Arlington Students To Join National #NeverAgain Walkout

ARLINGTON, MA — Hundreds of Arlington High School students are expected to walk out of School Wednesday, March 14 in an effort to demand an end to gun-related violence in the wake of the attack at a Florida high school that left 17 people dead.

The message is less one for the school and more for the rest of the community said Student Council Vice-President Gayatri Sundar Rajan.

"We're taking time out of our day to make it known that even though we can't vote we know enough about the issues we want to take action in whatever way we can," said Sundar Rajan who said the Student Council stepped up to help organize the event after the council noticed a number of people forwarding around the March 14 walk out event on social media.

"The four of us was wondering who was organizing and how we could help spread the message. And then we realized no one was and we thought maybe we should to make those 17 mins mean something," she said.

The council worked with the administration.

"It's an issue that affects everyone," she said.

Together they figured out a time that would work, but the council reached out the the Arlington Police to come show solidarity but also keep watch for safety at the event which will be held mostly outside and in the public, she said. The student council lined up some student speakers and a teacher to speak. They reached out to the young Democrats club and the young Republican's club to see if a representative would want to speak as well.

So far, the speakers will be talking about gun violence, someone will be reading an open letter calling for gun reform and others speeches will be calling for action.

"This is to stand in solidarity with the students of Parkland but also to talk about the issues that brought up regarding safety in school," she said.

For a lot of students that means gun control and more strict security protocols, but for others it means other things.

"It's a very liberal town, but we're really trying to make sure every voice that wants to be heard on this topic has the chance to be heard," said Sundar Rajan.

Response?

Both parents and community members have been very supportive, said Sundar Rajan.

A number of parents have contacted the council to ask just how to get involved. Church leaders have asked if it would be ok to show up in solidarity.

"The support has been overwhelming," she said. "The fact that community members understand how much it means to us is great. But it also gives us a bigger avenue ... to have more of an expansive impact."

The council members say that some 300 students have indicated they're interested or plan to attend the walkout, but they estimate more may make a day of decision.

"We just want to encourage anyone in the community if they're available between 10 and 10:17 a.m. to come to our event. If we can make this more of a community event, the point of it will really get across," said Sundar Rajan.

The point? #NeverAgain.

"We really wanted it to make it clear that we're standing with the students of Parkland. And we really wanted to get across that you can't just say 'we're safe' to have us feel we're safe," said Sundar Rajan.

The students plan to walk out at 10 a.m., and stay outside on the lawn for 17 minutes, a time that reflects the number of students and staffers who were killed in the deadly shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., on the one month anniversary.

The student council members said the March 14 walk out is just the beginning. They are hoping many of the students will head to the “March For Our Lives” demonstration on Boston Common on March 24 to continue the effort.

The walk out is part of a national movement of student led “walkouts,” the Arlington students join students from across the country as they hold a 17-minute walkout during the school day – one minute for each of the 17 lives taken in the February 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

Arlington High School Principal Matthew Janger sent a memo to students about cordinating efforts and what that looked like. From the principal:

Dear AHS Community,
As you may be aware, our AHS Student Council has circulated the attached statement within the Arlington Community. The students call for a school walkout at 10:00 am on March 14 to demonstrate against gun violence. Please see the student statement for the details and reasons behind their demonstration.
Many of you have asked me about the proposed student walkout. I have spoken with the student leaders, collected feedback and information from other Massachusetts schools, conferred with the police, and received guidance from our district administration. I wanted to write to address some of your questions.
First, there are many walkouts being circulated in the press. The main walkouts are called for March 14, March 24, and April 20. There has been some local information shared about a walkout on March 7. As you can imagine this can cause some confusion. I would recommend that AHS students contact your Student Council to coordinate your activities.
Our student have called for a walkout at 10:00 AM on March 14th. Organizers planned this walkout in the wake of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and they are encouraging students to walk out of school for 17 minutes - one minute for every student and teacher who was killed in the Florida tragedy.
This walkout will happen in the middle of our AHS Inclusion Day. Inclusion Day is intended to highlight and support equity, diversity, and inclusion in our school community through activities that promote sharing and discussion. This will be an opportunity to expand our awareness of the different cultures and communities that make up our school. Student groups and faculty have taken the lead in creating a number of interesting workshops highlighting the diversity in our community. Students have been prepped during advisories. The walkout will fall during a 25 minute Xblock-Campus Period, so students who choose to participate will not need to leave the workshops put on by their classmates.
These walkouts are public events being organized by students and student groups. This event is being organized by members of our student council. It is not a school event. Any student or staff member participating is acting as a private person It is not my place to encourage or discourage students from participating. I trust that our students are young adults and can make a thoughtful decision as to what actions they want to take around the issue of gun control.
I do want to provide you with some clarity on the school's policy so that you can make an informed choice on March 14th. During Xblock, students are not allowed to leave supervised areas, for this demonstration we will be supervising the lawn so students may go outside. If you choose to participate in the walkout, I have confidence that you will protest peacefully and respectfully, keeping in mind the purpose of the event. Members of the Arlington Police, AHS administration, and faculty will be outside to ensure your safety. If you choose not to participate, I expect you to remain in supervised areas of the school as during a normal Xblock. Students who peacefully participate in the walkout from 10:00 - 10:17 AM will be expected to return immediately following the demonstration to their scheduled workshop or assembly. Regardless of what you decide to do on March 14th, I encourage you to respect the choices and points of view of your classmates, even if - especially if - those choices and points of view are different from your own.
Discourse around meaningful issues is at the heart of what we do as a high school. It is appropriate that this event corresponds with Inclusion Day which reminds us of our mission “learning, caring, and connecting in a safe, supportive, and inclusive community. No matter your stance on the walkout, I strongly urge all of you to educate yourself about the gun control debate and other issues that matter to you. Political speech and organizing are Constitutional rights and a powerful means of communicating your stance on an issue, but it's not enough. If you want to make a lasting change, you need to make the effort to be informed about the issues at hand. Ask questions and seek answers, and not just from people who already agree with you. Once you're informed, commit yourself to putting in the work necessary to change society for the better. Sustained and often painstaking efforts are what is needed if you want to truly make a difference.
As always, my door is open if you have any concerns or questions.
Thanks,
Dr. Janger"

Previously on Patch:

Schools Are Safer Now Than In The 90s, Despite Shootings

Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch