Portland Public Elementary Schools See Drop In Attendance on “Day Without Immigrants”

Immigrants boycott work, school around the country and in Portland.

Rigler Elementary School

Five hundred fewer students attended Portland Public Schools' elementaries  today than yesterday, according to Portland Public Schools, a drop that school officials say may result from the nationwide "A Day Without Immigrants" boycotts.

Around the country, immigrants and undocumented workers are participating in a general boycott intended to show how their absence would impact the country.

Online flyers urge immigrants not to attend work today, go shopping, or send their kids to school — and that last suggestion seems to have made an impact in Portland's classrooms.

"Today's attendance is down more than usual, potentially related to the 'Day Without Immigrants' movement," says PPS spokeswoman Courtney Westling.

Westling warns that this number doesn't distinguish between excused and unexcused absences. (There are 23,338 total kids in the K-5 schools.)

The grassroots movement has gained direct support elsewhere — The Oregonian reports that at least 13 Portland businesses are closed today in solidarity with the boycott.

The ¿Por Qué No? Taqueria has closed both their PDX locations, posting an image of a 'Day Without Immigrants' flyer on their Instagram with the message to their customers: "Please join us in this fight for love, equity & inclusion."

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