In the wake of the unfortunate school shooting in Parkland, Florida, National School Walkout Day was held on Wednesday, March 14, in honor of the 17 victims as well as to advocate for stricter gun laws.
While many proudly walked out at 10 a.m. that morning, a number of students and faculty stayed in their classrooms. So just one question: what is this all for? It seems as though there are a handful of people that did not comprehend the purpose of the walkout.
While countless people want stricter gun control, there are a number of people that hesitate to show their support because they believe in the right to bear arms. However, the purpose of the walkout was not to take away the right for people to bear arms.
The walkout was simply to honor the 17 Parkland victims while showing support for stricter gun laws to prevent people from easily being able to purchase these semi-automatic weapons that are causing so much destruction.
It is important that people, especially the younger generation driving the change, educate themselves on the issue at hand. How can you show support, or even resistance, to a problem you know nothing about?
The walkout served as a platform for students all throughout the nation to let their voice be heard on a very serious matter at hand. It is vital that students understand the reason and need for National School Walkout Day.
As a student, you have the right to feel safe in school. As an educator, you have the right to feel safe in school. As a parent, you have the right to feel safe sending your kids to school.
These walkouts are a national effort bringing countless people together to show support to create stricter gun laws – stricter gun laws to help prevent these school shootings, not to strip the right for people to bear arms.
School is the place that educates students to understand matters like this while teaching them the impact that they have. It is important that students use their voices for change because they are the change.
On Tuesday, March 20, there was another school shooting at Great Mills High School in Southern Maryland. This marks the 17th school shooting in the year 2018.
If you are as ready as I am to say “enough,” get up and make some noise until all of our voices are heard, and stricter gun laws are created.
