Students at schools and universities across the United States walked out of class Wednesday to protest gun violence and honor victims of a Florida school shooting. But those at some campuses reported obstacles to their participation.
Social media posts from students at several schools reported lockdowns, disciplinary threats, assemblies and other efforts to avert walkouts.
It’s so messed up that we can’t do the walkout or else we will be suspended #NationalWalkoutDay
— Mark Hesser (@MarkisaNarc) March 14, 2018
@womensmarch Hawthorne High School has locked us in and blocked all exits not allowing us to participate in the walk out, but we wish to be out there with everyone #WalkoutWednesday #StudentsStandUp #ENOUGH #WalkOut
— Kirsten Butler (@kirst_614) March 14, 2018
My school was going to have a walkout, they locked the gates though.
— (@ELYRAD) March 14, 2018
They also locked the gates when a gang from a rival school made threats to my school saying they were going to do a drivebye.
Stay safe.#NationalWalkoutDay
they had us do a fire drill at 10 when we were gonna walk out HDKSKS
— (@ugly_papajonn) March 14, 2018
It was either stay in my seat and not walk out, or get in trouble and possibly suspended. #nationalwalkout I’m sorry, I stayed.
— Alyx Arrowood (@Birtch_Please) March 14, 2018
it's amazing how my school didnt let us walk out for 17 minutes but they let us see the sun turn dark for thirty. #NationalWalkoutDay
— Mckaria (@oml_itsher) March 14, 2018
our school is holding everyone who participated in the walkout in the cafeteria and not allowing us to go in our classrooms. #NationalWalkoutDay pic.twitter.com/A6HF4Ik2CP
— sophie would like to have pizza with josh. (@Don_tTouchMe) March 14, 2018
my self and 50 other students who were brave enough to walk out are now getting suspended for peacefully protesting #notok #NationalWalkoutDay
— sidney jones (@Lsc_03) March 14, 2018
Also the school sucks for having an assembly right at the exact time the walk out is supposed to be they probably did that on purpose so nobody could leave
— shayna (@shaynaidk) March 14, 2018
@Emma4Change we live in such a broken society. i participated in national walkout day today at my school to remember the 17 victims and peacefully protest for the reform of current gun laws and my school SUSPENDED me and 36 others for it pic.twitter.com/m1JBNewLY0
— amybaby (@amystrashh) March 14, 2018
Others reported finding ways to protest despite bans on walking out.
#NationalWalkOutDay we may not be allowed to walk out but we still #standup pic.twitter.com/xpbl1BZDHg
— Madi (@BasicMadi123) March 14, 2018
Today my school was not allowed to walk out or else there would be consequences, so all of us students met in the gym for 17 minutes to read the names of the victims and have a moment of silence #NationalWalkoutDay pic.twitter.com/X5RO3G7PMi
— zoe (@nutellamyhoran) March 14, 2018
Sophomore Rosa Rodriquez the only student to walk out of Sayreville HS this morning #nationalwalkout Under threat of suspension several hundred others allowed to attend gathering in school auditorium #1010wins pic.twitter.com/cgnom5e2sZ
— glenn schuck (@glennschuck) March 14, 2018
i’m homeschooled but i made sure to walk out #nationalwalkout #nationalwalkoutday pic.twitter.com/Qvki8jySmV
— bailey (@lilhoneyb231) March 14, 2018
The nationwide protest honors the 17 lives lost in a Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., and seeks to press legislators to pass stronger gun laws, according to EMPOWER, the group organizing the action using the hashtag #ENOUGH. Their proposals include banning assault weapons and high capacity magazines, expanding background checks on all gun sales, and opposing any legislation that “would aim to fortify our schools with more guns.”
Walkouts took place at 10 a.m. local time Wednesday, March 14, which is one month after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. The walkouts lasted 17 minutes to honor the 17 people killed in the attack.
Editor’s note: This article originally included McIntosh High School as a campus that prevented students from walking out, but it has been corrected to reflect that in fact students did leave class for 17 minutes.
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