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Protests in Schools and What are the Consequences? On April fifth, 2023 students join together walking out of class demanding gun control legislation. by Mya Roberts reporter
Consequences of protests
Across the U.S. students of all ages walked out of class at noon on April fifth raising awareness on gun violence and demanding gun violence legislation. “The student participants spanned geographical location—from Oregon to Texas, to Massachusetts—and age, ranging from elementary school to high school and beyond,” digital editor at Ms., Roxy Szal said. A few students joined in, taking a stand on their beliefs, walking out of class at noon on April fifth. “I went outside during the walkout, and counted five total students who participated, with four of the five returning to class about a half hour later,” Vice Principal Sean DeMaree said. DeMaree explains that there aren’t very many hard rules or policies in relation to school walkouts and protests due to these events not being school orchestrated. “Participating in a protest or walkout while still in school is a great way to safely participate and learn about how to express thoughts, emotions, and concerns with the climate and policies of our nation,” DeMaree said. Many of the students who participated in the walkout didn’t get any punishments for protesting. Addie Posch, a sophomore who participated in the walkout explained that some of her teachers were pretty supportive throughout the whole thing. “I just went ahead before class and told them what I was going to do and asked what I was going to be missing so I could make it up,” Posch said.
Facts on School Gun Violence
DeMaree expresses that he feels protests like these are good opportunities for students to have agency in the culture of our community as long as students are executing it in the right way. “If the walkout becomes destructive, disruptive, or chaotic, the purpose of the walkout is lost, and the poor behavior decision is all that gains attention, and what could lead to violation of school rules,” DeMaree said. The only punishment that may occur due to participating in a walkout would be the consequences of missing a class, only proving to be a problem for students who frequently don’t show up. “As long as the protest remains peaceful, the biggest consequence would be that the students would be marked with an unexcused absence from their class,” DeMaree said. Peacefulness in protests is a major factor in whether or not students will be punished. DeMaree explains that if protests become chaotic, students can be punished for violating the code of conduct. “What’s important to remember, is that when the protest becomes unpeaceful, the power of the protest is lost and all that is remembered is the behavior of the students,” DeMaree said.
Why do we protest?
According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, in 2010 there were a total of 15 school shooting incidents. In this year alone, there have been a total of 126 school shooting incidents with a total of 1,312 in the last 13 years. “Schools are statistically the
“There have been 380 school shootings since 1999, according to Post data” -Washington Post
“Since Columbine in 1999, more than 338,000 students in the U.S. have experienced gun violence at school.” - The Sandy Hook Promise Organization