Plan to Join In Walkouts

by Ayana Antoine ’20

 The 1999 shooting at Columbine High School was  the first highly publicized school shooting and resulted in the deaths of 15 people. Since then, more than 400 people have been shot in over 200 school shootings. In 2018 alone there have been 18 school shootings within the first 2 months.The most recent shooting being in Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, resulting in the deaths of 17 people.

 Many students worried for their safety have organized rallies, student-led protests, and walkouts to push for legislative change. Although many of the student-led events were spontaneous, Douglas students have urged the nation to join them in a protest on March 14, the one-month anniversary of the shooting. The protest starts at 10 a.m. and lasts 17 minutes, each minute to honor a life lost. Another nationally organized walkout is on April 20, the 19-year anniversary of the Columbine shooting.

 In MCPS many students are planning rallies and protest to push hard on legislation to formally address gun violence. Several Sherwood students have already planned to join in the March 14 walkout, which as of now is being sanctioned by the SGA.