Beverly Hills High limits student gatherings after pro-Trump demonstrations
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - In the wake of boisterous demonstrations by pro-Trump students, Beverly Hills High School has limited students' ability to assemble in large groups, it was reported Friday.
The high school's principal, Drew Stewart, sent a message to families announcing that the school would not restrict students' individual exercise of their free speech rights, but would limit their ability to congregate in large groups so that all students would feel safe on campus, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The message came before a TikTok video went viral showing many students in a Beverly Hills High School courtyard rowdily celebrating Donald Trump's victory in the 2024 presidential election.
The video shows dozens of students dancing, cheering and crowding against each other. At one point, a school security guard holds up a Trump banner to loud applause.
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"We have had ongoing exercises of student political speech over the past 2 days," Stewart wrote in the email, according to the Times. "Starting tomorrow, students will continue to be able to exercise this right individually, but will be restricted in their right to assemble. These assemblies have ended up creating a disruption to normal school activities and has also left many students feeling unsafe and unwelcome."
Stewart also told students they could no longer "congregate, circle up, shout, jump, etc.," according to the email.
The Times said that Beverly Hills is a Republican "island" in the middle of chiefly pro-Democrat Los Angeles County, a community where voters largely supported former President Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris. In one Beverly Hills precinct, the newspaper reported, Trump won 63% of the vote compared to Harris' 33%, according to voting data.
Beverly Hills Unified Superintendent Michael Bregy told the Times that the school's decision was made to foster a safe, supportive environment for students.
"We value students' freedom of expression and encourage respectful civic engagement," he said.
Bregy said staff monitored the pro-Trump rally this week and "acted swiftly to de-escalate when expressions crossed into disruption," according to the newspaper.