Northwest High Students Walk Out After School Holds No Black History Month Program

OPELOUSAS, La. (KPEL News) — Students at Northwest High School walked out of class Friday afternoon after the school failed to host a formal Black History Month program, sparking a public dispute with administrators over how February was recognized at the St. Landry Parish campus.

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Students Say They Were Overlooked

The walkout drew students who said no organized assembly was ever scheduled, and some claimed administrators deliberately avoided scheduling one out of racial discomfort concerns.

“We shouldn’t have to be fighting for a Black history program, something as simple as a Black history program,” student Holly Jordan told KATC.

Fellow student Kenyen White said the protest came together once students realized February was almost over and nothing had been planned.

“Like we don’t have a program or nothing, so we was like, we’re gonna protest, like we’re gonna walk out,” White said.

Jordan put it plainly: “We get 28 days out the year and y’all couldn’t spare us an hour. It’s sad.”

Some students also alleged administrators were hesitant to hold a program out of concern about making students of other races uncomfortable, though the school has not confirmed those claims.

School Says Black History Month Was Not Ignored

In a statement sent to staff and students, Northwest High administration said the month did not go unrecognized. According to KATC’s reporting, the school said students and faculty participated by wearing Black History Month shirts and jeans, honoring the late Rev. Jesse Jackson over the school intercom, and completing classroom projects centered on Black history.

The administration attributed the lack of a formal assembly partly to several faculty members being out on leave, which complicated event planning. School leaders said a “mini program” was held Friday to address student concerns, with a more organized program now scheduled for March.

Superintendent Milton Batiste had previously said administrators are working with students to move forward.

Students Say March Isn’t Good Enough

Not everyone is satisfied with that outcome. Several students told reporters that holding a Black History Month program after February feels like “a slap in the face,” and some said they do not plan to attend the March event.

Northwest High School serves roughly 581 students in grades 9 through 12. The school’s student body is approximately 70 percent Black, according to DonorsChoose, citing National Center for Education Statistics data.