Dozens of U.S. students at a military installation in Germany walked out of middle school Tues protesting Def Sec visit [View all]

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Dan Lamothe @DanLamothe
NEW TONIGHT: Dozens of American students at a U.S. military installation in Germany walked out of their middle school on Tuesday as part of protests aimed at an official visit by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The students attend Patch Middle School in Stuttgart, Germany, and peacefully walked out of class for nearly an hour, according to three people familiar with the matter and a letter sent to parents by a school administrator.

Separately, a small group of adults dressed in civilian clothing — likely parents — gathered outside at Stuttgart and protested within view and earshot of Hegseth’s delegation, booing and chanting “DEI!”

WaPo:

__The school administrator’s letter said that about 1 p.m., roughly 55 students “walked out in protest of recent events.” They exited the school in orderly fashion and gathered in a courtyard outside, said the letter, signed by Alexis Small, an assistant principal.

She added that the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), which oversees about 67,000 students spread across about 160 schools worldwide, “respects our students’ rights to peacefully express their opinions through speech and other means as long as it is done respectfully, does not interfere with the rights of others, and does not disrupt learning in our school.”

The walkout was organized in part by an eighth-grade student who is not yet 14 years old, she and her mother said in a joint phone interview with The Washington Post. She spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing concerns about backlash from Trump supporters. Other parents verified the girl’s leading role in the protest.

The student said that she and other students decided to act after seeing how Trump’s executive orders would target diversity events, including a drama club performance that celebrated Black History Month with Motown songs. Many involved in the protest, she said, also were concerned with how the Trump administration’s directives would affect people in the LGBTQ+ community.

There was this great sense of community and belonging,” the student said. “Like we’re not alone, because so many kids came out.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/02/11/hegseth-dei-protests-germany/