Military Families and Students Protest Against DEI Rollback

In Germany, a surprising scene unfolded when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited a US military base. Instead of a warm welcome, he was met with chants of "DEI" and boos from around two dozen military families. This wasn't your typical protest. These were people who live on the base, making their voices heard loud and clear. Meanwhile, at a nearby middle school, students took a stand. About 55 students from Patch middle school walked out of class. They protested for 50 minutes, showing their support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. This wasn't just a small group of students. It was nearly half of the school's population. Protests like these, led by military families, are not common. But these families and students had something to say. They were responding to recent changes made by Hegseth. Since taking office, Hegseth has made some big changes. He banned celebrations like Black History Month and restricted access to certain books in defense department schools. He also announced that the US military would no longer accept transgender service members and paused gender-affirming medical care. The school walkout was organized by an eighth-grade student. This student and others decided to demonstrate while Hegseth visited. They were concerned about how recent executive orders would affect diverse events at the school and the LGBTQ+ community. The student shared, "There was this great sense of community and belonging. Like we're not alone, because so many kids came out. " This shows that these students are not just concerned about themselves, but about their community as well. These protests show that people are paying attention to what's happening. They're not just sitting back and accepting changes. They're standing up for what they believe in. This is a powerful message. It shows that even in a military setting, people will stand up for what they believe in.