The Students

The Student Walkout:

Turbulent controversy encapsulates Wakefield High School, cultivating a moment wretched in this school’s history indefinitely — the participation within the National High School Walkout for Gun Violence.  Indeed, this debate has resided within the American media continuously, yet it has transpired into a revolutionary and youthful movement that is establishing relevant conversations pertaining to the regulation of firearms. Much of Wakefield’s youth took part in the walkout, and some questioned the positive solutions the walkout would be able to derive. This difference of opinion is what makes Wakefield unique and intersectional — two strong components for innovation.

These are their opinions. These are their stories.

Significant questions churned through students heads: 1.) Will this walkout do anything for the greater good? 2.) How will kids stop dying from school shootings by walking out?

Both appropriate questions to have when engaging in a compelling movement that would leave students, especially at Wakefield, either frustrated or indifferent. The walkout magnified the possibility of the endangerment of student lives, especially for sophomore,  JaSanee Killins, concerning the safety of her younger sister.

“If something doesn’t happen soon, it’s possible that we could be next.  I know many people who believe that school isn’t a place for protests, but it isn’t a place for guns, nor dying either,” Killins said. “I shouldn’t be worried that my little sister, in elementary school — not even a few blocks away — could be attacked. Or if I [had to] worry about my sister growing up without a big sister to be there for her.”

An emerging reality for many students across the nation: could we be next?

Other Wakefield students had different motives for participating in the walkout and, for the majority, most wanted to advocate for school safety, change in gun regulation, and for youth to take charge in government. Senior Cameron Garcia believes in the power of student voices and champions that change needs to take place now.

“We need to make a difference now because this is our world in the future, not the older generation’s,” Garcia said. “It’s ours, so we need to be focused, we need to be involved because at the end of the day this is our world.”

For sophomore, Emily Pickle, the walkout would symbolize that school safety is a priority and a step towards change.

“I did the walkout because I care for the safety of our schools and for the safety of the schools across America. I wanted to do something that would help show that we want change,” Pickle said.

Senior Jocelyn Malosa stated that the walkout was a viable opportunity for government officials and those in positions of prestige to hear an important message and push for the change that is necessary.

“I think that this will encourage those in office to listen to us,” Malosa said. “Obviously we are not going to go away until they do something about it, so the more we are progressive and consistent with pushing issues like this they are bound to make a change.”

Collectively, Wakefield banded together and took part in something that was bigger than all of us. Just that should warrant appreciation, as to accumulate a few hundred students is a tedious and difficult task.

A collection of youth voices, for Erin Sheridan, are more appropriate in propelling this movement than a current politician, who is indifferent to education.

“We are the future of politics and I know plenty of kids who take a stand and who [would] like to go into politics,” Sheridan said. “Having a kid’s voice who is in school is more important than just a politician who hasn’t really been a part of the school system.”

The Student Opposition:

While students walked out to voice their opinions, inside the walls of the high school some students choose not to participate. People who were against the national protest decided it was best to stay inside. Throughout this year, the media has continuously shown those who support gun control banding together, while there are many who are still opposed to the idea. The movement Walk Up Not Out was coordinated by many people who were upset and inflamed by the purpose behind the walkout. Students whose views differ from the majority fear backlash from their peers, for this reason, two students chose to stay anonymous.

Junior Anonymous A believes that the nation should focus on the mental health issues that are hurting our country instead of taking guns away. He thinks that if the government would make mandatory mental health checks available to all citizens that people wouldn’t want to carry out mass shootings.

“I think that we should focus on other things than just the guns. We should be focusing on helping the kid who’s in the corner being bullied [and], all of a sudden they’ll snap,” Anonymous A said.  “No one is talking about helping him out. Obviously, there is something wrong with someone who would want to do that.”

There were a lot of individuals who thought that the walkout wouldn’t accomplish anything, including Ryan Petty, the father of a victim of the Parkland shooting. According to CNN, Petty said in a tweet that the students who participate in the walkout and support the March for Our Lives, “Will accomplish only two things. One, they’ll exercise their 1st Amendment right.  Two, they’ll get a little exercise.” Petty proposed that instead of walking out, students should ‘walk up’ to 14 students and 3 adults and say something kind to them in honor of the 17 victims of the Parkland shooting.

Some students thought the walkout wasn’t necessary to honor the victims of the Parkland shooting. Freshman Sage Cooley didn’t walk out because she felt the of the lack of seriousness coming from the students.  Cooley believes that more should be done to stop mass shootings, not just a protest.

“I felt that it would be more respectful if I stayed in my classroom. It was more silent in the classroom than it was outside. I felt like I could respect [the victims of Parkland] without going out there and standing next to everyone,” Cooley said.

Students who remained in class continued with their daily work accompanied by the teacher. Junior Anonymous B strongly supports the 2nd amendment. He believes that students are following a fad. 

“We had a bunch of people walking out thinking that they can make a change, when the government wants that change,” Anonymous B said. “[However], you don’t always want what the government wants, you want what you want. I didn’t want what the government wanted I don’t want to take away my rights.”

The issue of mass gun violence and senseless deaths is something that deserves immediate attention. The question still remains if the protest and politically active young adults will effectively make a difference in our country.