Hegseth’s visit to U.S. base in Germany met with student walkout

Washington Post ^ | February 11, 2025 | Dan Lamothe

[ransomnote]

BRUSSELS — Dozens of American students at a U.S. military installation in Germany walked out of their middle school on Tuesday as part of protests aimed at an official visit by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, underscoring the scope of disillusionment with the Trump administration’s crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

The students attend Patch Middle School in Stuttgart, Germany, and peacefully walked out of class for nearly an hour, according to three people familiar with the matter and a letter sent to parents by a school administrator. Separately, a small group of adults dressed in civilian clothing — likely parents — gathered outside at Stuttgart and protested within view and earshot of Hegseth’s delegation, booing and chanting “DEI!”, according to video recorded by a reporter traveling with the secretary.

The protests were in response to President Donald Trump’s string of executive orders targeting diversity efforts throughout the U.S. government, directives Hegseth has carried out enthusiastically. Since he took over the Pentagon, Black History Month celebrations and other similar events have been banned and access to select books in Defense Department schools attended by the children of U.S. service members have been restricted. Those moves have drawn criticism from parents and students alike.

SNIP

The student said that she and other students decided to act after seeing how Trump’s executive orders would target diversity events, including a drama club performance that celebrated Black History Month with Motown songs. Many involved in the protest, she said, also were concerned with how the Trump administration’s directives would affect people in the LGBTQ+ community.

[CondoleezzaProtege]

*eyeroll*

[cgbg]

All those years of AID grants all over the world have spawned cultures of left wing freaks—paid for by our tax dollars.

We were played so bad.

[yesthatjallen]

Did they lock the outside doors when they left?

[Secret Agent Man]

So thats the hill they all want to DEI on.

[Taxman]

The Deep State IS Deep, indeed!

[yesthatjallen]

"Strength equals readiness. Kicked off the day with PT alongside the warriors of 1/10 SFG.

No bureacracy—just sharp minds, strong bodies, and a mission-first mindset."

SecDef X

[Tennessee Nana]

Middle school ???

What are they putting in the milk ???

[The_Harlequin]

Yeah, they sure showed him, didn’t they? There’s nothing like a few drama queens to stir things up. Dealing with crybabies like that is like shooting fish in a barrel.

[Right Brother]

"underscoring the scope of disillusionment"

Yup, the disillusionment is so widespread that recruitment levels are at a 15 year high.

[eastforker]

I would wager those kids were not acting on their own, rather prodded I bet by the teachers. Middle school kids are not that astute but are easily led.

[TigersEye]

IOWs a bunch of children had a mild hissy fit.

[Raycpa]

Middle schoolers protest? They organized it all on their own?

[Don W]

Middle schoolers?

Children/teens in grades 6-9?

This sounds more like teacher-incited and organized activity than anything produced and coordinated by the kids.

[rktman]

Indoc’d in base schools. Sad.

[lepton]

including a drama club performance that celebrated Black History Month with Motown songs

Did it actually? That seems about as innocuous as it gets. Or did the teachers tell the kids it would?

[lepton]

Yep. 100% kids of military parents.

[HIDEK6]

… and peacefully walked out …

Give - Me - A - Break.

[Jyotishi]

Give every student who walked out an “F” for foolishness.

[PGR88]

At this point, NATO is just bodyguard to the woke WEF globalists destroying Western Europe.