Fulton Schools Will Support Student Protests

SANDY SPRINGS, GA — A week after announcing it will crack down on students who disrupt class time to honor the teens and educators killed in the Valentine's Day shooting at a Florida high school, the Fulton County School System has changed course and announced it will support students "in their desire to honor" the victims killed by accused shooter Nikolas Cruz.

Fulton Schools Superintendent Jeff Rose said the upcoming March 14 National School Walkout Day is a learning opportunity for local students (For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here).

“The district will provide support to schools, ensuring a supervised environment," he added. "We will allow students to respectfully express their support for those impacted by the Parkland, Florida shooting.”

FCS said it will adhere to its policy while allowing students to peacefully protest in safe events that won't interrupt class time. So, how will this work? FCS says middle and high schools will adapt schedules to allow students to express their support using established protocols and guidance from school and district leadership. All activities, the system notes, are optional.

At 10 a.m. March 14, FCS middle and high school student will have adjusted schedules to participate in expressions of support for the Parkland community.

Organizers behind the national event say the March 14 walkout is designed to "protest Congress' inaction to do more than tweet thoughts and prayers in response to the gun violence plaguing our schools and neighborhoods."

"We need action," the nationwide event page states. "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."

You can find a full list of schools participating in the walkout by clicking here.

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