Customers found favorite restaurants closed while teachers faced classrooms with fewer students Thursday during the Day Without Immigrants action in Santa Barbara County.
From Santa Barbara to Santa Maria, restaurants and other businesses were shuttered to show support for the action involving a one-day boycott to protest the Trump administration’s push to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border and deportation of undocumented immigrants.
The action appears to have been organized via social media.
Lompoc’s Floriano’s Mexican Food and Fresh Cuts restaurant, 1129 North H St., closed Thursday, with signs announcing the move on the front door in English and Spanish as well as on its Facebook page.
“In support of our immigrant customers, community, employees, and especially our parents, Floriano and Maria Rodriguez, who opened up Floriano’s Mexican Food, we have decided to support the movement “A Day Without Immigrants,” the operators said. “We will be closed Feb. 16, 2017.
“We apologize for any inconvenience this will bring upon you, and we thank you for your understanding.”
Likewise, customers in Santa Barbara encountered closed or partially closed eateries.
At Arnoldi’s Cafe, at 600 Olive St., operators also noted the closure on the restaurant’s Facebook page.
”In recognition of the critical contributions that our employees, suppliers and vendors make to our business, we will not be open today, a Day Without Immigrants.
Los Agaves Restaurant locations also remained shut Thursday, according to a Facebook post that included the #immigrantsfeedamerica” hashtag.
“To honor ‘A Day Without Immigrants,’ all Los Agaves restaurants are closed today to support our employees participating in the protest, and to demonstrate solidarity from the entire Los Agaves team. Thank you, and we will be open again tomorrow as usual in all locations,” the post said.
While the kitchen remain closed Thursday, the bar was open at Chase Bar & Grill at 1012 State St.
At Jeannine’s, 15 E. Figueroa St., 1253 Coast Village Road, and 3607 State St., the kitchen also closed while service was limited to pastries and coffee.
Throughout the county, numerous other restaurants and business closed Thursday in support of the action as social media posts drew fervent support and opposition.
A customer arrived at Floriano’s on Thursday afternoon only to find the doors locked.
“Well that’s the last time I’m coming here,” the man said. “That kind of crap doesn’t sit well with me. We’re Americans.”
On a rainy afternoon in Santa Maria, approximately 15 people stood on the corner of South Broadway and Cook Street with signs.
Jessica Barriga held a sign telling drivers, “Honk if you love Mexican food” while explaining why she participated in the action.
“Because I have family members who are immigrants. I believe that’s part my background, and I just wanted to support them,” she said.
They received reactions of support and opposition from passing motorists, she added.
Schools also felt the impact of the action Thursday, with one district reporting an absentee rate of 43 percent.
The Santa Maria Joint Union High School District recorded an absentee rate of 22 percent, which could lead to a potential financial impact of $100,000, spokesman Kenny Klein said.
Typically, the number of missing students hovers around 5 percent he added.
In Guadalupe, Mary Buren Elementary School reported 38 percent of its students were absent, while Kermit McKenzie Junior High School had 23 percent of its students missing.
The Santa Barbara Unified School District logged 2,294 full-day absences — about 2.5 times as high as Wednesday’s number of 904
The greatest increase in absences was in elementary schools: 885 versus 225 a day earlier or four times higher.
High schools saw a jump about twice as high as Wednesday while junior highs had a 2.5-time jump.
“A Day without Immigrants definitely impacted it,” Assistant Superintendent Frann Wageneck said.
The upcoming four-day weekend likely contributed too, she said.
The Santa Barbara district also saw a higher number of employee absences — 121 of 984 employees were out Thursday as well, whereas 80 to 90 typically miss work on a given day.
She said the same factors — Day Without Immigrants and an extended 4-day weekend — would account for the higher rate, too.
Santa Maria-Bonita School District officials said 7,302 students were absent among the total population of 16,878 for a 43-percent absentee rate.
That was higher than district leaders anticipated, Superintendent Luke Ontiveros said.
On Wednesday, Santa Maria-Bonita leaders, like their counterparts at the high school district, alerted parents that schools would be open Thursday for regularly scheduled classes.
That effort was aimed at correcting misinformation on fliers being circulated in the community, Ontiveros said.
Low attendance means lower revenue for schools. For instance, Santa Maria-Bonita received approximately $54 per student each day they are in school, and projects its budget on seats being filled.
The price of a missed day is higher for students.
“Kids lose that opportunity to learn and grow for that day,” Ontiveros said. “You don’t get the experience back.”
“School is the best place for students to be during the day to get an opportunity to learn and build their futures,” he added. “We just encourage parents to have their kids in school whenever they can.”
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.