person’s reputation and are not true, if they know the statement to be false or don’t care where it is true or false.
Students may not use fighting words, that is, words which when spoken are likely to produce a violent action. Included in this category would be racial, sexual, ethnic or religious slurs. (Board Policy 7:180 Preventing Bullying, Intimidation, and Harassment)

The Niles West News has withheld select names of students and staff out of concern for their safety.

This article has been updated to reflect one student as a MENA club member.