Long Island Teen Arrested for Protesting Hybrid Learning

Image Courtesy of Newsday.com

By: Jeremy Perillo

William Floyd High School senior, Maverick Stow, was arrested earlier this month as he entered school property, after having been suspended earlier that week for coming to class in person, while he was supposed to be learning remotely. Stow’s arrest comes after several protests of the school’s coronavirus regulations with the desire of attending in-person classes full time. 

“I value my education and my personal liberties more than the risk that might be incurred,” Stow said. “I was going to school like students should be going to school, I think that a five-day suspension is out of line.”

Upon entering the school building, Stow was taken into custody by Suffolk County police and was held at a nearby precinct until his release. Two days before his arrest, Stow entered school grounds on a day he was supposed to be learning virtually and was suspended after refusing to leave. The following day, despite his suspension, Stow returned to school again where the police advised him to attend only when scheduled. Stow’s return that next day prompted his arrest, given the school’s suspension order and his disregard for the police warning. 

“Mr. Stow continues to display irresponsible and selfish behavior with today’s latest publicity stunt,” the school district said in a statement. “He arrived wearing a neon green shirt – for high visibility – with a contingent of media just outside the fence line trying to capture him getting arrested as he entered the building. He entered the building and was immediately arrested by the Suffolk County Police Department without incident and transported to the police station.”

The school district made clear their support, and desire, for students to be back in class full time but had to stick with the current hybrid plan because of the state’s social distancing guidelines. They encouraged Stow to reach out to state officials.

The school district, however, made clear their intentions to stick with the guidelines, and their decision to suspend Stow, as they threatened to shift the entire school online if his actions persisted.

“Mr. Stow’s rights as a student do not surpass the rights of any of our other 8,799 students,” the district said. “They should not have to come to school to witness this circus atmosphere each day.”

Stow’s parents have been completely supportive of their son’s protests. Nora Kaplan-Stow stated her mixed feelings about the various ordeals her son has gone through.

“I am beyond proud of my son for standing up for what he believes in and defending his right to an education,” she said. “I also am a little upset that it has come to this point where the school had to arrest my son for wanting to go to school.”

Stow’s protests come as millions of students across the country, both college and K-12, struggle to maintain a consistent and satisfactory education amid a global pandemic. Especially after a highly unsatisfactory end to last school term, many politicians, parents, and students were concerned with how schools would tackle the difficulty associated with learning in a pandemic.

Stow was charged with third-degree criminal trespassing, a Class B misdemeanor, and has a court date for September 21.