Decatur Students Walk Out To Protest Gun Violence

DECATUR, GA — Some Decatur High School students walked out of classes Wednesday morning as part of a national student protest against gun violence. Thousands of students across America are participating in the National School Walkout memorial protest a month after a gunman shot and killed 17 people at a Parkland, Florida, high school. The students will leave their classrooms for 17 minutes — one minute to remember each person murdered at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School — beginning at 10 a.m. in their local time zones.

The students are also joining a growing protest over gun violence and a demand for stricter gun laws, such as those that would have prevented Nikolas Cruz from buying the AR-15 rifle he is accused of using in the Florida shooting. They also are calling for a raise in the minimum age to buy a gun and stricter background checks.

City Schools of Decatur Superintendent David Dude said in a message to the community late last month that he respects the power of civil disobedience but struggles with disrupting the school day and putting students at risk outside the school building. School employees will not participate in the walkout, which are prohibited in the student code of conduct. Students who leave school, or those who encourage others to do so, face discipline, possibly three days of in-school suspension. The punishment may be reduced by the principal.

"To be clear, however, as stated earlier, we support a student’s right to non-disruptive protest and freedom of speech and will do what we can to support students interested in exercising those rights," Dude wrote. (Patch will update coverage of the Decatur walkout. 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.)

He reviewed school security on Feb. 27 in the wake of the Florida shootings, and an update on student safety protocols will be on the agenda at the school board’s March 20 meeting.

"I have experienced both ends of the security spectrum personally. I have worked in schools with no security, unlocked doors, unfettered access to the building, and no security plans or drills. I have also worked in a school district that had its own police force and TSA-like secure entrances complete with armed guards, bag searches, and metal detectors, along with robust security plans and regular “active shooter” drills," Dude said. "My personal belief is that neither of these extremes is appropriate for our schools. I believe in a balance that implements reasonable security measures while maintaining a comfortable, academic environment for our students and staff."

A system-wide Safety Team develops, reviews, and maintains safety plans and protocols, and Dude is exploring the possibility of adding a safety coordinator position for the next school year.

Visitors to schools have to be “buzzed in” to enter any building, sign in at the front desk and are given a visitor badge if they are authorized to visit areas of the building other than the office. Safety drills on a threat have not included students due to concerns about the psychological impact such drills have on kids, but the superintendent said they are reviewing that decision.

In partnership with the City of Decatur Police Department, the school system has two school resource officers present and available during each school day and at large school events. The SROs work closely with school administrators whenever any safety concerns arise and develop relationships with students, he said.

Photo by Patch Editor Doug Gross