Nutley Students Rally Against Gun Violence

NUTLEY, NJ — They walked out of their classes on Wednesday morning, joining thousands of their peers across the nation in a protest against gun violence.

On March 14, students at Nutley High School participated in the national #ENOUGH rallies, which were timed to coincide with the one-month anniversary of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

The walkouts each were slated to last 17 minutes, one for each life taken during the tragedy. (Learn more about the protest here)

The rally at Nutley High School was planned by students, TAP Into Nutley reported.

The Nutley Citizens Community posted a letter sent on Tuesday from the school district to Middle School parents and guardians about the walkout on Facebook. The letter stated that administrators were aware that some students planned to protest, but others preferred not to participate.

District administrators wrote that they planned to “honor the intent of these movements” by inviting students to join teachers and counselors in the school auditorium for a moment of silence.

“While we are granting permission to participate in this one-time event, participating students must comply with the following guidelines,” the letter stated:

• Students are to return to class immediately following the moment of silence
• Students are not to disrupt the educational environment

Nutley Commissioner Steven Rogers, the head of the NJ Trump 2020 team, offered some critical dissent about the walkouts on Twitter:

• “Will be talking to citizens about organizing a pro-U.S. Constitution walk-out at schools across America. Stay-tuned! Let’s see if school officials support that!”
• “I am hearing from parents concerned about security risks during walk-outs. Who is going to check on the massive number of students and others re-entering schools after the protest. A very legitimate concern.”
• “Many politicians afraid to speak up about school walk-outs. Shameful! In my view appropriate tributes to the victims in Florida should be held as candle light services, with families etc. Parents need to engage and see who is sponsoring and financing any type of walk-outs.”

Nutley wasn’t the only local school district to see student-led walkouts on Wednesday.

In Essex County, student walkouts took place in towns including West Orange, Montclair, South Orange-Maplewood, Bloomfield, Nutley, Verona, Livingston, Millburn and Newark.

• See related article: School Walkouts In Essex County: Students Against Guns (WATCH)

Here’s what drove the national walkouts, according to organizers:

“We are living in an age where young people like us do not feel safe in our schools. This issue is personal for all of us, especially for those of us who are survivors of gun violence. We are walking out for ALL people who have experienced gun violence, including systemic forms of gun violence that disproportionately impact teens in black and brown communities. It is important that when we refer to gun violence, we do not overlook the impact of police brutality and militarized policing, or see police in schools as a solution. We also recognize the United States has exported gun violence through imperialist foreign policy to destabilize other nations. We raise our voices for action against all these forms of gun violence.”

While many districts have chosen to condone or embrace the protests, some, such as the Sayreville School District, have threatened to suspend participating students.

According to the ACLU of New Jersey, school officials are not allowed to prohibit or censor speech or press activities based on their content, unless it falls within one of two exceptions:

• “It is foreseeable that the speech will cause substantial disruption to the operation of the school”
• “It is too lewd or vulgar for the school audience”

Many parents and community members offered support for the student-led protest online. However, some 2nd Amendment advocates have argued against the students’ main assertion: more gun control laws will help to stop school shootings.

"Unfortunately, [Parkland] will not be the last mass shooting in America, in a school or any other soft target, and no new gun laws will prevent anyone with enough hate in their heart from committing such a crime," the New Jersey Second Amendment Society (NJ2AS) stated last month.

“We can certainly do better to improve the existing systems in place and properly enforce gun regulations already on the books,” the group stated.

• See related article: NJ Gun Advocates Say More Laws Won't Stop School Shootings

Are you for or against the student walkouts on March 14? Let us know why. Send a letter to the editor with your full name and town of residence to eric.kiefer@patch.com

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