Edgewood High students return to protest after school system's early dismissal

Students believe early dismissal was meant to silence their walkout demonstration

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Students at Edgewood High School in Maryland returned to protest after their school district announced an early dismissal on Friday, which the students believed was an attempt to quiet their walkout demonstration. The students say they are determined to make their voices heard and show they will not be deterred.

Why it matters

This protest highlights the growing activism and political engagement of high school students, who are using walkouts and demonstrations to advocate for changes they believe are important. The school district's response also raises questions about how schools should handle student protests and whether early dismissals or other actions are appropriate ways to address them.

The details

On Friday, the Harford County Public School System announced an early dismissal, citing snow in the forecast. However, the Edgewood High School students strongly believed this was meant to quiet their protest walkout. The students returned to protest again on Monday, determined to make their voices louder and show they would not be deterred. They say Edgewood is one of the most diverse schools in the county and that unity is what drove them back out to protest.

  • On Friday, the Harford County Public School System announced an early dismissal.
  • The Edgewood High School students returned to protest again on Monday.

The players

Raheem Kargbo

A student at Edgewood High School who believes the students have power in numbers and that their voices matter.

Harford County Public School System

The school district that announced an early dismissal on Friday, which the students believed was an attempt to quiet their walkout demonstration.

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What they’re saying

“We are students and we have power. We have power in numbers and I believe that with enough of us out here speaking out for what's right, HCPS will follow through and put out some policies and make sure that you are heard and that our voices matter.”

— Raheem Kargbo, Student (WMAR-2 News)

The takeaway

This protest highlights the growing political activism of high school students, who are using walkouts and demonstrations to advocate for changes they believe are important. The school district's response raises questions about how schools should handle student protests and whether early dismissals or other actions are appropriate ways to address them.