Hoboken Students Hold School Walkouts Against Gun Violence

HOBOKEN, 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 throughout Hoboken participated in the national #ENOUGH rallies, which were timed for March 14 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)

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

At Hoboken High School, more than 450 Hoboken High School students wore orange ribbons and came together as one to show respect for those killed in the Parkland shooting.

Brandon Lyons, a 12th Grade student at Hoboken High School, said that the students wanted to show they are united and that what happened in Parkland is totally unacceptable.

“I am a big believer in having your voice heard, and I was overwhelmed with how smoothly and respectful everyone was," Lyons said. “It was a true demonstration of the Redwing spirit and coming together as one."

10th Grade student, Rebecca Weintraub said the rally was powerful and overwhelming.

"We wanted to say this cannot keep happening," Weintraub said. "Those lost are our age. We have opinions and have the right to be heard, and it was an incredible way to have our say.”

Christopher Munoz said that the sit-in was one of the most moving experiences of his 13-years of teaching in Hoboken High School.

“The compassion and respect shown by our students was so touching," Munoz said. "I couldn’t keep back the tears. The outpouring of emotion is kudos to this student lead remembrance and the special culture that exists in our school."

Principal Robin Piccapietra said that it was important to administrators that students were given the right to participate and express themselves.

"We worked together with student leaders and the wider-community to enable them to share their feelings safely and have their say respectfully," Piccapietra said.

In the leadup to Wednesday's national protest, Hoboken High School students made orange ribbons with parents from the Hoboken Public Education Foundation and created signs with the names of those lost.

The students and Hoboken Public Education Foundation decided to make the ribbons to show support the organization “Orange Ribbons for Jaime”, which honors the life of Jaime Guttenberg, a 14-year-old 9th grade student among those killed in the shooting on February 14.

RALLYING IN HOBOKEN

Students, city officials and school administrators held a vigil at City Hall on Wednesday.

Grade 6-8 students at Mustard Seed School in Hoboken participated in the National School Walkout along with their teachers.

Mustard Seed students planned to meet at the gazebo in Church Square Park on Willow Avenue in Hoboken (between 4th and 5th Streets) to show their solidarity, respect, and love to the families of the victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, school administrators previously said.

• See related article: Hoboken Private School Students Plan Walkout On Gun Violence

More than 115 students at the HoLa Hoboken Dual Language Charter School participated in the walkout, marching around the perimeter of Church Square Park in complete silence for 17 minutes in honor of the 17 lives lost at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

HOLA administrators wrote:

"We are immensely proud of HOLA students' commitment to the intent and somber nature of the event throughout the demonstration. Students reflected HOLA Core Values and showed incredible maturity and engagement during the walkout. HOLA would like to thank all of the faculty, parents and Hoboken's Fire and Police department for supporting our students as they marched today."

Hoboken Councilwoman Jen Giattino joined her sons, their classmates and teachers for a rally at Elysian Charter School.

Hoboken Police Chief Ken Ferrante said that the Hoboken Police Department deployed 25 officers at “all walkout locations” at 10 a.m. in order to maintain a safe environment throughout the entire city.

Ferrante thanked the participating emergency responders, as well as Schools Superintendent Christine Johnson for her “proactive planning” with police and the city.

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

Photos: Hoboken High School