Students at three public elementary schools in Waterloo Region staged protests Monday, refusing to attend classes.

The protests took place at Lester B. Pearson Public School and MacGregor Public School in Waterloo, as well as Margaret Avenue Public School in Kitchener.

“People are doing what they think is right, and they’re standing for what they want,” said Kenneth Hamilton, a Grade 7 student at Margaret Avenue.

The students were protesting the impending loss of extracurricular activities.

Teachers represented by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, who have been without a contract for over a year, will stop taking part in extracurriculars as of Wednesday.

“A lot of people are on teams, and they love doing those things – and now we don’t get to do them anymore,” Hamilton said.

Although photos posted on social media showed hallways teeming with students, other students say that they remained in their classrooms.

Lauren Lavallee, a Grade 7 student at MacGregor, said she felt peer pressure to join the protest against her wishes.

“Everyone’s saying ‘Why are you going to class? You should be out here with us,’” she said.

Her father agreed, saying the schools should have done more to discourage the protests.

“All you have to do is tell the kids ‘If you don’t go back to class, you’re suspended,’” Brent Lavallee said.

“I own a business. If my employees started striking, they’d be looking for a job the next day.”

Another parent, Scott Williams, had a different take.

 “I’m actually behind (the students) 100 per cent,” he said.

“They might not understand exactly what the issues are, but they feel that they’re being shortchanged.”

School board officials said their priority was ensuring that school environments remained safe during protests, and that students would not be disciplined for “respectful” protests.

ETFO teachers have had other aspects of job action underway since the spring. Even prior to Wednesday’s escalation, teachers are not taking part in parent-teacher interviews or organizing field trips.

The union has threatened rotating strikes should progress not be made at the bargaining table.

Premier Kathleen Wynne has said that school boards will be given the ability to dock teachers a portion of their salary starting Wednesday, if job action continues.