To me the walk out - the planning, meeting with people, discussing issues, etc- is a very strong learning experience. It’s also part of civics and what it means to be an American.
(It’s certainly more educational than a pep rallye for instance.)
‘protesting in their own time’ doesn’t make sense - it’s not an individual hobby like learning how to whistle or shooting GoPro skate videos or doing standup. By definition, it’s collective, like choir or a team sport, therefore it has to be done on ‘collective time’, but more importantly because to get the message across it has to peacefully break with a collectively established structure (here, the schedule) - you can’t walk out from homework or watching YouTube.
Students aren’t punished if they don’t participate so I’m not sure how it’s exclusionary - if they choose to participate the school will not punish, if they choose not to participate the school won’t punish.
We live in a town next to Parkland. Our schools have encouraged in school events but did not support the walk outs. The kids did it anyway. In the end the police supported the kids by driving alongside them and making sure they were safe at big intersections, many of the deans and even our principal showed up and the district ended ups ending busses to get the kids back to school after the demonstrations. I’m guessing the administration had to officially say they did not sanction the walk outs even if they really supported them. Some local schools supported walk outs where the kids just went outside to the football field then came back into school.
@yourmomma A protest will not have the impact they wanted if they just did it on the weekend. These kids are scared and upset - they needed to show they were serious and meant what they said. I think missing a few classes is nothing compared to how it made these kids feel empowered which is why I encouraged my kids to join. It did not exclude people - if you wanted to go you went, if not you stayed at school. Our school is over 3,000 students and about 1,500 walked so plenty of kids decided not to join for many different reasons.
@doschicos That is exactly what I was saying when I saw people getting so mad and opposing these kids. They were not protesting any politician or anything - they were protesting gun violence and unsafe schools. So these people who were against the kids are for gun violence and unsafe schools??
@romanigypsyeyes There are two walk outs planned for the high schoolers - one on March 14th and one on April 20th. The March 14th one was planned by adults, the other by the kids.
Just copying this from my other Class of 19 thread to give a little information of what the walk outs here were like.
As I said we are a town over from Parkland and of course many people know people in Parkland including the people who were killed through sports, activities, churches, friends, etc. We personally know a boy from elementary school whose cousin was killed- we also know many other families through sports. So these protests were very personal for some of these high schoolers.
I’ve spent the last two days watching our local high school students protest gun violence and unsafe schools. Several local schools staged walk outs and I was able to go to both of them.
On Tuesday one of the town high schools (not ours) was planning a silent memorial in their school courtyard. Apparently word got around that some of the kids thought they should plan a walk out where they were just going to walk outside of the school gates for a little bit. Somehow that turned into hundreds of students deciding pretty much on the spot to walk all the way to Parkland to the Stoneman Douglas school to pay their respects. My friend and I heard about it on Facebook and decided to drive out there to bring them water. Along the way we decided to grab food too and we ended up bringing 6 cases of water, 13 pizzas and tons of cookies. I have never seen anybody so excited for pizza! These kids were amazing - they were not prepared for their almost 12 mile walk - I saw kids in flip flops, sweatpants (it was very hot and sunny), girls in tight jeans and long leggings and many were still carrying their heavy backpacks. It took them over 4 hours to get there but most of them made it the whole way despite being super sweaty, sunburnt and blistered.
Yesterday two of the other local high schools (including ours) also did walk outs and they walked to City Hall. The schools called the night before and asked the kids not to do it but they were determined to do something to really show how they are feeling. The farthest away school came first, they walked 8 1/2 miles and did a 17 minute moment of silence in the parking lot. Then some middle schoolers showed up followed by about 1,500 kids from our high school including D19 and D21. There were even three girls from NYC who were here on spring break - they heard about what the kids were doing, made signs and joined the march about half way through! I loved seeing the first school get so excited when our high school showed up - usually the other town schools are rivals of course but yesterday they were cheering and hugging each other. There were tons of signs and chants and several people stood up and spoke to the crowd. Some of our high school administrators ended up joining the kids including the principal who walked the 2.5 miles even though she is injured and using a crutch!! They did not sanction the event but I guess they decided it was better to join in and support the kids in the end.
PS - wanted to add a shout out to Little Caesars - we ordered 10 pizzas but when the man at the counter heard where we were taking them he gave us a discount and added 3 extra!
