DETROIT -- The entire school body at Western International High School in Detroit ditched class Monday morning to protest in the streets against the district's decision to lay off the principal.

Students and staff members staged the walkout Monday after they learned their principal, Rebecca Luna, would be one of the 33 Detroit Public School District principals that will not have their contracts renewed next year.

"We wanted to show our support for Mrs. Luna. She has been an amazing principal and she has done great things for this school and we want to keep her here," a student told Local 4.

The students began planning the protest Friday evening after the Emergency Financial Manager Robert Bobb announced his decision. The students largely spread the message through text messages, but at 8:20 a.m. a student pulled the fire alarm.

"I told the kids that's not what you do to start a protest. But in their eyes it wasn't justifiable for Mr. Bob to remove the principal," said parent Tyrone Scott Sr.

As the students held posters, chanted and marched down the street in support of their eight-year principal, Luna tried persuading them to go back into the building.

The protest ended at about 10:30 a.m.

"We can believe what we can believe, but we must move on and I need you to focus and be a class act," said Luna over the intercom after the rally ended.

"Mrs. Luna is the best principal around. She's the one who shaped up this school," said student Bernadette Hernendez.

Luna said she has a "heavy heart and is truly humbled" after the outpouring of emotion from the students.

Luna will be transferred to another DPS school, according to her daughter.

Bobb has not commented on the rally.

Under Bobb's new plan, 33 principals will effectively be laid off when their contracts are not renewed. Another 37 principals will get new assignments and 11 others will retire.

A nationwide search will be conducted to fill 10 of those principal positions at some of the city's most troubled schools.

Bobb continues to work in restructuring the district. "We will look at all of the options available to us under the law to achieve dramatically different achievement outcomes, not for one child, but for every child in this school system," Bobb said.

Bobb announced earlier this week that 29 schools in the district would close at the end of the current academic year.

DPS School Closing List