National School Walkout: Students Protest Gun Violence

March 14, 2018

Students around the United States of America are walking out of classrooms today in unity to protest gun violence that has plagued schools throughout the country.  Thousands of students participated in the National School Walkout at 10 A.M. EST throughout each time zone.  It was a 17-minute long protest to honor the 17 people who died in the infamous Valentine’s Day school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. 

On February 14, 2018, former Parkland High School student Nikolas Cruz, 19, entered the high school in the afternoon and opened fire on both students and faculty in the building.  Cruz used an AR-15 style semi-automatic rifle to kill 17 and wound 14.  He was then arrested by police an hour after the massacre off campus.

Many students stated that they knew of Cruz and that he was a disturbed individual, and police had been made aware of these concerns more than 20 times through phone calls made to the Parkland police department, according to the Sheriff of Parkland.  In addition, police had visited Cruz 39 times in one year as a result of complaints made against him, as outlined in police reports.

President Trump Tweeted a day later in regard to the Florida shooting.  Trump expressed his concerns regarding the lack of communication between the local police department and U.S. intelligence departments, as it was discovered Cruz had not been properly reported to the right departments as a risk.  Had Cruz been reported to the correct department, it’s likely that he would not have been eligible to obtain the weapon used during the massacre.

Right before the National School Walkout protest occurred, another school shooting occurred in Ocala, Florida, at Ocala’s Forest High School.  According to police, a student was shot in the ankle and the suspect was taken into custody.  As a result, a fresh wave of emotions went through the students prepared to participate in the national protest.

The protest itself was created by Youth Empower, a division of the national Woman’s March group, to not only honor the victims of Parkland High School shooting, but to direct awareness to issues surrounding gun control in the United States as well.  Those who participated were encouraged to wear orange, a color that many gun control advocates associate with gun control safety.

More than 2,500 schools participated in the protest with the goal to put pressure on Congress. Students demanded the ban of “assault-style” weapons.  In addition, students also demanded that background checks be overhauled and mandatory in all 50 states for those seeking to buy a gun. 

Students planned to stay on school grounds while listening to peer speakers during the protest.  After the 17 minutes had finished, students were to return to class.  Those who did not participate were to stay in the building and continue class as normal – if possible. 

While most school administrators expressed their support for the walkout, other school administrators made it clear that students who participated in the walkout would be subject to discipline outlined in the school’s policies.  The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) urged students to check their school’s policies for missing class to avoid potential discipline.

Join Us
Let's Talk