Originally posted by: PrinceofWands
"Civil disobedience is the active refusal to obey certain laws, demands and commands of a government, or of an occupying power, without resorting to physical violence."
Were any LAWS broken by the protesters?
Was anyone's safety threatened by the actions of the protesters?
Were the protesters in any way violent?
Instead of punishing them, how about granting them a public forum. Explain the position and requirements upon administration and develop a dialogue. While you're at it, praise them for their initiative and concern, but offer them alternatives to their chosen method of protest that would have been less disruptive while still expressing their concerns in an impacting way.
Maybe the students should have asked for a public forum before setting up a protest or disturbance. In our school that is what the student counsel is for. I'm not saying I fully agree with either side, but since they caused a disturbance on that scale the administrator has to respond or else he / she loses authority with the students, when that happens you have anarchy. School can mirror the real world to an extent, but it has to have more structure or the students won't learn, that is unless they are mature enough to operate without the structure.