Hundreds Walk Out At Ridgefield High School, Movement Founder Speaks To Students

Murdock asked students to sign the petition in support of a walkout on April 20 – the 19th anniversary of the Columbine Shooting.

“It will show that we care and that we’re concerned about this issue and that we’re trying our best to stop this from happening again”, said 9th grader, Johnnah Bailey. However, students were made aware that missing class would affect their school attendance record. Student organizers at numerous schools in the San Gabriel Valley have registered their plans with a national database of walkouts.

“Our country has been overdue for comprehensive gun violence reform for many, many years”, said Jesse Kidd, another Churchill student.

Students for Change has two goals now that the national walk outs are over. Staff members were present to supervise students participating in the walkout, but classes continued for the rest of the school, said McKee. “My friends are teachers at Columbine High School, my sister was at Columbine High School”.

“These children have grown up, 19 years ago with Columbine, only knowing about school shootings”, parent Nicollette Hickman said. Students also lined up along the sidewalk on Omaha so people driving by could see their message which is that gun violence is having an effect on the nation and even Rapid City.

“We will not rest until change comes”, she said.

Torres said at the end of the day, they want to be heard and understood.

Instead of staging a walkout, they held an assembly. Senior Elias Tadesse added, “guns around here is not that uncommon, but that’s why we need more control over it”.

Saint Agnes speakers spoke about how recent school shootings, including in Parkland, Florida, in February, inspired their activism and anger about violence in places of learning. “Now that it is finally affecting white communities, people are starting to realize that something is very, very wrong”.

As he tweeted last month, “I’m young and I HAVE A VOICE!”