After a middle school ICE walkout in West Dundee, Illinois, an 11-year-old boy with special needs was found wandering the streets far from his school. Frightened and alone, he was eventually located, and his mother is now demanding accountability.
According to a WLS report, the incident occurred on Tuesday, February 17. Without his mother’s consent or prior notification, 11-year-old Harley joined other Dundee Middle School students in a walkout protesting ICE.
Harley’s mother, Alexa Blasdell, said her son joined the protest without fully knowing what it was about. Given that the boy has special needs, he struggled to keep up with the rest of the students.
“They were supposed to stay there, like on 72 by the school,” the Illinois boy told the outlet. “But they did the exact opposite and went much farther, and no one even knew how far they were going. I was like the last one. So, I was all alone.”
Without knowing where to go and with no familiar faces around, the boy panicked. He called his mother, saying, according to Blasdell, “You just need to come pick me up. I don’t know what’s going on. I’m very scared.”
Boy Left Alone And Scared, Reactions
Fearing for her son’s safety, the mother called the police. Fortunately, she was able to locate Harley near the intersection of Route 72 and Randall Road. He was miles away from Dundee Middle School, and given the traumatic experience, he no longer wants to return, leaving his mother to contemplate the possibility of homeschooling.
“I don’t feel safe. I’m just scared to go back. Something could happen again,” Harley said. His mother, who is considering taking legal action against the school, said, “If they can’t keep my kid safe, then they need to take accountability for that.”
Users were left flabbergasted by the story, bashing the school for what happened to Harley.
“The school needs to be held responsible for their actions,” one user said. Another one wrote, “Stop funding these schools that refuse keep our kids safe!” A third one asked, “Why are young middle school kids involved in an ICE walkout anyway?“
Following the controversy, District 300 Superintendent Martina Smith issued a statement. According to her, Illinois parents were notified about the student-organized protest on February 13, adding that the school district “respects students’ First Amendment rights.”
Martina explained that several students had left campus without authorization, and Harley may have been among them.
