ANTI-TRUMP IN MILPITAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Milpitas HIgh School held a campus wide fourth period walkout Thursday to protest the election of Donald Trump as the next president of the United States. Photo courtesy of Ca-Zao Bui/ The Union Newspaper

By           ALIYAH MOHAMMED | amohammed@bayareanewsgroup.com

PUBLISHED: November 10, 2016 at 3:07 pm | UPDATED: November 10, 2016 at 4:10 pm

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Milpitas High School Principal Phil Morales was placed on administrative leave today for using anti-Trump profanity during a student walkout in protest of Republican President-elect Donald Trump.

At 11 a.m., approximately 250 students walked out of class — joining students across the Bay Area, state and nation — to protest the election of Trump, who has been called “divisive,” “racist” and “sexist” by many critics.

Morales said in an interview after the walkout he was alerted in the morning about the students’ plan and notified administrators and the Milpitas Police Department. He said he had arranged for students to be directed to the football field to air their feelings.

“We were not going to discourage them or confront them. We wanted them to have a place to express their opinions and fears and to support each other,” Morales said. “They were amazing, they went to the field, in the stands, and they were so inspiring, what they had to say about their fears and concerns about Trump being president, and particularly about immigration, and about the LGBTQ community, about being Muslim and Mexican, and everything that is hot topics in society today …they talked about unity and standing up together … it was so powerful and very peaceful.”

Morales facilitated the discussion at the field. He even shared his own concerns and fears as someone who is Hispanic, and as a husband and father. He ended the speech with a profanity directed at Trump that was caught and shared by a student on Twitter.

Milpitas High School students held a campus wide fourth period walkout Thursday to protest the election of Donald Trump as the next president of the United States and to express their fears and concerns. Milpitas High School Principal Phil Morales, left, helped facilitate the discussion and even shared his own fears and concerns as a Latino, and as a father and husband. Photo courtesy of Ca-Zao Bui/ The Union Newspaper

Milpitas High School students held a campus wide fourth period walkout Thursday to protest the election of Donald Trump as the next president of the United States and to express their fears and concerns. Milpitas High School Principal Phil Morales, left, helped facilitate the discussion and even shared his own fears and concerns as a Latino, and as a father and husband.<br />Photo courtesy of Ca-Zao Bui/ The Union Newspaper

Interim Superintendent Cheryl Jordan, who was in San Diego for a conference, placed him on administrative leave shortly before 2 p.m., Morales said.

Milpitas Board of Education Clerk Daniel Bobay, who confirmed Morales had been placed on leave, said his words “were definitely not appropriate.”

“I do agree with putting him on administrative leave… certainly for an administrator encouraging that kind of behavior, using curse words, is not appropriate,” Bobay added.

“I don’t regret saying what I did,” Morales said. “It was unprofessional, and as principal I could have stated it a different way, and if I offended people I apologize, it was not meant to offend anyone. It was irresponsible of me to say it at the time that I did. I will hold the consequences of those consequences,” Morales said after being told he had been placed on administrative leave. “I will rise above this and be an advocate for my students no matter what. That is what is at my very core, advocating for my students and I feel what they feel.”

He said he realized he may now be perceived as “a bad role model,” then added, “I’m not. It is unfortunate, but what is said is said and I will take responsibility for what I said.”

“Outside of being a principal, I am a human being, I am a Latino, and I have concerns and fears of being a Latino, Mexican of my skin color,” Morales added. “I’m scared and I share in their (the students) fears as well.”

Jordan did not respond to a request for comment by press time.

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