Framingham High Among At Least 50 Schools In U.S. To Host Walkout For Gun Violence Action

FRAMINGHAM, MA — One day after a school shooting that killed six people at The Covenant School in Nashville, Framingham High School received a hoax call about violence at their own school.

It wasn't the first time the school, and others across the state, were targeted with these calls, but it struck a chord with the students there. On Wednesday, they decided to do something about it.

Students at Framingham, led by 15-year-old Tessa McGarry, organized a walkout alongside other teenagers across the country as part of an effort from Students Demand Action to do just that. McGarry estimates that roughly 200 people participated.

Framingham students left their classrooms at noon and went to the school's courtyard where they sat for roughly 30 minutes in a show of solidarity with those affected by violence, and a greater call for politicians and policymakers to do something about the ever-present threat of violence.

Staff and administrators at the school were supportive of the demonstration, according to McGarry, and some participated alongside their students.

According to Students Demand Action, more than 50 schools across the country participated in walkouts on Wednesday, demanding that "meet this moment with urgency and instead pass common sense policies to save lives."

In addition to the student demonstrations, Moms Demand Action volunteers will be holding rallies at state capitols, testifying at bill hearings, meeting with lawmakers and organizing with gun safety advocates throughout the week, according to a news release from the organization.

For McGarry, she hopes that the collective action can serve as a reminder to decision-makers that people want change.

"This walkout alone may not be effective by itself, but in combination with other schools nationwide walking out, I am confident things will change," she said.

But there's more work to be done across the board, she believes.

"I have the same amount of concern. Just because we did something doesn't mean it's over. There is a lot more work to be done," said McGarry.

Framingham High School students were affected by two incidents in 2023 that led to this moment.

In February, a battery was to blame when the school's active shooter alarm was tripped, causing panic among employees and students alike.

Then there was the aforementioned hoax call last week. Police quickly determined that it was an act of "swatting."

Still, the two moments paint a picture of what continued violence at schools across the country has done to fears and concerns among the teenagers that attend these schools.

A story from the American Psychological Association in 2022 compiled data from multiple sources which show that, although mass shootings accounted for only one percent of firearm deaths at the time, they played a much larger role in heightening the anxieties and stresses of American teenagers.

This doesn't mean there haven't been plenty of students impacted by gun violence, however.

The Washington Post compiles an ever-expanding database of students who have experience gun violence. Since the Columbine shooting in 1999, the Post finds that more than 349,000 students have experience gun violence.

With Wednesday's walkout, students in Framingham are adding their voices to the fight, demanding that more be done to halt that number.