Students Walk Out Of Class To Protest Julius Jones Execution

Students at several schools in Tulsa walked out of class on Thursday to show their support for Julius Jones.

Hundreds of students walked out of class, even after learning the news that Governor Stitt commuted Jones' sentence.

At Will Rogers High School, hundreds of students poured out of the building near the football field. Many had signs in their hands saying things like, "Justice for Julius" and "Free Julius.” At times students chanted, "Black Lives Matter" and "We stand together."

At Booker T. Washington High School, hundreds of students were out of their classrooms for more than an hour. Several student speakers voiced their thoughts to a crowd full of their peers. One sign at Booker T. read, "Life in prison is still not justice."

A walkout at the Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences, a charter school, happened just moments after the governor’s announcement, so some students were just learning that Jones would not be executed.

"It shows that we care. And that we want the world to be a better place, obviously,” 10th Grade student Morgan Carter-King said. "He deserves more and it's not fair."

Owasso High School students were also organizing a walkout, but it was canceled shortly after Stitt’s announcement.

Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences Middle School Principal Dan Hahn said they will always support students in choosing a positive, safe and respectful way to voice their concerns.