PALMETTO, Fla. — Lincoln Memorial Academy on Friday will be under a state of heightened security as a student walkout is planned to protest new school leadership.

It comes a week after the school blocked students from walking out and just a day after the school was put on lockdown because of a threat.

Last month the Manatee School Board stripped the charter school of its leadership after then principal Eddie Hundley lost his certification for five years and it was learned the school was running a debt of between $250,000 to $750,000.

Parents and students say the former principal and the school board were not to blame and that it was the school district that withheld federal grant money.

A hearing on that is scheduled for early next week.

As far as the walkout happening on Friday, attorneys representing old school leadership and parents had this to say:

"… in protest of the illegal termination of Lincoln Memorial Academy charter school, unqualified principal and teachers, inadequate equipment and the threats of principal Ronnie King."

King, who is the interim principal, told students last week if they walked out to protest it would be a criminal offense.

Walkouts by organized labor unions are against the law in Florida, but they are not illegal for students.

However, schools can punish students for being absent from class, but Lincoln Memorial Academy has been silent about if it would punish the students if they participate in Friday's walkout.

A walkout was planned for last week at Lincoln Memorial Academy, but it was stopped by new school leaders.

The law firm representing some of the old staff is pushing a new walkout at 8 a.m. and it happened at the same time there have been threats against the school as well as an on-going federal investigation.