Paulding Students Plan Walkouts For Stricter Gun Laws

PAULDING COUNTY, GA — Students from at least two Paulding County schools are planning to join a national movement by staging a walkout in March to protest recent gun violence in schools in a call for stricter laws.

The March 14 walkout, set to coordinate with the National School Walkout day, is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., according to an event posting on the main campaign website.

In Paulding County, students from the following schools have announced they're participating:

• Paulding County High School
• East Paulding High School

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The walkout events are planned across the country after 17 students, teachers, and coaches were killed and numerous people injured in the Valentine's Day massacre. Students participating in the National Walkout will leave their classrooms for 17 minutes – one minute for each life taken at the school on Feb. 14, according to organizers.

Students say they are working with administrators to carry out their plans for protest.

Editor's note: The Paulding County School System would not respond to efforts by Patch for a statement.

National organizers say the walkout is intended to be a step towards action.

"We need action. 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," according to the nationwide event page.

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AP Photo/Evan Vucci