Local Schools To Participate In National Walkout Day

This Wednesday, March 14th, students across the nation are planning on walking out of school at 10 am for 17 minutes in protest. The students want to raise awareness about stricter gun control laws for minors.

Several area schools plan on letting student participate in the walkout. Dave, whose son Avry goes to Sweet Home Middle School, received this letter last week from Anthony Day the Superintendent of the Sweet Home School District;

"At both our high school and middle school, the building administration is meeting with student leaders to generate ideas of how best students can honor the victims of the shooting. In each building, plans are in motion to have a school-wide assembly to discuss the issues around school safety and the need to build a strong school community that is vigilant and supportive of one another.

Shortly before ten o’clock, staff will create an orderly means for students that wish to participate in the student developed activities to move outside.  At each building, these activities will be in the back of the school building and there will be adults outside to assist and supervise the students during the seventeen-minute period. We will have added police presence on both campuses to provide added safeguards for our students and staff on this day. Those students that do not wish to participate will be allowed to remain inside where they will be supervised by staff members. At 10:17, the student body will be reunited inside the school for closing comments before returning to their regular school day.

Participation in the outdoor activities is completely voluntary for students- no one will be required to participate.  Should you, as a parent, decide that you do not want your child to participate in the seventeen-minute outdoor period, please call your child’s school or send an email or note to your child’s principal.

We believe that this day offers a teachable moment for our school community and our kids. We believe that this day can help us reinforce important concepts about safety and community and provide a venue to help our kids grapple with the emotions they may be feeling. Should you have any questions, please feel free to call me at 250-1402."

Other schools also plan on letting student participate. Dr.Martzloff the superintendent od the Williamsville School system emailed us their plan, "We will allow it, but our schools are working with student leaders to structure it in a way that makes sense for each school community.  We will make it as safe as possible and students will only be disciplined if they don’t report back to class or leave school grounds."

If you have a concern about the event for your child, please contact your school administers.