Wednesday’s National School Walkout Kicks Off a Month of Student-Led Marches and Protests to Challenge Gun Laws
Tomorrow, numerous students will participate in a walkout to express their concerns regarding America’s gun policies and to pay tribute to the victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy in Parkland, Florida. The walkouts will occur at 10 a.m. in every time zone across the nation and will last for 17 minutes, symbolizing each life lost in Parkland.
This walkout is just one of the many student-centered events taking place nationwide in the coming month to address the issue of gun violence. Students from Stoneman Douglas High School are organizing a march in Washington D.C. on March 24, called March for Our Lives, which will also take place in numerous other cities. Additionally, a second national school walkout, led by students, is scheduled for April 20, which marks the 19th anniversary of the Columbine school shooting.
Women’s March Youth, the youth affiliate of the Women’s March organization, is facilitating the march on Wednesday and has provided resources to aid student organizers. They are demanding legislative action on gun violence and have presented a list of demands to Congress.
Many colleges and universities have released statements assuring students that any disciplinary consequences resulting from peaceful protests will not impact admissions decisions.
In New York City, participating students who will turn 18 by the end of the year will have the opportunity to register to vote, as reported by the New York Daily News. The Hartford School District in Connecticut will allow students to peacefully protest during authorized walkouts without facing disciplinary actions. The district’s website also states that it will provide alternative platforms for social and political expression in addition to the walkout.
In Vermont, students at one school conducted a walkout on Tuesday since they did not have classes scheduled for Wednesday.
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