Linden High School Students Plan Sit-In, Not Walkout

LINDEN, NJ — Instead of walking out, students at Linden High School will hosting a sit-in as part of Wednesday’s nationwide demonstration to remember the 17 students and staff killed at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., and to call for stricter gun laws.

“We support our students’ rights to free speech and encourage them to speak out on issues that they feel strongly about,” said Superintendent Danny A. Robertozzi. “If they decide to exercise these rights peacefully and responsibly, we will support them in any way we can. Our only concern is to make sure they are safe while they make their voices heard.”

The 17-minute walkout is one of hundreds that will be held across the United States spearheaded by the Enough National School Walkout of the Women's March Youth EMPOWER nonprofit. The length of time is done in memory of the 17 victims of the school shooting in Parkland, Florida earlier this year. (See Related: Florida Shooting Victim, 14, Lived In NJ, 'Loved, Well-Respected')

At 10 a.m. Linden students will walk out of class and to hold a sit-in in the school hallways for 17 minutes. Names and information about each of the victims will be read over the school loudspeaker during the sit-in.

Other walkouts will occur in Union County and throughout New Jersey.

Residents are showing they support local students by displaying orange ribbons on their properties.

Photo: Students participate in a protest against gun violence Feb. 21 outside the White House in Washington, D.C. Hundreds of students from a number of Maryland and DC schools walked out of their classrooms and made a trip to the U.S. Capitol and the White House to call for gun legislation, one week after 17 were killed in the latest mass school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

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