Protesters Wait for Friday Orders
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LOS ANGELES – One Southern California school district is closing its middle and high schools for the rest of the week after officials said they heard rumors that some of the widespread demonstrations against proposed federal immigration reforms could turn violent.
The Oceanside Unified School District, which educates 21,500 students in grades kindergarten through 12, announced Wednesday that it would close its middle schools and high schools yesterday and on Friday.
“We have received information that violence and racial tension could escalate throughout the community during the remainder of the week, said Ken Noonan, superintendent of the district just north of San Diego.
On the Web site MySpace.com, where many students have said they go for protest information, the word was to wait until Friday for the next mass demonstration.
School officials and police began cracking down after the first day’s demonstrations, locking down campuses and issuing truancy citations.
The demonstrations have coincided with U.S. Senate debate on a measure to determine the future of millions of immigrants now living in America illegally.
