Arcadia High Students Walkout Wednesday in Solidarity with Students around the Country

Hundreds of AHS students walked out of class for 17 minutes Wednesday some holding signs that read “Why is Trump Chilling, when Guns are Killing?”– Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News

17 Minutes to Remember the 17 Victims of the Massacre in Florida

By Terry Miller

For 17 minutes on March 14, students and their supporters across the country walked out of their schools, honoring the victims of the Parkland school shooting and calling for Congress to pass meaningful gun regulation.

Unfortunately, some schools view this act as a disruption and are threatening to discipline students who participate. A disciplinary response is a disservice to young people and a missed educational opportunity.

Arcadia High School, however, has taken the opposite approach: According to Ryan Foran, Public Information Officer, “We have administrators in the rally court to help with safety and allow students to have a platform to express their concerns and voice in the rally court during the 17 minutes and at lunch. We support our students’ right to protest and have their voice heard. The student voice is a critical and essential part of our school district.”

– Photo by Terry Miller / Beacon Media News

17 students lined up and one by one, each read the name of one of the Parkland student victim’s names. Followed by a moment of silence, the students signed a giant poster in honor of the victims of gun violence in schools across the nation.

READ RELATED ARTICLE: Arcadia High Walkout for Parkland

According to ACLU Racial Justice Attorney, Sarah Hinger,…”Too often, adults discipline students for expressing their opinions or simply being In the wake of the Parkland school shooting, and after other school shootings, there has been a rush to increase the police presence in schools. There is no evidence this approach improves safety, and in practice, students — particularly students of color and students with disabilities — often end up the targets of increased police scrutiny. Fortunately, students are taking a stand against these practices, too.