I haven’t heard about anything around here, the only mention I have heard of this has been online or on tv. It is possible, but I find it unlikely that anything like that will take place here, if anything were done it would probably be prayer or a moment of silence to honor the victims.
I guess I’m really unclear on the whole “protest” thing in this case, normally when I think of protest or walk-outs it is related to something controversial. I can’t imagine that there is anyone in favor of school shootings, so is it to raise awareness for greater security measures in schools, like armed officers, metal detectors, lockdowns?
It’s sad that some people view PROTEST as a four letter word. Whether it is this latest movement against the shootings and for safety for our children or other events over the past few years, I’ve heard and read comments from some people angry at those protesting. I don’t get it. Engagement is good for democracy. When voter apathy is so high as evidenced by the voter turnout rates, engagement should be applauded.
Our founding fathers would be pleased with protest, the exercising of one’s free speech, and the voicing of dissent by the people.
@HeartofDixie Here the protest is based on addressing what the protestors believe is government inaction on school shootings. No one specific policy is protested.
“is it to raise awareness for greater security measures in schools, like armed officers, metal detectors, lockdowns?”
I’m sure there are people with all kinds of thoughts and opinions on the matter. However, among people I know many of which are school teachers, they don’t view that as an acceptable, workable, realistic solution nor an answer to the problem. They are looking for actual changes rather than a reactive band-aid and those changes include many angles but not schools as fortresses.
So, what IS your objection, @yourmomma? Are you okay with the status quo? Are you not upset by the tragedies like this? Do you feel teens who survived such tragedies and countless others that feel concern that the same could happen to them shouldn’t be actively protesting what is going on and demanding answers and changes? Does a democracy not need a system of checks and balances, one being lawful protest, to keep our government focused on protecting and insuring our inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?
IMO, what prevents anything real from getting done is complacency and apathy. Sandy Hook was more than 5 years ago. We’ve had too much complacency and apathy around this issue.
If we must have protests–not a good idea IMO–it is best that they be organized by some competent authority. It seems imprudent to have large crowds of unsupervised high schoolers massing about.
The question wasn’t about protests. The question was about school support of protests and non-consequences of students skipping school to participate. I clearly said the students should protest on their own time.
Anyone who has worked with politicians and congress will know that the reason “nothing gets done” is that they don’t want nothing done. They want the issue to run on the next election. I have had a sitting Congressman admit it.
The walkout for March 14 is for 17 minutes to honor those killed in Parkland and raise the issue of gun violence and school safety. It would be similar to the time taken for a fire drill or other drills. The schools could certainly have a means to supervise both the students who want to walk out and those that do not. I believe our district is going to support the HS students for the walkout.
This is not akin to a random walkout protest. Learning also takes place outside the classroom.
Our local school’s website says nothing about any protest on March 14. If they don’t leave school grounds that’s one thing, but if they march that requires police support and creates traffic and safety issues. Our state has very strict gun laws. Our school has an armed officer (who hopefully would go in and shoot any shooter who came on campus unlike the Parkland school guard).
I would also hope that reports of threats would be taken seriously. Whittier High School had a threat. The threat was overheard, reported and a warrant was issued. The kid’s home was searched and weapons were found. Both the kid and his brother are now under arrest.
I haven’t heard about a walk out but our school did have a spirit day for last weeks shooting - kids were asked to wear maroon and gray that day and wrote card to send. Three other local high schools participated and it was all done by the kids using social media. I feel like it was empowering for them to see some GOOD and unity come from social media for once!
I haven’t heard anything about what my school district is doing but I don’t have any kids in school anymore and neither do any of my friends. TBS, my resistance group is organizing to go to the March For Our Lives in DC on 3/24 and just set up a meeting with Sen. Gillibrand to discuss gun control legislation.
Students in over 150 cities are organizing official March for our Lives events on March 24th in conjunction with the Washington march. Yes, they are obtaining the necessary permits and paperwork. Our teens are capable of so much when they are motivated
The CNN language is odd: Women’s March organizers are encouraging students, teachers and their allies to walk out of schools on March 14 to protest gun violence.
Are there people who are NOT “allies” of children? Like seriously? That is unbelievable.
Not a fan of adults dragging students into their own issues. Everyone supports safe schools - and safe public buildings. They merely differ on by what method this should occur. None of this school shooting stuff is new. It’s been happening for many years.
We always had weapons in this country, but it suddenly began happening, regardless of administration and Congress. We need to look at what we have done to children, not just point fingers in political directions that oppose our own views.
