Largo Students Discuss the Arizona Shooting and MLK's Call for Peace

On Friday, a class of fifth graders tried to make sense of both the Arizona shooting that killed six people and Martin Luther King Jr.'s fight for justice and equality..

The Pinellas Preparatory Academy's fifth-grade students pushed their tables and chairs against the walls to make space for their performance. They sang to the song, “One Day” by Matisyahu. The lyrics were about waiting for the day when people will be treated the same, when violence will end and children will play.

Lined up in rows, the students performed the song with hand gestures they created to coincide with the words. They simultaneously tapped their wrists to signal waiting and alternately raised their arms; pointing their index fingers to symbolize the number one.

“Where does peace start?” asked Nancy Walker, a fifth-grade language arts teacher at the charter school.

“On the playground,” the kids answered in unison.

Peace is a frequently discussed topic, especially in light of Arizona’s violent shooting at the political assembly. Before Black History month begins the students are studying King, whose birthday was Jan. 15. The kids are preparing speeches for February’s Black History month.

MLK Day is a U.S. Federal holiday and celebrated on the third Monday in January. In honor of Dr. King’s dedication to others, it is considered a day of service to help those in need.

“I want them to realize that peace doesn’t start at a conference table somewhere,” Walker said. “It starts on the playground, at home and with them.”

The students discussed the importance of King’s contributions including social changes made through peaceful demonstrations and boycotts.

King advocated equality for all people and championed the civil rights of African-Americans.  In 1964, King was awarded the Noble Peace Prize. He was the third African-American and the youngest person ever to receive the award.

“Is boycotting an effective way to make changes?” Walker asked her class.

“Yes because the business will lose customers,” answered one student, “The store will close, and [the owner] will lose profits.”

Walker’s lesson addressed the recent tragedy in Tucson, Ariz., where a gunman’s shooting spree injured U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords and nineteen others at a town hall meeting held at a local supermarket. The presumed motive was the gunman’s disagreement with Giffords’ politics.

Giffords is recovering. But six others, including nine-year-old Christina Taylor Green, whose interest in government drew her to the meeting, were killed.

“I want them to realize this didn’t happen in a far away place,” Walker said.

Walker asked her class if anyone had a connection to Christina. She thought of the obvious answers: perhaps, a relative or someone who had lived or visited Arizona. The students made deeper connections.

One student mentioned her membership in student council, just like Christina. Another student thought it was sad to think this violence happened in a place called Safeway.

“How can we start peace? What can you do?” Walker asked.

“If you were mean to someone, you can go and talk to the person. You can tell them you’re sorry,” said Kailee, a student in the class.

Walker wanted the classroom discussion to inspire her students to find more connections between history lessons, today’s issues and their future.

The kids sprawled out on the floor to start writing their own “I Have a Dream” speech, which would include their hopes for their future.

“When should peace start? Should I put it on the calendar?” Walker asked.

The students gathered and bounced around their teacher. “No, don’t put it on the calendar,” several students yelled.

"When would you like to start?" Walker asked again.

“Start today,” said Tore along with several of his classmates.