^ we need to repeal the act that forbids studying gun violence, so that we know why it started happening, and study also solutions attempted by schools to see which work and which don’t.
However this is NOT just an adult issue, or adults dragging kids into it. Kids getting shot in schools isn’t an adult issue in fact.
The Florida kids WERE THERE. It is their issue. And all teenagers know that it could have been them, which makes that their issue too.
These kids have never lived in a world without school shootings. They’ve never lived in a world where they don’t hear bromides and platitudes after kids’deaths, assumptions that nothing can be done, it’s just bad luck or fate that kids get shot in US schools. And as one said, they ‘called BS’ on that.
We got used to it, plain and simple. They just went through a massacre and refuse that Americans can’t do anything at all about kids getting killed.
They’re asking adults to do everything they can to stop this from ever happening again. And since adults aren’t moving, they’re shaming us into saving them. They know that if they stopped somewhere another angry boy will get an assault riffle and will shoot classmates or little kids or whoever he feels will ‘show’em’ that he’s strong and should not have been underestimated.
We didn’t always all have access to assault weapons. There’s a huge difference in how many people you can kill by shooting a handgun and by shooting a semi automatic weapon.
Angry, agressive boys who resent not being admired by boys and girls and have revenge fantasies have always existed. How did they react before, why didn’t their anger result in shooting classmates? We need to study that.
I’ve now seen 3 different dates for walk outs. March 14, March 24, and April 20.
In my opinion 3 walkouts does in fact start to infringe on education and schools attempting to get in all of the material required by the end of the year.
I don’t look at anyone not wanting to take part as “pro mass shootings” and I think portraying it as such is divisive in itself.
FWIW I am in favor of bans on assault rifles.
I also am aware that while most students have a passion for the cause there are also students who will just do anything to get out of class for the day. I doubt that is the case for children of parents on CC but I’ve heard teen conversations indicating such.
Your students sound very mature but there are also a lot of very immature high school students.
I don’t see adults dragging any students into issues. I see mature teens who feel strongly that their lives are at risk daily and that the adults have failed to ensure their security so they need to take action into their own hands. My teens have rightfully feared their classmates with guns.
I’m with @yourmomma. In an effort to keep it non-political let me just say that I think it will hold more merit if kids are giving up their own free time to march and/or protest. Given the choice of missing a class, nearly all students will attend. Given the choice of getting up early on Saturday morning will show just how many really have the passion and intellectual ability to grasp (or want to grasp) the intended purpose.
As a union member at my place of employment, I am not allowed to picket during my scheduled work hours, nor am I able to strike while under contract. The same should hold for students.
“Are there people who are NOT “allies” of children? Like seriously? That is unbelievable.”
I believe there are many who don’t care one bit about school children being mowed down by assault type weapons in schools (among other places people get mowed down.) If they cared there wouid have been stricter gun control legislation years ago. They only care about protecting their 2A rights no matter the cost in lives lost. They prove it after every mass shooting.
@bhs1978 March 24th is a Saturday. It is a day for a march not a walkout. Also, as stated by a previous poster, the idea is 17 minutes of silence, one minute for each Parkland massacre victim. It is hardly an opportunity to “get out of class for the day”. Let’s not blow things out of proportion here and look for excuses to be unsupportive instead of supportive.
I agree with @roycroftmom that this is driven by students. Not adult led although adults are supporting their efforts, as they should as allies. Many students can vote already. The majority of these students in high school will be of voting age by the next presidential election. I really wish folks would stop making high school students appear to be incompetent and incapable. (probably the same one’s who’ll turn around and criticize them for being coddled).
Plenty of teens have the capacity and willingness to give up their own time and are doing so now in organizing these events. Thousands are expected to attend in each city. I wish more adults felt the same way.
Is that 17 minutes desk to desk. Or is it walk out to said location, time for 17 minutes then return to class. The latter could be as much as 30-40 minutes. That’s someone’s class that is being missed.
I believe teachers and administrators can support the walk out however I don’t believe they should have to alter their lesson plans for such. Students should be responsible for all missed work.
For those stating that they don’t think this should take place during the school day, do you feel ANY issue is important enough to interrupt a small part of the school day? If so, tell me what that issue is because this one seems pretty darn important to me.
Does your local school never have assemblies or other events that impact class time?
To me, missing a class isn’t that big a deal for something like this. Students miss classes all the time for more trivial stuff. And, they will be learning during that time. They’ll be learning democracy in action. Pretty important stuff, IMO.
So your concern around this issue is truly that they might miss a class or part of a class?! Or is it that you feel threatened by it in some way?
Well, football and basketball are deemed important enough to lose a period or go to altered schedule at most High schools.
Almost all teachers I know will willingly give up their class period and will pray or respect the minutes of silence for the victims alongside the students.
I’m certain that the teachers and administrators at my kid’s high school wish to walk out in protest as well. They, too, fear getting killed by an angry student,and do not have any desire to be armed.
Interesting story. I participated in such a walk out when I was in high school. Local news channels came and it was peaceful. About half the kids truly supported the cause and about half were cheering that they were missing class. Several of the good students went in because they didn’t want to miss class.
The school had made it clear that students would be responsible for the missed work and teachers were not required to give makeup exams if a test was scheduled. Students were responsible for making their own decision regarding this. That part was fine.
My brother chose to walk out (as did I). He had a class that had a test but he chose to accept the consequences. A few students went in to take the test and those who walked out would get zeros. They knew this going in. However, after it was said and done many parents called the school and said their child was sick. Flat out lie as those kids were very much a part of the walk out. Those kids were allowed to take the test. However those kids who were honest (my brother) and whose parents refused to lie (my parents) got zeroes.
The biggest lesson that students got out of that day was that it pays off to lie.
Ask any student and they will tell you assemblies are a waste of time.
And if they want to have a vigil or a moment of silence type activity to honor the students, no problem.
But a walkout, sit in, etc. is is a public demonstration or protest. It’s disobedient to make a point. It becomes a political event. Political events are divisive. Not for schools to promote. Heck we can’t even debate them here.
This issue directly affects the students’ daily lives, @bhs1978. I don’t know a single student who thinks he/she is safe from a school shooting-it could happen anywhere, and frankly, they all know at least one angry and potentially violent teen who could do this. Every student I know has practiced lockdown drills, and no, they aren’t fun ways to get out of class. So I don’t share your cynicism about the students’ motives on this issue-they want to be safe. And they know they are not.
Our founding fathers were all about civil disobedience, thankfully.
Easiest way for school administrators to control it is to embrace it. Hard to fathom that there is a person who can’t find something worthwhile in having a school day stoppage to acknowledge this issue, even if they all don’t agree on what steps should be taken to try to rectify the issue.
Speaking of lockdowns, don’t you all feel your hearts aching when you see video footage of students practicing lockdowns (as young as 5 years old), or footage from Parkland of students walking in lines with their hands on each other’s shoulders? Well, it sure makes my heart ache. Our children deserve better. Plus, talk about taking time away from classroom work! That takes time, too. Sad state of affairs.
I agree with yourmomma. Schools cannot take sides when it comes to political speech. If one group walks out for one reason, then there can be no consequences for another group walking out for another reason. Or just a group of three or four walking out for any ostensible ‘protest’.
