Under the gray sky and cutting wind on Jan. 20, hundreds of students stood together, fingers numb, signs shaking in their hands as they walked out of school in protest. Students marched 17 minutes to the Carmel City Hall in the cold, bearing signs—“Hate never made America great,” and “Human rights aren’t political” among others—that conveyed frustration and anger surrounding recent political developments. “Hate never made America great,” and “Human rights aren’t political” were just two of many signs floating in the crowd. For Jayden Zhang, president of Political Discussions Club and senior, the school walkout was a symbol that democracy is shifting and young people are watching and participating more than ever. 

“Young people are vital to the resilience of democracy through challenging older generations to maintain our rights, especially since the long-term future matters to us most,” Zhang said. “Of course, as the future keepers of our country, we’re also necessary to keep our system alive, and I feel like the protest was a good way for more students to do that.” 

The Jan. 20 walkout was part of a larger series of “Free America” protests across the country. Demonstrators walked out of school and work in protest of recent events in Minneapolis as well as subsequent government actions. Those events included Jan. 7, when Renee Nicole Good was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in a seemingly unprovoked incident. Then as protests erupted in the streets and social media battles ensued, a similar incident occurred 17 days later on Jan. 24 when 37-year-old Alex Pretti was shot and killed by another ICE agent. Amid the events in Minnesota, the federal government has stood firmly behind the actions of ICE agents. In a press conference, Kristi Noem, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security said the agent had “followed his training,” and the “act was justified.” President Donald Trump has echoed similar sentiments saying in a segment on “60 Minutes” that “the ICE raids haven’t gone far enough.” 

According to Zhang, the government’s response to the protests and killings were disrespectful and foreshadow changes to come. 

He said, “I think the ICE protests and the government’s response to it shows the failure of the current administration to take any accountability. After two American citizens have been killed by federal agents in less than a month, people across the political spectrum are demanding answers. I think it’s apparent that the use of escalating force rather than transparency shows a disconnect between the people and our government, which by all means should be answerable to us.” 

Democracy’s historical precedent 

Amid rising tensions over ICE and the expanding power of the executive branch, many students say their views on democracy have shifted, even as some long-held beliefs have been reinforced. Senior Daniel Craft is one of them. 

Craft’s view reflects a belief that democratic instability is not new, but rather cyclical. While he said he acknowledges a decline in public trust toward institutions, he emphasized that democracy has historically endured periods of dysfunction.

Craft said, “While I do think the current administration and current secretaries are insane—not in a good way, I also do not think our democracy is in peril. Is our faith in institutions fading?” Yes, it is. But it always is. It rebounds and goes up and down. American democracy is in a perpetual state of peril, and that’s how it has always been. I don’t think there’s a point in our democracy where we haven’t risked losing it.”

Social studies teacher Shawn Curtis echoed this idea, pointing to historical precedent as a way to contextualize current concerns. Curtis has attended multiple presidential inaugurations, including those of Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, and said witnessing the peaceful transfer of power reinforced the hardiness of American democratic traditions.

“There’s a solemnity to it,” Curtis said. “Understanding that this is probably the most American thing we do: coming together to recognize a peaceful transition of power; that’s something we’ve managed to maintain for 250 years.”

However, Curtis noted that the balance of power within the federal government has shifted over time, particularly toward the executive branch. While Congress once held more authority during periods such as the Gilded Age, Curtis said modern presidents have accumulated increased power through executive orders and legislative influence. Still, he emphasized that these fluctuations are not unprecedented. 

“I think you can always find again those times where presidents have really taken on (more power),” Curtis said. You can look at Lincoln talking about how there’s no checks on the presidency and shutting down newspapers and suspending habeas corpus for the sake of the war. Usually though, (there’s pushback from) the Supreme Court having to step in and say, here are your boundaries, here are your limits. So you can look at FDR creating the Japanese internment camps under the executive orders and then Korematsu versus the United States, the court’s pushing back to solidify the 14th Amendment. There’s always been an ebb and flow of executive power.” 

While both Craft and Curtis emphasized continuities in democratic fluctuations, Zhang said recent events have made issues relating to democracy more personal. 

“I think recent events have strengthened my views on democracy since I’ve been forced to defend and evaluate it constantly,” Zhang said. “With the current growth of debates and movements across the United States, I think now is a time where Americans everywhere are increasingly conscious of the values of ourselves and of our government.”

Government overreach 

Though Craft said he recognizes the actions of the current administration have caused some people to feel powerless, he said he likes to emphasize that politics are constantly in a state of change. 

Craft said, “I also don’t think it’s going to be very permanent. (I think) the midterms (in November) are going to be fun. I think you’ll also see that a lot of Republican politicians are, in many cases, even pushing back because they’re worried about their own constituents, and rightfully so.” 

At the same time, however, Zhang said he believes that the current political environment has threatened the nature of this nation’s democracy, though perhaps not in a permanent manner. 

He said, “I think the most important aspect of the current administration’s threat to our democracy is the principle being set avoiding the checks and balances between our branches of government, for example, dismissing or ignoring the actions and orders of congress and the courts, as well as the blurring of the lines between the executive and law enforcement.” 

Craft echoed this sentiment, adding that people need to hold the government accountable. He emphasized the duality of the role that young people play in the civic process through voting and even activism.

Role of young people

Craft said, “I myself registered to vote, though young people are represented very poorly by the government. For better and for worse, young people don’t have more political power, because for the most part we don’t know what we’re talking about. We don’t have the life experience that adults do. This is also bad, though, because sometimes we do know what we’re talking about.” 

Zhang upheld this belief about the contribution that young people play in the political landscape and said the best way is to vote when possible and stay informed. 

“It’s practically unavoidable for people our age not to participate in politics on a daily basis,” Zhang said, “especially since there’s an increasing amount of current events where our democracy is called into question. I stay informed about politics through discussion with friends, at dedicated political discussion clubs in school, and with my family.”