Students Walking Out, But Do Schools Have Their Back?

When students walk out of classrooms across Massachusetts and the country Wednesday at 10 a.m., they do so in an effort to take their future into their own hands. The goal for many students walking out is to bring change to ineffective gun legislation and put an end to school shootings.

Most of the schools districts involved have spoken out to promise a safe environment - but that's where the guarantees stop. After that, some of these kids are on their own.

While many superintendents and principals have unequivocally endorsed the students utilizing their voice in what could be a watershed moment in the battle for gun legislation, some have been slow responding to Patch's request for comment, avoiding the issue altogether. Others, like Norwood Superintendent Dave Thomson, are making sure students have the opportunity to speak - unless they have rung up too many absences.

"Whoever decides to break the rules, it does come with consequences," Thomson said. "This is a real-life lesson in civic engagement and if there is a civil walk out, an example of civil disobedience, because we are an educational institution, we're going to approach it from this perspective."

So for the student who has too many absences, the decision could come down to speaking out and losing a class credit, or keeping quiet and getting a B- in 10th grade geometry. Not exactly a story you tell the grandchildren about.

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Maybe this is how it should be. As a Patch editor recently said in an internal discussion, perhaps walkouts only mean something if they come with consequences

Thomson noted it would be rare for a student to be in danger of losing a credit due to absences. But his point was clear.

Melrose's point was less so. The district sent out a release Monday discussing the walkout, and on the surface appeared to say all the right things. Students would not be disciplined. The administration respects the students' rights to speak out. Sounds good.

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But take another look at the release. Without context, it would appear the district is endorsing a walkout in opposition to something closer to bullying.

The words "gun" and "shooting" can't be found. Instead, students are walking out to "support school safety" and remember the victims of the Parkland "tragedy." As Superintendent Cyndy Taymore told Patch when asked why the statement seemed painfully neutral, the school's job isn't to point the students in any one direction.

"Moreover, as a public school district, we do not make political statements that could be misrepresented as speaking for all our students, staff, and families," Taymore said via email. "The members of our school community are diverse and hold diverse opinions. As educators, our job is to help our students to become critical thinkers who can engage in civil discourse with others who may hold a different opinion. We do not tell them what that opinion should be."

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Malden didn't seem as concerned about swaying opinions. Even though Wednesday's classes have already been canceled because of the storm, officials made it clear they had their students' backs - not just in promoting their voice, but their cause.

"We are confident our students will handle this in a mature manner and use this time in productive ways such as for reflection, a call to action and to bring about change," a letter from Mayor Gary Christenson and Superintendent John Oteri said.

"We are certain this will be a seminal moment in our students' lives and will be an impactful moment across the country. We know our diverse, dedicated and thoughtful students will provide the leadership and voice that will carry the next generation to a safe and more inclusive world."

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Students participate in a protest against gun violence February 21, 2018 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)