Thousands of Metro Vancouver high school students are planning a walkout Friday in support of the teachers' planned strike.
The protest is planned for 2 p.m., and students are spreading word on Facebook that they will be abandoning classes to meet up at the Vancouver Art Gallery.
"We're very passionate about this cause," grade 11 student Nicole Yu told CTV News. "We all decided that the teachers' strike is escalating. We need to do something.
Organizer Teresa Fuller said the students are in support of mediation and negotiation between the teachers' union and their government employers.
"We really care about what's going on with funding and class sizes," she said.
Students in Surrey are also aware of the protest plans, and some told CTV News they plan to leave class.
Surrey school district spokesman Doug Strachan said that discipline won't be a priority for those students who choose to walk out.
"The priority is really that they be mindful of the fact that there may be tests, that there may be some other activities, school lessons in the classroom that they don't want to miss," he said.
Teachers are scheduled to begin their own three-day walkout on Monday.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Michele Brunoro
