DES MOINES, Iowa – Students in the Des Moines metro were taking part in the National Day of Action before school started Thursday morning.

Students were joined by elected leaders, educators, and members of the community at rallies around Des Moines. They gathered outside schools, with some protesters holding up signs reading, “Honk for Schools.”

The walk-in was sponsored by the National Education Association and the Iowa State Education Association in protest of cuts to public education. One teacher, who attended a rally outside Central Campus, said it’s important for kids to learn about how the government works because they will eventually help shape it.

“Because they’re eventually going to be voters and they need to develop their critical thinking and have arguments and discussions about yes or no, pro or con. And this was a heated debate right along with should we wear uniforms. So that was a big conversation as well. And I think that this is something they’ll always remember,” said Kathleen Feeney, a 4th-grade teacher at Des Moines’ Downtown School.

Feeney spoke about the parents’ support for student participation, saying, “Also the parents endorse this and they wanted to be a part of it. They thought it was a great idea. You know, we joked that we can’t get them off screens and then I can’t keep their attention. I’m not clickbait, you know, I don’t have any coins. They can’t level up with me. So the parents were excited for them to have these hard discussions. We call them Socratic discussions and pick a side and stick to it, you know, so the parents appreciate it.

The rallies wrapped up in time for the kids to get to class. Organizers said 70 schools participated across Iowa, including 12 in Des Moines.