How To Help Your Teen Prepare For Their First Protest
They want to use their voice. You want them to be safe. Here’s how to do both.
The Trump administration’s crackdown and the many tragedies that have resulted from it — like the killings of Silverio Villegas González, Renee Good, and Alex Pretti, and the kidnapping of Liam Conejo Ramos — has mobilized more Americans into protesting than we’ve seen in years.
From national labor strikes to local high school walkouts, citizens of every age, race, and creed are calling for the abolition of ICE.
But what if you’ve never protested before, and your teen is asking for permission to attend one? A mom on Reddit recently found herself in this scenario.
“My 15-year-old wants to attend a school wide walk out, and attend a protest,” her post began.
She said about half their child’s grade would be walking out to wave flags, hold signs, and protest, at a neutral location not near ICE buildings or operations.
The school’s administration was saying students who left would face consequences, but the poster said she “always raised my kids to stand up for what they believe in, stand up for injustices, vote with your dollar, be uncomfortable doing the right thing and XYZ. Part of me wants to grant the permission to participate in the walk out protest but fear is definitely holding me back.”
The top comment reads, “Education and life experience doesn’t always come in the classroom. I would let my kid go but would be clear if the school hands out punishment they have to take it.” The original poster replied that was her thinking as well, and she reminded her child that varsity championships are coming up, and they may have to sit out if they face disciplinary action.
“I'd be proud as hell if my kid did this knowing they might be unfairly suspended,” one user replied. “Protesting very often carries risks like this, even for adults. People have been jailed or lost their livelihood or been attacked physically for participating in nonviolent protest, and still said it was worth it afterwards. The risk of missing state championships sounds like a very age-appropriate way to learn about this for a 15-year-old,” said another.
That’s just it — the heart of this mom’s question was really about safety. If you are new to protesting yourself, you may not know everything you need to in order to prepare your teen when they want to get involved.
Here are some best practices for protesting peacefully and safely, from reputable organizations like the ACLU, NAACP, and Human Rights Campaign.
Read a map together beforehand & keep that offline map with you.
Plan routes into and out of the protest zone. Sometimes cell service isn’t available, and if the environment becomes dangerous, you want to have already learned the possible exit routes from the protest location. Keeping a printed map or downloaded map on your person can help. This is a great place to jot down your emergency contact numbers, just in case, says the NAACP.
Plan a meetup place in case you’re separated from the group.
Have your child and their friends (or you and your child) designate a meeting spot. If you are separated at any point during the event, you all know to immediately head there and find each other.
Be aware of your surroundings.
Your child should keep their eyes up and stay vigilant about what is happening around them. If their gut doesn’t feel right — like if a person is acting strangely, or they see a an unusual, unattended item — they should speak up to organizers and the people around them immediately.
Prepare for the worst.
No parent likes to think their child exercising their right to peaceful protest could come to any harm. Unfortunately, videos of adults assaulting teenage protestors have already gone viral. In order to be safe and prepared, you will want to make sure your child brings:
- Protective goggles or shatter-proof glasses
- Water
- Milk of magnesia or moist towelettes (in case of tear gas or chemical irritants)
- A first aid kit
Some things your kid should leave at home: contact lenses, valuables, and anything illegal or that could be considered a weapon, according to the HRC.
But try to make it the best.
As the HRC says, protests are for making a point, not provoking. If agitators approach, your child should walk away and try to keep themselves safe, rather than engaing in arguments that escalate the tension.
Read the ACLU’s primer on protesting rights together.
This helpful breakdown explains where you can and cannot exercise your right to protest, who you can take photos and videos of and where, and what to do in interactions with the police. In fact, it’d probably be a good idea to have your teen read all three of these resources in full before attending any protests.
The idea of our children being in harm’s way usually makes us scream “absolutely not” in our guts. But in times like this, our teens want and need to use their voices too. This is just one more way we can help them become who they are and find their way in the world safely.
