Lower Merion SD Students Walking Out For Gun Violence Wednesday

LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA – Students in Lower Merion School District's middle and high schools will walkout of class Wednesday, March 14 as part of the national movement called "ENOUGH: National School Walkout."

Lower Merion and Harriton high schools, as well as Bala Cynwyd and Welsh Valley middle schools, will see walkouts at 10 a.m. Wednesday for 17 minutes in memory of the 17 people killed in the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida on Feb. 14.

"The main goal of this event is to show our representatives that the youth are paying attention, care about these issues, and won’t stop until change ensues," organizers said. "We will also be encouraging students to remain politically active after the walkout by providing them with information and resources to do so."

Students have receives support and permission from Lower Merion School District administration, according to organizers.

"This is an issue that impacts all of us," organizers said. "We are not safe at school, we are not safe in our cities and towns and congress must take meaningful action to keep citizens safe. Mass shootings occur so frequently that many have become desensitized - we have to start taking these losses personally and realize our community could be next. It is paramount to the lives of teachers, students, administrators, and other faculty lost in these devastating school shootings that something be done. We must take action now."

More than 2,500 schools are participating in walkouts across the nation.

At Lower Merion High School, students will exit the lower atrium and continue to march in a lap around the building while holding posters and chanting.

Once students reach our final destination – the bus loop – we will have a podium set up where members of the student body will present speeches on gun control, their experiences with gun violence, and honor those lost to gun violence.

After the walkout we will be opening up three stations that students can attend if interested:

• An open discussion/presentation that goes deeper into what gun control is and why we walked out
• A station where students can learn how to contact their local representatives
• A booth where eligible students can register to vote, and those who can’t yet can learn about registering

"We are already seeing the results of the students in Florida’s activism with raising the legal age to buy a gun from 18 to 21 in the state, but they won’t stop there and neither will we," according to organizers. "Even if you disagree with our political views, this is an unarguably historic, pivotal moment and we invite you to attend and help us spread the word."

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)