Paradise High walkout sparks deeper discussion
PARKLAND, FLORIDA US students spilled out of classrooms by the tens of thousands yesterday, chanting slogans like “No more silence” and “We want change” as part of a coast-to-coast protest over gun violence prompted by last month’s massacre at a Florida high school.
What was supposed to be a moment of solidarity and respect, became what has been described as a time of chaos at Antioch High School in Nashville during National Walkout Day.
Given the circumstances, a main objective for Paradise High School Principal Loren Lighthall was that participants were safely on campus and did not disrupt other students or campus operations.
A Rocklin High School teacher is on paid administrative leave over her views about the national school walk out.
Afterwards, the overwhelming majority of students chose to participate in a walkout, where they carried signs, made speeches and sang songs.
Ninth-grade student Cassandra Morley was among those who participated.
“We worked really hard, so most of it seemed really powerful, and really moving, especially at the end when people were singing together, I thought that was a really great moment”, Farbiarz said.
In Portland, the state’s largest city, high school and younger students gathered in Monument Square to voice their opposition to gun violence and exhibit their knowledge of the rights they have as citizens.
“This is a national movement; it is real, and it is being driven by our students”, Rosa and Elia said. Pastor Powell says. “I am a retired military guy, 20 years active duty armed forces”.
“A lot of people actually planned on it”, she said.
She is 16 and planning to vote as soon as she can.
Another student who stayed in class, Finn Welch, was undecided. Moccia says he wants to open up communication at the school through weekly lunch forums where students can sit down with administrators.
“We have the statistics on our side, we have the facts”, he said. “The kids that were there actually wanted to be”.
Numerous students know what they must do. Chrusciel said that one of her friends went outside at the risk of getting in trouble at home.
But they all felt like normal school assemblies or activities, not like the grassroots protest the walkout began as.
“The people in charge, the elders in charge right now, have control of our future and they’re kinda messing it up”, said 16-year-old junior Raizel McNally. I’m not blaming officials for anything, I’m not accusing them of doing anything wrong. “I should never have to take a class on how to dodge a bullet”, she added, “I shouldn’t have to come to school in fear”. We must evaluate students’ mental health so they can get the help they need and ensure school counselors are better resourced and less overwhelmed by their caseloads.
If you search around on YouTube, there are a few videos that are shown that list the 17 victims who were killed in the school shooting and what they had done for the school.
At Pennridge High School in Pennsylvania, more than 200 students were given weekend detentions for taking part. “We’re not giving up that easily”.
Portland High School Principal Sheila Jepson and Mayor Ethan Strimling were on hand to observe the Monument Square demonstration.
“It is totally worthwhile”, she said.
Despite those who used the moment for the wrong reasons, Brandy said she was “proud and happy” of all those who truly used the moment for what it was created to do. “These are my peers.we are old enough to be able to remember what happened and be able to speak about it”.