Students led walkouts Wednesday at New Century Academy and Hutchinson High School to memorialize the 17 people killed by a lone gunman at a Parkland, Florida school.
Thousands of other schools across the nation also participate in the 10 a.m. demonstration.
Zoe Collette, an eighth-grader who organized the walkout at NCA, gave a brief presentation about each of the victims killed in last month's school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. She also distributed fliers with contact information for local and state legislators.
“I mostly just hoped to raise awareness with it,” Collette said of the demonstration. “We’re a small school, and honestly, I didn’t think this many people would show up. I wanted to just raise awareness of the gun control laws and the Parkland victims. That’s about it.”
The walkout was attended by about 60 students, a little less than half of the school's enrollment, as well as several faculty and staff.
Along with recognizing the victims of school shootings, students discussed solutions for how to stop school violence, ranging from efforts to pass gun control bills, to raising awareness about mental health issues and anti-bullying campaigns.
130 PARTICIPATE AT HHS
At Hutchinson High School, a similar walkout took place in the school's commons, with about 130 of the school's more than 900 students participating. A reporter was asked to wait in the front office during the gathering, and not take photos.
“We wanted to show solidarity with schools across the nation,” said Abi Reiter, a junior who helped organize the event . “Even though a lot of schools may promote different issues, we have the same goal, to stop violence in schools.”
She said the walkout didn't promote one specific solution, and wasn't meant to promote gun control.
“I just hope people take away the fact that we don't feel completely safe,” Reiter said. “Kids are dying in other schools. We wanted to let people know we want something to happen, and we are willing to be part of that change.”
When students gathered in the commons, Reiter spoke about the event's purpose. The students then sat together quietly for 17 minutes to memorialize the 17 killed in Parkland. One name was read every minute. The students then stood for three minutes, acknowledging that three killed in Parkland were adults.
Reiter said staff and students who did not participate were respectful.
A TEACHABLE MOMENT
At NCA, teachers and director Jason Becker talked to the students about the right and wrong ways to participate in civil government, and how to have a debate.
“Learn about the other side of a debate,” Becker told students. “That way you might change your mind or you’ll know more about the other side and be able to discuss it better.”
“I think it’s really important for teachers to see these things as teachable moments,” said Kelsey Dolge, an NCA social studies teacher. “That we can show kids the right way to stand up for their beliefs … And make sure they’re able to not just learn from this experience, but also practice something that makes them into kind, compassionate, understanding adults.”
While Collette’s walkout was inspired by a report she was working on about gun control issues and the shooting at Parkland, the teachers stressed that gun control wasn’t the only thing discussed, and there are many facets to curbing school violence.
“I want them to know this doesn’t have to be the end,” said Ambrosia Doty, another teacher and Collette’s advisor at the school “I want them to know even though Zoe’s opinion was ignited by gun control, there are so many other things that come into play with this specific topic … What do we do inside the school to help make sure this doesn’t come here. It’s not just the politics of gun control. I want students at New Century Academy to be thinking about inclusion.”
Students and teachers also responded to social media comments saying children’s opinions on the topic don’t matter, or they matter less than an adult’s.
“Before you make that judgment, you should talk to the children. You should speak with them and hear what their honest opinions are about issues,” Dolge said. “I think you would be surprise about how deep and heartfelt these things are for students. And how the day after a tragedy like what happened in Florida, like when my kids walk into my classroom it’s a completely different day. They have questions, and they’re wondering, and they want to do research and they want to know more. If we’re talking about school safety, who does it affect more than our children?”
“I believe everyone’s opinion matters …,” said Aaliyah Bui, a 14-year-old NCA eighth-grader. “One day, when we turn 18, we’re just named an adult when really we’re just one day older. Everyone’s ideas matter, and everyone’s opinions matter.”
