Unclear If Banning, Beaumont Students Will Take Part In Walkouts

BEAUMONT, CA — One month after the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida left 17 people dead, high school students in across the nation plan to walk out of class as part of a nationwide effort "to protest Congress’ inaction to do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to the gun violence plaguing our schools and neighborhoods."

Thousands of schools, including many in California, are expected to participate in the #ENOUGH National School Walkout student demonstrations Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. The walkouts are expected to last 17 minutes — one minute for each life lost.

As for Banning and Beaumont, though — it's still unclear if students plan to take part in the event.

"We're aware of the day nationally; we've worked with our high school principals about awareness," Beaumont Unified School District Superintendent Terrence Davis told Patch. "We've also asked our administrators to talk to students to see where they are on it."

Neither Beaumont High School nor Banning High School are not listed among the 14 Riverside County high schools who signed up on the official walkout website. It's possible local students may participate, but no groups from Banning or Beaumont were "registered," which is not required, as of Tuesday afternoon.

On Thursday, Davis told Patch that the school district was working on a plan to ensure students could take part if they desire. As of that time, there were "no coordinated efforts locally" that administration was made aware of.

"What we don't want to do is perpetuate something, but we do want to be prepared if something happens," he said. "We'll have a safe space for [the students] to communicate whatever it is that they need to communicate if they choose to do so."

Patch reached out to Banning High School to see if they plan to accommodate students, but we have not yet heard back. We'll be sure to update this story if we do.

Organizers of the Women's March called on students, teachers, administrators and parents to participate in the movement.

"Students and allies are organizing the national school walkout to demand Congress pass legislation to keep us safe from gun violence at our schools, on our streets and in our homes and places of worship," organizers said.

In the month since the tragic shooting, businesses nationwide have taken it upon themselves to raise the age limit for purchasing firearms as well as removing assault rifles from their inventories. This action has been met with widespread criticism from both sides of the gun argument.

Photo by Patch Editor Autumn Johnson