Photo Gallery: Students from Wooster High School during #ENOUGH: National School Walkout. Images: Ty O’Neil
Story by Carla O’Day
Students across northern Nevada took part in a national walkout on Wednesday morning as part of an effort to protest inaction on gun violence that’s been plaguing schools and communities nationwide.
The event, dubbed #ENOUGH: National School Walkout, took place in schools and colleges across the nation and world at 10 a.m. local time and lasted 17 minutes to remember the 17 victims who died in last month’s shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Another 17 suffered injuries.
The gunman, a 19-year-old former student, was arrested and charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder and 17 counts of attempted murder. He used an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle.
Organized by the nonprofit Action Network, the events were to encourage lawmakers to pass legislation to keep people safe from gun violence.
“Students and staff have the right to teach and learn in an environment free from the worry of being gunned down in their classrooms or on their way home from school,” an Action Network statement said. “Parents have the right to send their kids to school in the mornings and see them home alive at the end of the day.”
Once plans of a walkout were made known, Washoe County School District said it respects the emotional component and intent of the events but students walking out would receive an unexcused tardy or absence. It also discouraged students from leaving campus and encouraged school leaders to find another way to memorialize the victims.
Some students walked out of classes but not everybody left campus.
District spokeswoman Victoria Campbell said no problems were reported Wednesday.
“School staff members worked hard to help students express their views through activities on campus, writing letters, sending off balloons, signing a banner for the Florida students, and the list goes on,” Campbell said.
“And while some of our students chose to participate in walkouts, their activities were measured and intentional. School police officers monitored their movements as they were off campus and did their best to keep them as safe as possible before ushering them safely back to school when their demonstrations came to a close.”
On The Web: https://www.actionnetwork.org/event_campaigns/enough-national-school-walkout
