It’s not senior ditch day or an early release but students all over the world are walking out of school today! This movement is one-month since the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Students and staff in all schools are walking out of class at 10 am and will leave the building for 17 minutes as each minute is for the number of students who died in the Florida shooting.
Source: Joe Raedle / Getty
Women’s March Youth Empower is the organization behind this protest and want to use this peaceful approach as a call to action for Congress to pass gun control legislation.
“We view this work as part of an ongoing and decades-long movement for gun violence prevention, in honor of all victims of gun violence — from James Brady to Trayvon Martin to the 17 people killed in Parkland,” the Women’s March Youth Empower website wrote on its site.
Some schools have already implemented disciplinary actions such as suspension for any students participating in this movement during school hours. Even though students have the freedom of speech and the right to protest, the education system still has the right to place action behind the student being absent from class. For those who are not in school as a student or staff, you can participate by just wearing the color orange today.
I grew up in a generation where I was told ” A child is supposed to stay in a child’s place”, its seem as though that role has changed as children are now speaking up for themselves and serving as an adult. How can a student focus on the future when the place to learn is now also a place where you have to worry about a threat.
